03 May 2023 : The Indian Express

Editorial 1: Internal chaos, external crisis

Context:

• Recently there has been an announcement of Pakistan Prime Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s visit to India.

Background of India-Pakistan Relations

India and Pakistan have had sour relations.  A brief timeline of the relations between the two countries is discussed below:
 

• After the 1971 war, Pakistan and India signed the Shimla Agreement, by which India would return all Pakistani personnel (over 90,000) and captured territory in the west, and the two countries would "settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations." Diplomatic and trade relations were also re-established in 1976.
• The Composite Dialogue under the leadership of PM Manmohan Singh between India and Pakistan from 2004 to 2008 addressed all outstanding issues. But it was paused in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attack in November 2008.

In 2011, the bilateral ties were resumed on issues including:

Counterterrorism & Humanitarian issues 

• Economic issues at Commerce 
• Tulbul Navigation Project at Water Resources Secretary-level
• Siachen at Defence Secretary-level
• Peace & Security including Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
• Jammu & Kashmir
• Promotion of Friendly Exchanges at the level of the Foreign Secretaries.
• Cross-LoC travel was started in 2005 and trade across J&K was initiated in 2009.
• A visa agreement was signed in 2012 leading to the liberalization of bilateral visa regimes between the two countries.

Latest Developments in the India- Pakistan Relations:

• In 2019, Article 370 of India’s Constitution, was scrapped, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Following this, bilateral relations faced a severe blow. It was followed by Pakistan expelling the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad and suspension of air and land links, and trade and railway services. 
• India, in 2019, withdrew its Most Favoured Nation Status to Pakistan.
• Kartarpur Corridor agreement between India and Pakistan for the facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Pakistan, was signed on 24 October 2019 in order to fulfil the long-standing demand of the pilgrims to have easy and smooth access to the holy Gurudwara.
  • The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Agreement, inter alia, provides for visa-free travel of Indian pilgrims as well as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, from India to the holy Gurudwara in Pakistan on a daily basis, throughout the year.
• The only positive development has been the revival of a crucial ceasefire agreement on the Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021.

Major Issues in India Pakistan relations

1. Kashmir Issue: After scrapping of Article 370, the issue of Kashmir has become very complex.
2. Sir Creek: The issue of sir creek in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch region has been stuck due to no agreement on the boundary delineation as both nations claim the gas resources below the region.
3. Indus Water treaty 1960: The Indus Waters Treaty governs the rivers that flow from India into Pakistan. Nimoo Bazgo Project have been resolved through diplomacy. However, recent issues like Kishanganga and Dulhasti project have been sticky.
4. Poor Trade relations: Various items of trade like dry fruits etc are now expensive in India due to closure of crossborder trade. Similar situation is in Pakistan regarding Indian products.
5. Poor People to People relations: Movement of people across border has been miniscule and suspicion has caused deterioration in such relations.
6. Cross Border Terrorism, Drug and weapon smuggling: Problem of Golden Crescent in India’s neighbourhood and use of cross border terror by Pakistan has been the tipping points in the relations.

Way Forward:  

1. Follow agreements: Simla Agreement 1972 and Lahore declaration of 1999 have to be adhered to in resolving Kashmir issue in a bilateral manner.
2. Cooperation: International cooperation and implementation of dialogue and Confidence Building Measures (CBM) is a must.
3. Consensus against Terrorism: Pakistan should take resolute action against anti-India groups such a Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad etc tgo build trust.
4. Use of Technology: On the border, there should be use of drones and various other monitoring technologies to curb smuggling and crossborder terror.
5. Holistic approach:  Track 2 diplomacy is the way forward along with strong political will to improve relations.  

Conclusion:

• India Pakistan relations will improve once the Pakistan builds trust with India and tries to fight terrorism and abandon terror as a tool in its foreign and security strategy. India has to keep international pressure on Pakistan to help mend its ways while keeping a channel of dialogue open through Track 2 diplomacy.

Editorial 2: The India Way

Context:

• India became the Chair of the United Nations Commission for Social Development in February 2023 and completed its eighth term as the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last December.

About United Nations Security Council (UNSC):

• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and was established on 24^th October 1945. Its headquarter is in New York (USA). At present its presidency is under Switzerland.

It is charged with:

• ensuring international peace and security
• recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly
• approving any changes to the UN Charter

Its powers include:

• establishing peacekeeping operations
• enacting international sanctions
• authorizing military action

The UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions on member states.

Composition of the UNSC:

• The Council has 15 members - 5 permanent members and 10 non- permanent members. Permanent members- China, France, Russia, the U.S. and the UK were granted the special status of Permanent Member States. They have a "right to veto ", i.e. if any one of the five permanent members cast a negative vote in the 15-member Security Council, the resolution or decision would not be approved.
• Non- permanent members- The non- permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for 2-year terms rotating alphabetically on a monthly basis.
• The main criterion for the eligibility is: Contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security and Equitable geographical distribution.

Status of India at the UNSC:

• India has been an outstanding member of the United Nations and seeks to become a permanent member based on the following contributions:

1. Largest contribution to UN Peacekeeping forces providing more than 2 lakh security personnel. Recent All women Indian contingent was deployed for peacekeeping.
2. India’s responsible stand on the nuclear disarmament and upheld the principles of no-first use, non-proliferation and non-use against non-nuclear states as nuclear state.
3. India’s global commitment to peace, counter terrorism, through mediation like done in case of two Koreas.
4. India’s lead unique initiatives for vaccines and help to poor countries during global pandemic.
5. India has been an elected eight times as non-permanent member of the UNSC, and recently elected Chair of UN Commission for Social Development and also in the UN Statistical Commission, etc.
6. India-UN Development Partnership Fund is a unique Indian initiative to provide grants for the socio economic development in the global south.
7. Representative of the one-sixth of humanity i.e. 1.3 billion.
8. India is an emerging global power and deserves its rightful place in the comity of nations.

Conclusion

• UNSC reforms are pending for long and are much needed in the changed global order. India is a suitable candidate due to its firm and resolute commitment to global human development and welfare apart from peace and security.