Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently attended the G-20 Summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. He held talks with top leaders of the world on a number of critical bilateral issues during the sessions. One of the major discussions was on the growing forces of terror and violence in the world.
The leaders focused their concerns on Kashmir, Balochistan, and the South China Sea. The Prime Minister expressed that terrorism is a paramount challenge before the community. He referred to Pakistan as the “single- nation spreading agents of terror”. Speaking at the G20 summit, he also accused China of rewarding terrorists. India has always blamed Pakistan for using terrorism against it but refrained from naming it.
Modi did not name Pakistan either. But his remark about one “one single nation” went further than usual expressions. Modi said “There are some nations that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Indeed, one single nation in south Asia is spreading these agents of terror in our region.” India holds Pakistan solely responsible for the burst of violence in Jammu & Kashmir this summer after the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist. Pakistan declared him a martyr and said that their Independence Day will be a “Freedom for Kashmir” day. The PM brought up the resistive situation in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Balochistan in Independence Day speech.
China has been quietly supportive of Pakistan’s actions. It has put a technical hold on sanctions against Maulana Masood Azhar, head of Jaish-e-Mohammed, the mastermind of the Pathankot attack in January.
For the present, India will continue to use global forums to refrain China on its connections with terror groups. When Modi invited Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his oath-taking ceremony in 2014 and then again, when Modi landed in Lahore on December 25, 2015, to greet Nawaz Sharif on his birthday, everyone hoped that this move might bridge the differences between two countries.
But the silence was short lived as the terrorists attacked the India Air Force Base in Pathankot. Pakistan also took the advantage of the disturbances and violence in the valley by bringing up the issue on International forums including the UN. With China supporting Pakistan politically, economically and militarily, it seems that the two countries have strengthened their relations.
China is also developing its roots in Balochistan where it would be investing $46 billion. It is still unclear which side will the US take in India-Pakistan dispute. Although the US is supporting India to help Afghanistan in its rebuilding efforts but it still needs Pakistan on its side.
While earlier this week, Pakistan Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif said that they would go beyond the last limit in order to save their country, India on other hand is talking about the limited war with Pakistan. The India-Pak relations took a sour route due to the cross-border terrorism and the picture is still uncertain when will be there complete silence and peace.
