‘Indian actions eroding stability’

Experts advise Pakistan to invest in defence research instead of arms race

ISLAMABAD: A combination of an arms buildup, hawkish leaders and the absence of any strategic restraint in  India can erode the strategic stability of South Asia. However, a tit-for-tat arms race offers no solution.

This was suggested by diplomacy and strategic experts while speaking at a webinar on ‘Dynamics of Nuclear South Asia: 22 Years of Nuclearization’. The webinar had been hosted by the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS).

CISS Senior Fellow Dr Naeem Salik explained that strategic stability in South Asia was very fragile. In this context, he pointed towards the hostile statements issued against Pakistan by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Strategic Stability in the region, Dr Salik contended, was “tenuous and in the absence of any strategic restraint regime, it is very dangerous for the peace of the region.”

The ‘new normal’ concept being propagated by India, he said, indicates its readiness to engage Pakistan militarily but is contributing to the fragility of the region’s strategic stability.

On the other hand, Dr Salik said that the ‘new normal’ from the Pakistani perspective implies that any future Indian misadventure will be responded strongly, aggressively and with an equal or greater measure.

CISS Senior Fellow Dr Mansoor Ahmed spoke on the ‘Nuclear Pakistan and the Evolving Threat Spectrum in South Asia’. He said that even though New Delhi uses Beijing as a pretext to gain concessions from the West, India’s arms buildup is squarely aimed at Pakistan.

“By fueling and building up the strategic triad, New Delhi aims to achieve escalation dominance and counterforce strike capability against Pakistan,” he said, adding that New Delhi lacks the will and capability to fight China.

He advised the government against a “tit-for-tat arms race” with India and said that the best option is to maintain its full spectrum deterrence while investing in defence research and developing the domestic economic infrastructure.

Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Professor Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal echoed Dr Ahmed’s sentiments.

“The West views India as a counter-balance to China. Whether India can keep a check on China or not, is another debate altogether but with this arms buildup and modernization of Indian military and strategic forces, the imbalance between India and Pakistan is increasing which would bring instability in the region,” he maintained.

CISS Executive Director Amb Ali Naqvi gave a background to the deliberations leading to the nuclear tests in May 1998.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2020.