The Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachey arrived in India to a majestic reception. It is his first foreign visit after assuming the office of the President. The visit is significant in many ways. Only two years back Gorbachev paid a very successful and mutually rewarding visit to India, Ever since the signing of friendship treaty between the two countries in 1971, India has loyally and consistently played the Soviet tune on all major international issues and paid only lip service to its official policies of nonalignment.
‘According to Indian permutations, Soviets are their natural allies. Only they can promote their imperialistic ambitions in the Indian sub-continent. Soviets, on their part, find India a very convenient instrument to wipe out U.S. influence in the South and South-Eastern nations. Soviets do not want an open confrontation with the United States by directly interfering in Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. They would like to accomplish their mission through India. They know India is keen to lord over its small neighbors and would like to be acknowledged as the undisputed leader of the third world. Soviets have no quarrel with India’s ambition as they consider it harmless vis-a-vis U.S. presence in that region.
Both countries are preparing to improve relations with China and are nervously watching developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Soviet troops are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by February 15. The withdrawal will expose its puppet government to the wrath of the rebels who are determined to overthrow it. A government by the rebels is the most unpalatable prospect for both as it would be fiercely anti-Russia and anti-India, That is why Gorbachev is lobbying hard for the acceptance of his compromise formula of a coalition government in Afghanistan.
As far as Pakistan is concerned, they consider Benazir Bhutto to be their best bet. They believe she can be manipulated into renouncing Late Zia’s Afghan policy and nuclear program. They are, however, conscious that Bhutto will also not be in a position to fully toe their line. They know she can never be at ease with them in view of Pakistan’s past experience with India and its unresolved conflict over Kashmir. They know she will not be able to shake off the suspicion. She might adopt a conciliatory posture towards them but she will have to follow a policy dictated by the compulsions of her country’s own interests. Their concern, therefore, is not confined to creating a friendly ruler in Pakistan but stretches far beyond. They are working for Pakistan’s disintegration and with Bhutto at the helm of affairs; they expect the process of disintegration to begin sooner than under any other political dispensation.
The Soviets are not going to reconcile to their humiliation in Afghanistan. But for Pakistan, they would have easily neutralized U.S. help to the Mujahedeen’s and put the communist regime there on much sounder footings. Pakistan is like a cinder their eyes and so is it for India. Both are keen to get rid of it in order to establish an unquestioned sway over this part of the world.
India expects Gorbachev to sign several economic agreements with it and help her build nuclear and hydro-electric power stations. Indo-Soviet trade is also expected to touch 4.7 billion dollars in 1989-90 as against 3.3 billion dollars in the current year. The increasing economic and military collaboration between the two countries poses a serious threat to the economy and territorial integrity of the smaller countries that fall within their combined range. Ever since World War II, one country after another has been falling prey to Soviet expansionism in quick succession and India, the so called protagonist of non-violence and panch sheel, felt no hesitation in directly or indirectly conquering Kashmir, Goa, Sikkim, Bhutan, Hyderabad, Sri Lanka and dismembering Pakistan. The Western world, particularly the United States, should have no misgivings about the sinister designs of India and Russia and should not allow itself to be distracted by such manipulated exercises as the award of Indira Gandhi peace prize to the man whose hands are be-smeared with the blood of ten million Afghans. Interestingly, he received the prize from Rajiv Gandhi who is himself conducting a genocidal campaign against the Sikhs and the alliance of two blood-spattered hands cannot augur well for peace anywhere,
Article extracted from this publication >> November 25, 1988
