Nuclearization has not Benefitted India
Praful Bidwai, The Times of India | May 14, 2008
India's ascension as a nuclear weapon state ten years ago was a mistake. ++ Fallacious confidence in the doctrine of deterrence has had the opposite effect, encouraging reckless behavior in Kashmir and strengthening Pakistan's military leadership, making South Asia more volatile. ++ The ensuing arms race with Pakistan and China has been funded at the expense of the social-sector, and led to a loss of India’s moral standing in the world. ++ India should make a conscious effort towards unilateral nuclear disarmament.
Sun, May 18th 2008, 13:07
ilyas m mohsin, ppp, Platinum Contributor (250)
appreciate and highlight the negative effects of the raising of a war-machine to match China. The fall-out is the deprivations of those of sinking in poverty among the lower castes inhabiting South/East which also account for many insurgencies in India.
The power-complex has also made the Indian state to be more aggressive vis-a-vis the resistance to Indian occupation brewing in Kashmir over the years. Lately the level of repression by six lac Indian troops billeted in the state to crush the'freedom movement' has only spread the violence.
After 9/11, the US Administration started to build up India as their surrogate in this part of the world. This created lot of economic, diplomatic and defence-related space for India in the world/US fora. This, however, immediately sparked an arms-race with China/ Pakistan.
India must temper its hegemonistic designs, which are said to be product of the mindset in Delhi and around among the prosperous high-caste Hindus despite the glib talk of democracy based on principles of equality etc. Its first sufferer is Kashmir followed by the South/ East whose people are more enlightened but relatively poor and, generally, low-caste.