By firing on Pakistani posts on the eve of a visit by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, India sent a clear message that it would not let its concerns over militancy in Kashmir be ignored by the US-led coalition against terrorism, analysts said yesterday.
If Washington can send warplanes across continents to root out terrorism in Afghanistan, New Delhi holds that it should be able to target militants it accuses of terrorism along its border, they said.
PHOTO: AP
The Monday-night shelling which ended a 10-month lull across the de facto India-Pakistan border in Kashmir, was "crucial timing for the right message," defense writer Masood Hussain said.
"India is saying it will fight its own war against terrorism," he said.
US President George W. Bush on Monday called on the nuclear rivals to "stand down" over Kashmir for the sake of regional stability as US-led forces bomb the Taliban militia in neighboring Afghanistan in a bid to stamp out alleged terrorist networks there.
But analysts here said the firing on Pakistani army positions was meant to show that India will reject any US effort to mediate in the Kashmir dispute as it has done with the Israeli-Palestinian and other conflicts.
"It is a signal to the US not to equate Palestine with Kashmir and tell them [the Indians] can deal with their own problems," Hussain said.
While India has welcomed Powell's visit, both Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani have this week reiterated New Delhi's long-standing opposition to third-party mediation over Kashmir.
Major General V.K. Srivastava from India's Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses, said India had become more assertive in its handling of terrorist problems.
"India is dealing with its terrorist problems a little more assertively and in a more practical way. We have been tolerant, but as Prime Minister Vajapyee said, our tolerance has been tested," Srivastava said.
"To make a value judgment based on one border-firing incident would be overstating facts but it could be a pointer to perhaps a shift."
In past cross-border artillery duels, the Indian and Pakistani armies have generally accused each other of initiating the attack.
"But I am surprised by the very fact that India came forward to take responsibility for its actions on Monday with such alacrity. It is sending a strong message. It even issued a tough statement," analyst Pramod Joshi said.
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