The ongoing ‘war’ between India and Pakistan, thus far, has actually been a technological conflict. It is an indication of the direction future wars will take. Superior technology has, of course, made a difference in all wars of the past, but there was also direct human involvement. Now, the trend it seems is that humans will generally comprise the victims, most of them innocent civilians.
The story till now has been that India’s defence structure has been able to thwart the Pakistani aerial and missile attacks. In contrast, India’s missiles and drones have been able to make it past the Pakistani defences. It is this frustration that is compelling Pakistan to keep trying rather than accept the reality. As always, it is resorting to terrorist type infiltration; and directing artillery fire at border villages in J&K and elsewhere.
The situation is indicative of the fact that countries which develop on the economic front and have competent governments will naturally have superior weapons and systems in place. There has to be a rootedness in reality, of course, unlike the misguided idealism that, for instance, plagued India in the early years. On the other hand, countries that ignore the basics of good governance, and putting the welfare of the people first, are bound to end up in a Pakistan like situation. One of the root causes of Pakistan’s backing of terrorist activity is the need for the ruling class – in this case the military – to divert people’s attention towards causes designed to achieve the other world Jannat, not the one in which they exist. The Kashmir cause is just a diversion that has nothing to do with the real needs of the common people.
It is hoped that India’s strategy during the ongoing conflict will force Pakistan to re-examine its ideology. The hold of the military over the state will need to be broken once and for all by making it clear that India’s power is beyond challenge. At the same time, the people of Pakistan must understand that India is not a threat to their sovereignty. There have been times in the past, however brief, when better relations between the two countries led to mutual good. Unfortunately, the inability to establish a functional democracy because of the interventions of the military, has undone whatever progress was achieved. India, as a result, has been left with very few options. Establishing its military and technological superiority is one of them.
