PM Modi Walking The Talk - Tread with caution

The events of the past fortnight have proved that PM Modi means business. However, a certain amount of caution would be advised given the peculiar geopolitical terrain of the sub-continent and how a war could set off serious consequences for the region, and in fact, the whole world. What exactly is Pakistan expecting India to be? A good neighbor or a gullible and susceptible target via the Kashmir route? India showed considerable composure and restraint coupled with a calculated vigil at the borders. Despite this, there have been intermittent interruptions of firing followed by insurgency at the borders. These eruptions are due to the constant turmoil within Pakistan’s political frame work. Their top leadership is always volatile given the history of military interference in administration and the occasional coup.  The Pakistan military’s dalliance with certain terror outfits cannot be ruled out. The closest target being India, JeM terrorists stormed an Indian army unit at Uri in a pre-dawn dastardly attack six kilometers from the LOC. This irked the Indian establishment and the quick-foot reaction helped in killing three militants within an hour and later a four militant was also killed. The attackers from the Pakistan side crossed the LOC in 2003 and Uri became a destination for constant shelling. The two countries then agreed to a truce. This resulted in the rise of trade between the two sides. The peace treaty got breached. The Indian army since then has been successful in foiling infiltration attempts. But with winters setting in, the attempts are likely to rise further. Also, pigeons and abandoned boats from Pakistan are creating flutters. After the September 2016 exchange, the toll gate has been shut. Population in Uri has been deeply shocked by the attack as many earn their daily bread from supplies of daily provisions to the army. India’s   ‘surgical attack’ has been termed as ‘too much and too soon’. A face-off has been entailed with an unstable nuclear-armed neighbour which is termed ‘risky’ by experts. Although ‘talk therapy’ is the best solution, PM Modi’s two years have been put to the test and he has been lauded for the surgical attacks. Time for hugs and hand shakes are over and a small dose of army talk with caution will go a long way. After his regular ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the Indian audience was wondering whether PM Modi would limit his stated intentions to just rhetoric or whether he would indeed, walk the talk.  Mr Modi has just proved that he is as good as his word. A few politicians with their imprecise comments seem to be casting doubt over the surgical strikes. The best Pakistan could do is to vociferously latch onto them. Arvind Kejriwal has kept his political campaigning at bay for a while. He for a change lauded Modi and is expecting him to whip Pakistan’s false propaganda that claimed surgical strikes never took place at in PoK. On the other hand, BJP feels his comments are sarcastic and insulting in nature. The party is charging at him for believing Pakistani media channels than India’s military. (The writer works as a Senior Producer with ABP News)