New Delhi: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has included the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad, which are under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as part of its Jammu and Kashmir meteorological sub-division.
This is a tactical message the Narendra Modi government is sending Pakistan following the Handwara terror attack and the encounters after it. Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo was killed in one such encounter in Pulwama Wednesday.
India considers PoK as part of its own territory. However, Pakistan has been trying to separate Gilgit from PoK and, for all practical purposes, is treating Gilgit Baltistan as a separate province.
The Handwara attack and India’s retaliation underlines the difference between tactics and strategy. Terrorist attacks are tactical and India’s response of sending a message through the meteorological department is also tactical. They don’t decide the bigger picture, which is decided by strategies. However, tactics are important and in Chinese scholar Sun Tzu’s words, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory”.
Also read: Instead of organising spectacles, military must focus on faultlines in Kashmir now
Article 370 & strategic gains for India
The revocation of Article 370 and Article 35a was a strategic move that is dictating geopolitics in South Asia. However, it is delusional to assume that the move will lead to an elimination of tactical issues like terrorism, especially in a complex geopolitical place like Kashmir that is being contested by two nuclear countries.
With the removal of Article 370, India has made Kashmir like any other state, and this makes India’s claim on the now-union territory stronger.
Some left-oriented parties of the world have opposed India’s action in Kashmir, but even they aren’t speaking now. The world is rejecting left ideology, whether it is Bernie Sanders in US or Jeremy Corbyn in UK. Today, it seems like the suspension of Article 370 led to strategic gains for India.
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Very poorly written article! Bernie Sanders is extremely popular in America and continues to be! The world isn’t leaving Left ideology, but getting close to it. That’s because basic humanity and non-exploitation is now called Left ideology. Can anyone deny that Kashmiris deserve human rights? If yes, then they are plain fascist, not left/right wing. Dont write an article just for the heck of it !
POK is the part of J & K so IMD is showing the weather report of the same, no one can stop us. We would regain it at the earliest , no one has the right to interfere.
I think India should also start soil testing and water testing, livestock counting, trees counting activities in every small peak of Himalayas in Gilgit, Baltistan and Muzzafarabad. This will help us to discover this area in more depth and as you rightly mentioned this can be one more tactics.
Kashmir is always a part of India and will remain part of it.
Restore the internet in the occupied kashmir first.
It’s not important to start internet in the region. Even before this internet has been suspended for over a year and people could get along. Peaceful climate more important than internet.
It’s a great step by the government and should be further propagated until the area illegally occupied by pakistan is regained.