India a leading global power, Pakistan needs to show it can be responsible for its nukes

India a leading global power, Pakistan needs to show it can be responsible for its nukes

Context

Almost a year in office and after two bilateral meetings between Prime MinisterNarendraModi and US President Donald Trump, the US government on Tuesday marked out India’s emergence as a “global power” in its first National Security Strategy — a significant upgrade in Washington’s assessment of India in the last 15 years.

India’s importance in NSS

In 2015, in Obama administration’s last NSS, India’s role was described as a “regional provider of security” and in 2010, India was termed one of “21st century centers of influence”. In 2006, during George W Bush administration’s NSS, it had called India as one of “regional and global engines of growth” and in 2002, it was viewed as a “potential great democratic power of 21st century

India’s place in Trump’s NSS

India was mentioned eight times in Trump’s NSS, where it said: “A geopolitical competition between free and repressive visions of world order is taking place in the Indo-Pacific region, which stretches from the west coast of India to the western shores of the United States, represents the most populous and economically dynamic part of the world. The US interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific extends back to the earliest days of our republic.”

Strengthening the Quadrilateral

• Putting strategic and defence partnership front and centre, the 68-page NSS document said: “We welcome India’s emergence as a leading global power and stronger strategic and defence partner. We will seek to increase quadrilateral cooperation with Japan, Australia, and India.”
• The first quadrilateral meeting at the senior officials’ level took place in Manila last month, on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia summits.
• Expansion ofdefense and security cooperation with India, a Major Defense Partner of the United States, and support India’s growing relationships throughout the region.
• The NSS made a special mention of India in the context of Indian Ocean security in tune with its strategic calculus on the Indo-Pacific region as outlined by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in October this year.

On Pakistan

• On Pakistan, the Trump administration’s NSS said that it will “press” Islamabad to intensify its counter-terrorism efforts and demonstrate that it is a “responsible steward” of its nuclear assets
• United States continues to face threats from “transnational terrorists and militants operating from within Pakistan
• Insist that Pakistan take decisive action against militant and terrorist groups operating from its soil

On OBOR

• “We will help South Asian nations maintain their sovereignty as China increases its influence in the region,” it said, in an oblique reference to Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road initiative.
• US will encourage the economic integration of Central and South Asia to promote prosperity and economic linkages that will bolster connectivity and trade

Pakistan’s response

• Pakistan’s foreign ministry responded angrily and said that NSS has made “certain unsubstantiated allegations towards Pakistan”.
• “Pakistan rejects such unfounded accusations that belie facts on ground and trivialize Pakistan’s efforts for fighting terrorism and our unmatched sacrifices to promote peace and stability in the region,” the Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said.