With the tenure of NDA-2 coming to an end, one question that is around in the air pertains to national security. How good or bad did NDA govt fare when it came to national security. Is it any different at al? I would deal with this subject on two issues, which makes it easy to understand. The first is Indian response to terrorism and the other one is about Indian response to Chinese bellicosity.
India, the land of spirituality, having different cultures, religions, traditions, views has been eternally patient with terrorism, which has had the seed of origin from pakistan from early 80's. First Khalistan was the pretext they used and later it was the turn of Kashmir.
The number of terror attacks are far too numerous to recount, but some of the most prominent ones one can recollect are 1993 Mumbai blasts,parliament attack, kaluchak massacre, bombings in major cities(Delhi, Ahmadabad bombings, Jaipur, Assam, Mumbai train bombings, Mumbai on 26/11).
All along starting from parliament attack there have been calls for surgical strikes, covert operations etc as the mode to take on Pakistan.The hue and cry used to die in course of time. It is surprising that public sentiment failed to make an impact for so long, leaving common man with a sense of resignation, at the inability of the political to pull the trigger. NDA-1, which was headed by BJP, a party which all along professed an aggressive line against cross border terrorism, for a variety of reasons ended without crossing the Rubicon.
On the Chinese front, every visit of major Indian to Chin or Chinese leaders visit to India used to be preceded by transgressions along LAC(line of actual control). All that India could muster was a diplomatic protest, accompanied with statements to assuage Indian public with statements like "The border is not demarcated".
Then came NDA-2 headed by Narendra Modi, who was known for his aggressive stance. The first major attack happened On 4 June 2015, when NSCN-K ambushed an Indian Army convoy of 6 Dogra Regiment in Chandel district of Manipur and killed 18 Indian soldiers. Questions about Modi's promises started making rounds in a very audible voice. In a matter of weeks, this attack has been avenged , when India conducted a surgical operation inside the Myanmar territory to destroy the culpable groups. At this juncture, one of the argument put forth by lutyens intellectual class was that this operation was an easy one as it was conducted in Myanmar, which is a friendly country. They then challenged that such an operation would not be possible against Pakistan. Then came the URI attack, killing 17 army men. Within 10 days days, this attack was avenged through a surgical operation inside POJK(pak occupied jammu and kashmir). Then the lutyens intellectual class started saying that India could act against Pakistan as it was a smaller country and they challenged the Government to show spine against a country like China. The time to meet this challenge arrived sooner than what one could hope for. In the month of june 2017, China encroached upon Bhutanese territory in Doklam to build an extremely important strategic road. Doklam is located at one of the most strategic location for India at Chickens neck. At the request of Bhutanese, India stepped in and stopped the encroachment. This standoff continued for nearly 70 days, during which China tried to browbeat and bully India through psychological warfare. India held its ground with utmost poise and finally China had to back off. Visits of important leaders from either sides of late have been without of poking from the Chinese. When Pulwama attack killed 40 soldiers, India took the next big step by crossing the international border to strike one of the largest JEM training camp.
It is no ones argument that India is a totally changed country, but one surely can vouch that things have started moving in the right direction.The elephant seems to have woken from the slumber.It surely is gaining the momentum.
India, the land of spirituality, having different cultures, religions, traditions, views has been eternally patient with terrorism, which has had the seed of origin from pakistan from early 80's. First Khalistan was the pretext they used and later it was the turn of Kashmir.
The number of terror attacks are far too numerous to recount, but some of the most prominent ones one can recollect are 1993 Mumbai blasts,parliament attack, kaluchak massacre, bombings in major cities(Delhi, Ahmadabad bombings, Jaipur, Assam, Mumbai train bombings, Mumbai on 26/11).
All along starting from parliament attack there have been calls for surgical strikes, covert operations etc as the mode to take on Pakistan.The hue and cry used to die in course of time. It is surprising that public sentiment failed to make an impact for so long, leaving common man with a sense of resignation, at the inability of the political to pull the trigger. NDA-1, which was headed by BJP, a party which all along professed an aggressive line against cross border terrorism, for a variety of reasons ended without crossing the Rubicon.
On the Chinese front, every visit of major Indian to Chin or Chinese leaders visit to India used to be preceded by transgressions along LAC(line of actual control). All that India could muster was a diplomatic protest, accompanied with statements to assuage Indian public with statements like "The border is not demarcated".
Then came NDA-2 headed by Narendra Modi, who was known for his aggressive stance. The first major attack happened On 4 June 2015, when NSCN-K ambushed an Indian Army convoy of 6 Dogra Regiment in Chandel district of Manipur and killed 18 Indian soldiers. Questions about Modi's promises started making rounds in a very audible voice. In a matter of weeks, this attack has been avenged , when India conducted a surgical operation inside the Myanmar territory to destroy the culpable groups. At this juncture, one of the argument put forth by lutyens intellectual class was that this operation was an easy one as it was conducted in Myanmar, which is a friendly country. They then challenged that such an operation would not be possible against Pakistan. Then came the URI attack, killing 17 army men. Within 10 days days, this attack was avenged through a surgical operation inside POJK(pak occupied jammu and kashmir). Then the lutyens intellectual class started saying that India could act against Pakistan as it was a smaller country and they challenged the Government to show spine against a country like China. The time to meet this challenge arrived sooner than what one could hope for. In the month of june 2017, China encroached upon Bhutanese territory in Doklam to build an extremely important strategic road. Doklam is located at one of the most strategic location for India at Chickens neck. At the request of Bhutanese, India stepped in and stopped the encroachment. This standoff continued for nearly 70 days, during which China tried to browbeat and bully India through psychological warfare. India held its ground with utmost poise and finally China had to back off. Visits of important leaders from either sides of late have been without of poking from the Chinese. When Pulwama attack killed 40 soldiers, India took the next big step by crossing the international border to strike one of the largest JEM training camp.
It is no ones argument that India is a totally changed country, but one surely can vouch that things have started moving in the right direction.The elephant seems to have woken from the slumber.It surely is gaining the momentum.
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