1965 War

[Sarsaparilla]

@pak-one

India’s losses have nothing to do with “trusting” either China or Pakistan. India and Pakistan had already fought in 1948 where (if you take the Indian perspective) 1/3 of Kashmir was lost to Pakistan and Aksai Chin to China, so it’s not like the Indian leadership was completely unaware of the regional hostilities.

Indira was definitely the Iron Lady of India. The losses in 1971 were incredibly decisive for Pakistan, but let us not forget that the local population (E. Pakistanis) was openly hostile to Pakistani military due to the political repression and military violence before India had gotten involved. But a loss is a loss.

I am not sure how much worse of a loss it would have been in 99 with Kargil. Unlike the previous wars, Pakistan, newly a declared nuclear power would always have that option and with the impending loss of the major population centers, would exercise it. Pakistani military and command structure is surprisingly apocalyptic in that respect.

I don’t think Pakistan represents that threat to India, as eyes have turned to China. I don’t think China would attack India at any juncture, but Indian anxieties clearly reaching a fevered pitch vis-a-vis the rise of China’s military power. If you make an honest assesment of India’s capabilities versus China (an equal regional power) the situation turns bleaker for the Indian side.

Like I have been saying in the past, wars with India are not to Pakistan’s benefit economically. Even the '65 wrecked our economy for DECADES. I don’t think an open firendship with India is possible either, so the idea of “good fences make good neighbors” is probably the way to go.

Personally I don’t mind working with Indians or even Israelis where the collaboration yields the best outcomes. In the global context economic interests should be separated from political ones.

Biggest losses Pakistan has suffered due to conflicts with India are not military but economic. Pakistan which is a beautiful country with a long common history with India has a stupendous potential for tourists rupees from India. I have a travel agent friend in Mumbai who says he alone can send 1 crore rupees of tourists to Pakistan if Pakistan was not so hostile to India. Even muslims in India will not travel to Pakistan. At some point Pakistan has to assess if this continuous hostility to India is affordable to it economy. India can well afford the military budget that it wastes on Pakistan. Pakistan can ill-afford to waste that money. The keyboard jihadis that spout anti-India venom don’t pay their own bills, their parents do.