India has sought from the US 100 latest unmanned aerial vehicles, both armed and surveillance versions, worth USD 2 billion to bolster its arsenal amid recurring incursions by Chinese troops.
Industry sources familiar with New Delhi’s interest and ongoing talks between the two governments, said India had requested for the latest Avenger drones, which is basically an unmanned combat air vehicle, and is mainly being sought with an eye on China.
It has also sought Predator XP category which is a surveillance version for internal security issues and terrorist threats.
According to industry sources, India is looking for about 100 drones worth USD 2 billion.
However, while talks in this regard have accelerated in the past few months, the US has not made any formal commitment or given a public indication pending India’s application to joining Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
Italy, which is upset with New Delhi’s treatment of its marines, appears to have currently blocked India becoming a member of MTCR.
However, both Indian and US officials are confident that they would be able to get through the last hurdle in the next few months, thus making them possible to take the defence trade – which would include armed drones – to the next level.
“Yes, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is aware of India’s interest in Predator-series Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA),” Vivek Lall, chief executive of the US and International Strategic Development of General Atomics told PTI.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems produces Predator series of remotely piloted aircraft.
“Due to US export laws, the US government has to approve the export of a Predator-series RPA to the Indian government. GA-ASI remains very encouraged by the recent India-US bilateral engagements at the highest levels and we are hopeful that we can play an important supporting role in these discussions,” he said.
“Predator-series RPA could provide a world-class Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability for India which would include both high-definition radar and Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) coverage along India’s borders,” Lall said in response to a question.
Additionally, the RPA can perform humanitarian aid/disaster relief surveillance over both land and sea, said Lall, who had previously played a key role in US sale of high tech military assets to India during his stint at Boeing.
– See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/with-eye-on-china-india-seeks-100-armed-drones-worth-2-billion-from-us/?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=inshorts_full_article&utm_campaign=inshorts_full_article#sthash.K7FUQuuz.dpuf
THERE have been rough patches in the functioning of parliamentary democracy in India — the roughest was of course the Emergency of the seventies — but seldom has the functioning of the two Houses been held hostage to serve partisan party purpose quite in the manner we are witnessing. Besides, the level of public discourse has reached a new low.There was the infamous boast of Ms Sushma Swaraj, then in the Opposition, before the beginning of a session that she would not let Parliament function for a day until her demands were met. And she proved true to her word. That benchmark has not been breached but the sorry spectacle of the Congress, seeking to emulate Ms Swaraj has presented an unedifying spectacle. The Indian political world is out of joint. With all its imperfections, democracy has been functioning and a central part of the system has been Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his avatar as chief minister of Gujarat succeeded in marginalising the state Assembly in achieving his goals, but this method cannot be replicated at the national level. Indeed, we have reached the point when blaming one party or the other will not lead us anywhere. Rather, the need of the hour is to evolve a new consensus among all parties that disrupting Assembly or parliamentary proceedings is taboo. And civilised political discourse must have limits. The terminology employed by the Delhi Chief Minister, Mr Arvind Kejriwal, in scoring points against Prime Minister Modi was reprehensible. What has led to this sudden explosion of invectives and tempestuous parliamentary proceedings that mocks the Westminster model we have borrowed. Nobody expected the Indian system to work quite like the British model. But Jawaharlal Nehru and his colleagues, many of them Western-educated and -influenced, did try to maintain a measure of decorum. The homegrown lot who followed the first generation of rulers did not hold legislatures in similar reverence. A second reason for the turmoil and high-pitched verbal battles is the change of government in New Delhi. Mr Modi is a combative leader and does not follow the rules of the game. As Prime Minister, he has been the principal campaigner for his Bharatiya Janata Party in state Assembly elections, injecting bitter personal attacks on his political opponents to create a confrontational atmosphere. The shrillness of the debate is also due to the travails of the Congress, a party whose perennially-in-waiting leader Rahul Gandhi has proved unequal to his task. With Ms Sonia Gandhi still seeking to groom her son for leadership, the party is, in a sense, leaderless. There is no short-term prospect of a solution to the prevailing crisis because there is no overarching leader in the shape of a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jayaprakash Narayan who can knock heads together. The intelligentsia or the middle class is too feeble to call squabbling parties and leaders to order. Logically, the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the country, should take the lead in calling for a reversion to more civilised norms of public debate and functioning of Parliament. But he himself is a combatant and his public persona does not lend itself to a meaningful mediator’s role. Who then will bell the cat? Willy-nilly the intelligentsia must give the lead, despite its weaknesses. Indeed, the only solution is to help create a mass movement that will compel our legislators to earn their keep and perform the tasks they were elected for. There must be financial penalties for disturbing parliamentary and Assembly proceedings and citizens’ committees to police legislative proceedings. We could have the equivalent of lok adalats to assess individual and collective performance. If this portends direct democracy, so be it. We must treat the prevailing crisis as a national emergency. It is fashionable to make light of the squabbles and name-calling in the functioning of our legislatures but their consequences can be deadly. It is true that many members of the middle class are more comfortable in holding armchair discussions than in leading a movement, but they must now rise to the occasion to lend their resources and skills to reform the political class. Television has a special role to play in this campaign because of its reach and the nature of the beast. It is inherent in the medium to highlight squabbles and confrontations, which take up a disproportion amount of space. Yet as responsible members of society, TV bosses must annotate their visuals with meaningful discussions and commentaries condemning the misdemeanours of all parties. Writers made themselves heard recently by returning their awards as marks of protest against growing intolerance in the country. They have an even more important role to perform in highlighting the back-breaking cost of non-functioning legislatures and Parliament to the public exchequer. Legislators are not doing a favour by performing the tasks they were elected for. All politicians must also recognise that name-calling and use of vulgar language redound to their discredit. They do no credit to him and her and the political party he or she belongs to. In recent times, the level and frequency of invectives are becoming something of an epidemic. If Mr Kejriwal calls himself an anarchist, he has no place as the leader of a party in the legislature or the chief minister of a state. Anarchy and parliamentary democracy do not go together. If his self-description was more in the nature of a populist slogan, he should be more careful in expressing his feelings and refrain from crossing the red line in abusing the Prime Minister.Have we reached the end of the road? That remains to be seen but the dangers of the path our politicians are employing are growing by leaps and bounds. After all, the distinction between democracy and anarchy is the distinction between political discourse and the lathi (force). This vital distinction has been blurred. It is therefore the duty of the middle class and all thinking men and women to show our politicians the way.
11 OFFICERS, 10 JCOS AND 185 SOLDIERS DIED WHILE 19 OFFICERS, 11 JCOS AND 334 SOLDIERS WERE WOUNDED DURING THE BATTLE OF BERIWALA
FAZILKA: The Amogh Division of the Army held a ceremony here on Wednesday to remember the heroism and valour of the brave soldiers, who laid down their lives fighting for the motherland during the 1971 IndoPakistan war.
The ‘Saviours of Fazilka’ fought the battle of Beriwala, which raged on uninterrupted for 14 days from December 3, 1971 onwards. It was undoubtedly one of the fiercest actions of the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
In this epic battle, 11 officers, 10 junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and 185 soldiers embraced martyrdom while 19 officers, 11 JCOs and 334 soldiers were wounded on the battlefield. For displaying conspicuous gallantry, one Mahavir Chakra, six vir chakras and four mention-indispatches were awarded.
The ceremony witnessed active participation by the general public. The civil administration came forward to assist the Army in organising and actively participating in the event.
Rich tributes were paid to the martyrs by laying wreaths at the Fazilka war memorial. A ‘marathon’ was organised wherein people participated with a lot of enthusiasm despite the chilly weather.
Prizes were given in various categories to the participants of the marathon.
The children of Fazilka presented a mesmerising cultural programme which filled everyone’s heart with patriotism.
Events such as painting, debate and various other activities were organised in schools across Fazilka on the eve of Vijay Diwas and the winners were felicitated.
General officer commanding (GOC) of the division Major General Bipin Bakshi exhorted all ranks of the division to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation and emulate the devotion of war veterans and martyrs.
The event was also graced by Santosh Rana, wife of late major KS Rana of 15 Rajput, who attained martyrdom during the operations in Fazilka and many war heroes and veer naris (war widows).
Aditi Tandon,Tribune News Service,New Delhi, December 16
Ruling out war as the only option available to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terror in India, the government today said it was hopeful of resolving all outstanding issues with the neighbouring country through dialogue.Exuding hope of positive outcomes from the just resumed comprehensive bilateral dialogue with Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today told the Lok Sabha that talks were always resumed on the basis of renewed hope in its ability to deliver the desired results.“War is not the only option when we (India and Pakistan) have started afresh and decided that we will resolve our issues through dialogue. We have made a new beginning, a new start and hope to eliminate the shadow of terrorism through dialogue,” Swaraj said in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour when BJP member from Satna Ganesh Singh asked her pointedly if India would consider eliminating terrorists in Pakistan the way US eliminated Osama bin Laden sheltered in the neighbouring country.The minister, however, reiterated India’s stated position on a dialogue with Pakistan saying talks and terror could not go together.“We have said repeatedly that talks and terror cannot go together. The PM has best articulated this position by saying that the sound of talks will get drowned in the noise of bombs. Talks and terror cannot go together but then let us talk on terror. That is why the NSAs of the two countries met in Bangkok to discuss these issues. But one meeting is not enough. We have to continue to talk,” Swaraj said.
Washington, December 8
As the US prepares to sell F-16s to Pakistan, the country’s former top diplomat has warned the Congress that such fighter jets would end up being used against India and not against terrorists.
Describing sale of such military hardware and even reported talk of a civil nuclear deal as an appeasement policy towards Pakistani military, the former top Pakistani diplomat has urged the US to tell the leaders in Pakistan that their ambition of rivalling India is akin to Belgium trying to rival France or Germany.
“The Obama administration’s consideration of a nuclear deal with Pakistan, just like its decision a few months ago to sell almost USD 1 billion in US-made attack helicopters, missiles and other equipment to Pakistan will fuel conflict in South Asia without fulfilling the objective of helping the country fight Islamist extremists or limit its nuclear arsenal,” said Husain Haqqani, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the US.
In a prepared remark submitted ahead of a Congressional hearing on ‘Civil Nuclear Cooperation with Pakistan: Prospects and Consequences to the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs’, Haqqani said Pakistan’s failure to tackle its jihadist challenge is not the result of a lack of arms but reflects an absence of will.
“Unless Pakistan changes its worldview and its compulsive competition with its much larger neighbour even in violation of international commitments, American weapons will end up being used to fight or menace India and perceived domestic enemies instead of being deployed against jihadists,” he said.
Currently, director of South & Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, a top American think-tank, Haqqani said competition with India remains the overriding consideration in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policies. —PTI
Rachna Khaira
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, December 7
Voices of remembrance were heard on Monday when the nation stood together to observe the 66th Armed Forces Flag Day to bring alive the memories of those who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives in wars fought to retain the sovereignty of the country.
The day was observed with solemn gaiety at the Punjab State War Memorial in the city on Monday. Maj Gen Deepak Dhanda, SM, Chief Of Staff, Vajra Corps, was the chief guest on the occasion and Girish Dayalan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, was the guest of Honour on the occasion. The dignitaries infused patriotism with a new zeal into the atmosphere during their address to the armed forces personnel and students present.
“Naam, Namak aur Nishan’- Nishan means flag are inseparable to those wearing uniform until their last breath. It is a matter of immense pride for us to maintain the sovereignty of the national flag as we either hoist the flag in the enemy’s area by winning over or come back after getting draped in it,” said Gen Dhanda.
He also informed that Vajra Corps is working with the fully equipped Veteran Felicitation Centre (VRC) and Army placement cell here in the city. Since January 2015, nine officers and 157 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and 376 other ranks were rehabilitated after being given jobs in various fields. The Vajra Corps also donated Rs 1 lakh to the district administration as contribution to the Armed Forces Flag Day.
Speaking on the occasion, Girish Dayalan said as a civil servant, he was sensitised about the armed forces and the contribution of their families in their absence. “Keeping in mind the supreme sacrifice and contribution of armed forces here in the region, the district administration has decided to dedicate a mural to Mahavir Chakra winners from the district at the BMC Chowk,” said Dayalan.
He said the District Sainik Welfare Board at Jalandhar is on top for the last many years. “We have been on the top for years for collecting the maximum contribution on Flag Day. Last year, it was Rs 21 lakh. This time, we have already contributed Rs16 lakhs and are hopeful of touching the figure of Rs 30 lakh by the end of this financial year,” said Dayalan.
In his address, Brig (retd) Minhas, Vice-President, District Sainik Welfare Board, said the department has state-of-the-art infrastructure and has introduced many preparatory courses for various competitive exams for the wards of serving and retired personnel. “The department has made a legacy to serve the ex-servicemen and their families with compassion and zeal and we will maintain it forever,” said Brig Minhas.
Also present on the occasion were Col (retd) KPS Atwal, Distict Sainik Welfare officer (DSWO) and Col (retd) HP Singh, a former DSWO. The department also distributed sewing machines, blankets and cheques to the beneficiaries comprising war heroes and widows.
History of Armed Forces Flag Day
The First World War, which is celebrated every year as Armistice Day on November 11, was named as Poppy Day because the souvenirs of poppies were operated to benefit the ex-army men as well as their relatives. After getting the freedom from the British, the Indian Government decided to pay attention to the army men and their relatives.
A special commission constituted by the Government of India on August 28 in 1949 declared that Flag Day would be celebrated annually on December 7 to collect funds from the public by selling India’s flag for the well-being of the staff of the armed forces. Army men in India perform their duty for the safety and security of the people, so it is also the duty of the common people towards the army men who are ready to sacrifice their lives in the battle.
Importance and objectives
Armed Forces Flag Day in India is celebrated annually to remember all the sacrifices of the personnel of Army, Air Force and Navy. The event is organised to receive collaboration from the public to make available rehabilitation to the families of war victims, to offer welfare to the serving personnel as well as their relatives and to help in the resettlement and well-being of ex-servicemen and their relatives.
Fund set up in 1949
The original Flag Day Fund was set up in 1949 by the Defence Minister’s Committee The fund collection is managed throughout the country by the local arm of the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), which is a part of the Ministry of Defence The fund collection is managed both by official and non-official means through voluntary organisations Over the years, it has become a tradition to commemorate this day as an honour to the soldiers, airmen and sailors of India.
On Flag Day, all three branches of the Indian armed forces, the Army, Air Force and the Navy, arrange a variety of shows, carnivals, dramas and other entertainment programmes to showcase the talent of their personnel. India has the world’s third largest military force with 1.3 million active personnel, 1.15 million reserve personnel and 1.3 million paramilitary personnel.
The Navy Day is observed on December 4 to mark the Karachi attack. Since Mrs Indira Gandhi approved that audacious operation, it is also a day to remember her courage and dynamism.
Our nation state at 68 seems to have reached the nadir. The Parliament is paralysed by the politics of confrontation and intolerance. Let’s not despair, this phase of intolerance will pass and “multiplicity”, ( a word coined by our President), enjoyed over decades of Indian diversities of thought and culture, will prevail if we “pull together”. That naval phrase leads me on to our moment of glory of 1971, captured by the rare colour picture of the surrender in which 93,000 troops laid down arms. The 1971 events, unhindered by needless opposition in political circles as displayed today on Raisina Hill, showed the true mettle of our leadership. It is reflected in that historic moment depicted with Generals Arora and Niazi signing the surrender documents, watched by Admiral Krishnan, Air Marshal Dewan and General Jacob — a truly diverse India reflected in those names! The Navy came into its own after Independence, in the 1971 war because our Prime Minister did not hesitate to approve of Admiral Nanda’s innovative plan to attack Karachi with the newly acquired “styx” missiles. The Navy came out with flying colours.
Incidentally, another woman Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was to follow suit 10 years later to order the sinking of the Argentine cruiser Belgrano in the Falklands War in the South Atlantic. Baroness Thatcher saw Mrs Gandhi as being much more hard-headed than other third world leaders. In Downing Street Years, she observes that “her policies had been high-handed but only a strong figure with a powerful personality could hope to successfully rule India”. In the backdrop of Indira Gandhi’s birth and death anniversaries, on November 19 and October 31, respectively, Henry Kissinger’s words in White House Years are apt: “She was relentlessly pursuing India’s national interests with singlemindedness and finesse”.
The terrible loss of our submarine INS Sindhurakshak makes me rewind to 1983. In Bombay’s Mazagon Docks, the “woman of the millenium,” amidst chanting of a Sanskrit invocation rendered by Suahasini Mulgaonker, witnessed the first rivet being driven for launching INS Shankul, our indigenous HDW submarine programme. Had we pursued it thereafter we would have been self-sufficient. Instead, we buckled under opposition pressure because HDW, like Bofors, became anathema in the public perception. It’s another matter that the Swedish gun proved its mettle in Kargil and saved our honour. On Mrs Gandhi’s return to South Block in 1980, she was addressing the annual conference of Naval brass. “There is no need to refer to the US and USSR as super powers”, she observed, “calling them just ‘big’ powers will do.” Inexplicably, she then veered round to another tack (probably influenced by our immaculate white uniforms) and expressed her anguish at the existing dirt and poor showing in the Capital — the Asian Games had just been given the green signal to go ahead (the Charan Singh ministry having said no to them) and there was work to be done. A memory worth reviving is when the results of 1979 elections were being declared and the Gandhis were in 12 Willingdon Crescent. There was a call from Playboy magazine wanting an interview with the PM elect. Rajiv, with a mischevious smile, brought the cordless telephone to his mother. Her reply was to tell them “an emphatic no”. She was a transformed Prime Minister. Little wonder that she promptly showed the door to a French journo who dared to ask her if she would bring back the Emergency. Go past No 1 Safdarjang Road and see how thousands, even after three decades, still queue up to peer at what were Indiraji’s private quarters. Finally, a small aside. Former Himachal Pradesh Governor, Admiral Rustam Khusro Shapoorjee Gandhi, at a Navy Day reception was escorting Indira Feroz Gandhi. Noticing the name tally of a young officer he said, “Madame, let me present to you Lieutenant Gandhi.” Her quick but witty response was, “Aren’t there too many Gandhis here today?” And here is a take from 1950. INS Delhi was on a cruise to Indonesia, carrying then current and two future Prime Ministers. Old Navy hands recall how Nehru’s dutiful daughter, knowing his penchant for a smoke, cut Panditji’s cigarettes into two to keep his tobacco consumption down.
The writer is a former Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.
Lahore initiative raises hope, but Delhi can”t lower guard
It was Christmas day, a ‘bara din’ as most people call it in India and Pakistan. The date coincided with some other birth anniversary celebrations; that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in India, Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In Kabul, after inaugurating the new Parliament House, and pillorying Pakistan-supported terrorism for fuelling unrest in Afghanistan in his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nawaz Sharif and conveyed his greetings and good wishes on his birthday. The latter responded in a typical friendly neighbour fashion and said ‘since you would be flying over my country, why don’t you drop by and also bless my granddaughter Mehrunissa at her wedding’. Modi accepted that spontaneously. That spontaneity may or may not have been scripted or choreographed, but it caused a diplomatic coup in the Indo-Pakistan relations.Modi was able to achieve what his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh had dreamt of: having breakfast in Delhi, lunch in Lahore and dinner in Kabul, albeit in the reverse order.While analysing the implication of this historical and surprise stopover, the strategic ‘chatterati’ has got divided into two groups: the conventionalists and the unconventionalists. The conventionalists, somewhat miffed with Modi’s increasingly diplomatic secrecy and surprises, consider it as a diplomatically ‘not done’ gesture and a hasty decision. Having grown up in a risk-averse culture, they feel that such impromptu, unplanned VIP visits are not serious diplomacy, but meaningless optics. It can dilute India’s uncompromising stand on Pakistan- sponsored terrorism and other substantive Indo-Pakistan disputes. Modi could soon be walking through a hazardous minefield, just as Vajpayee did in Lahore. The unconventionalists are also surprised. But they laud the event and consider it a bold step by Modi. They feel that such an unconventional step was required to defreeze the ice (partly caused by the RSS-BJP-Shiv Sena combine itself) before the hard part of the substantive menu arrives in the Indo-Pakistan dialogue. The impromptu visit has made clear the Modi style of diplomacy. He likes to involve in one-to-one personal chemistry with political leaders of the world, away from the media glare and the highly polarised domestic politics. It is more like what is practiced amongst presidential type of governments. Such informal, short notice meetings, quite common in the West, enable personal bonding and trust building, and provide a clearer political agenda and umbrella to the subordinates in resolving sensitive diplomatic issues. On the Indian subcontinent, such practices, if not handled deftly, can put own political capital and national diplomacy at risk. So far, Modi’s decision to visit Nawaz Sharif’s house has been viewed favourably by most citizens and even the media both in India and Pakistan. So, how should we look at this stopover meeting?As per academic jargon, national security interests (the ‘ends’) of a country are achieved through strategic choices (the ‘ways’) and its instruments of national power (the ‘means’— in this case diplomacy). While discussing Modi’s impromptu Lahore stopover, many people have tended to mix the ‘ways’ with the ‘ends’. I believe that we should look at it as part of ‘ways’ only; one more gesture added to his engagement strategy in creating a conducive atmosphere of peace and trust before discussing (and facilitating) issues which form part of the ‘ends’. The impact of this visit should be assessed in the number of ceasefire violations and terror incidents in the coming days. If the number reduces, this approach and gesture can be considered useful. If not, then Modi’s effort would be considered unnecessary and he could face flak. How do I view the engagement flip-flops and recent developments in the Indo-Pakistan relations?Till recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party and some of its allies had attempted to come across to the Indian electorate as a strong patriotic and nationalist party. In that process, many of its leaders and candidates indulged in over-the-top political rhetoric. Some fringe elements went overboard in their communal and anti-Pakistan statements without realising, or being aware, that India’s foreign and domestic policies, just like the external and internal security policies, have a strong linkage. That was wrong. Given the geography, history and regional and global geopolitics, India and Pakistan have to remain engaged, even in a conflict situation. We did that at the political as well as military level during the Kargil war. After coming to power, the NDA government took two nuanced steps in pursuing the Pakistan policy: It allowed security forces to retaliate strongly on ceasefire violations and attempts in cross-border terrorists’ movement. It disallowed Hurriyat leaders to meet Pakistani VIPs visiting India. According to intelligence reports, most Hurriyat leaders have an established nexus with terrorist groups and the ISI. Personally, I favour both these measures. The government also did well at Ufa (in Russia) to bring cross-border terrorism as a high-priority agenda at the high table discussions. The progress was stalled — almost halted — when the Pakistan army objected to the Ufa joint statement and forced its government to change tack and make Kashmir the number one agenda point. Since then, the quiet, some backdoor diplomacy and off-the-media glare meetings of the two prime ministers have enabled both countries to resume dialogue at different levels. Modi’s stopover visit can have one more implication: on the civil-military relations in Pakistan. It was Gen Raheel Sharif, Pakistan army chief, who made the Pakistani political leadership bend and change the discussion agenda decided at the Ufa joint conference. These days, his popularity in Pakistan is soaring. It cannot be to the liking and interest of the political establishment. Modi’s acceptance of Nawaz Sharif’s invitation, personal reception, greetings, the warm hugs, and then travelling together in a helicopter to his Raiwind house has made both political leaders more popular and acceptable in Pakistan. It would be a shot in the arm for the political setup in Pakistan, particularly Nawaz Sharif.Narendra Modi’s very recent speech at the Combined Commanders’ Conference held on India’s aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, may help in understanding the objective and approach of his Pakistan policy. He said, “We are engaging Pakistan to try and turn the course of history, bring an end to terrorism, build peaceful relations, advance cooperation and promote stability and prosperity in our region. There are many challenges and barriers on the path. But the effort is worth it because the peace dividends are huge and the future of our children is at stake. “So, we will test their intentions to define the path ahead. For this, we have started a new NSA-level dialogue to bring security experts face to face with each other. But we will never drop our guard on security and continue to judge progress on their commitments on terrorism.” At this stage of Indo-Pakistan relations, we can hope for the best, but must remain alert and be prepared for the worst.
— The writer is a former Indian Army Chief
