Four reasons why US NSA HR McMaster could be mediating between India and Pakistan
NEW DELHI: India has always asserted that its conflict with Pakistan is a bilateral issue and no third party could intervene. But United States National Security Adviser (NSA) Lt Gen HR McMaster's visit to India and Pakistan amid rising tension between the two countries, especialy after the death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court, points at an American intervention.
After visiting Pakistan and Afghanistan, McMaster arrived in India today and met Indian NSA Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Though it is not apparent that McMaster is trying to mediate between India and Pakistan, there are reasons that he might be doing so.
1. Haley's statement
Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the US administration was concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and wanted to see how it could de-escalate conflicts. The US was going to "find its place to be a part of that (de-escalating tensions)", she said.
"We don’t think we should wait till something happens," she said while addressing a press conference after taking the role of President of the Security Council for April. "So I think that will be something that you will see members of the National Security Council participate in but also wouldn't be surprised if the President participates in that as well."
Though later the US changed its position saying India and Pakistan should resolve their differences through direct dialogue, it seemed Haley was not making an off-the-cuff remark. Clubbing of India and Pakistan in McMaster's visit a month later suggests the beginning of some sort of mediation efforts by the US.
2. The revisionist stance
The Trump administration is revising a number of decisions and policies of the Obama government. Though it is apparent to the international community that India does not allow any third-party intervention in its dispute with Pakistan, an overconfident new regime in the US might be thinking of trying it once. It might perceive the lingering India-Pakistan dispute as a diplomatic failure of the previous American regimes.
3. Raising India's concerns with Pakistan
McMaster told Pakistan to deal with its neighbours through diplomacy and not terror proxies. He also told Pakistan not to adopt selective approach in targeting terror groups. These are very much India's concerns which it has been raising frequently. Since McMaster raised India's concerns with Pakistan (though without naming India) and then arrived in India right after to talk to NSA Doval and PM Modi, it seems McMaster is hearing both sides to mediate in some way.
4. The China angle
Though recently, the US has veered away from Pakistan and towards India, it cannot afford to burn bridges with Pakistan because that would push Pakistan further towards China. If the US removes itself from the spike in India-Pakistan hostilities, it will only be giving a chance to China to become more dominant in the region. A US intervention between India and Pakistan can be part of its strategy to restrict China in the subcontinent.
After visiting Pakistan and Afghanistan, McMaster arrived in India today and met Indian NSA Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Though it is not apparent that McMaster is trying to mediate between India and Pakistan, there are reasons that he might be doing so.
1. Haley's statement
Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the US administration was concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and wanted to see how it could de-escalate conflicts. The US was going to "find its place to be a part of that (de-escalating tensions)", she said.
"We don’t think we should wait till something happens," she said while addressing a press conference after taking the role of President of the Security Council for April. "So I think that will be something that you will see members of the National Security Council participate in but also wouldn't be surprised if the President participates in that as well."
Though later the US changed its position saying India and Pakistan should resolve their differences through direct dialogue, it seemed Haley was not making an off-the-cuff remark. Clubbing of India and Pakistan in McMaster's visit a month later suggests the beginning of some sort of mediation efforts by the US.
2. The revisionist stance
The Trump administration is revising a number of decisions and policies of the Obama government. Though it is apparent to the international community that India does not allow any third-party intervention in its dispute with Pakistan, an overconfident new regime in the US might be thinking of trying it once. It might perceive the lingering India-Pakistan dispute as a diplomatic failure of the previous American regimes.
3. Raising India's concerns with Pakistan
McMaster told Pakistan to deal with its neighbours through diplomacy and not terror proxies. He also told Pakistan not to adopt selective approach in targeting terror groups. These are very much India's concerns which it has been raising frequently. Since McMaster raised India's concerns with Pakistan (though without naming India) and then arrived in India right after to talk to NSA Doval and PM Modi, it seems McMaster is hearing both sides to mediate in some way.
4. The China angle
Though recently, the US has veered away from Pakistan and towards India, it cannot afford to burn bridges with Pakistan because that would push Pakistan further towards China. If the US removes itself from the spike in India-Pakistan hostilities, it will only be giving a chance to China to become more dominant in the region. A US intervention between India and Pakistan can be part of its strategy to restrict China in the subcontinent.
