India’s immediate aim is to thwart Pak’s agenda in UN Security Council

After last month’s conflict in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, and India's anti-terror initiative Operation Sindoor, India and Pakistan are now engaged in a tussle to swing world opinion in their favour.

As part of their global outreach initiatives, both nations have sent high-powered delegations to different world capitals, including Washington, in the hope of dominating the narrative at the global stage.

Global teams

India has sent leaders like Congress MP and former UN under-secretary general Shashi Tharoor and former Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, while Pakistan has armed its delegation with Pakistan People's Party leader Bilawal Bhutto and former foreign minister Hina Rabbani to campaign in key western capitals.

Also Read: Spain’s unequivocal support, a thanks to Brazil as all-party teams continue outreach

Though most countries condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, few had rallied behind India to isolate Pakistan or support Indian military action against the terrorist camps, say observers.

The priority of the world leaders seemed to be to prevent a wider conflict rather than to condemn Pakistan for the terrorist attack. This may have stemmed from the fact that two major wars — Ukraine and Gaza – were already on and no one wanted another front to open up in South Asia.

Broad consensus in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to send all-party delegations was aimed at garnering world opinion against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism against India.

The composition of the all-party delegation allows the ruling BJP to consolidate the broad consensus that emerged among political parties on Pahalgam and to convey to the outside world that, despite differences on issues at home, India is united in fighting terrorism from Pakistan.

The decision to send senior political leaders to different world capitals was also taken by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to counter Pakistan’s campaign against India’s intervention to help in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

Also Read: Panama voices strong support for India's global anti-terror mission

The leadership in Islamabad took a cue from India and decided to send similar delegations to western capitals to tell Pakistan’s side of the story and rally support against India’s decision to suspend the supply of Indus River water to it.

Sceptics, however, argue that in its attempt to convince world leaders about its narrative against Pakistan, India might be unwittingly internationalising an issue that has so far remained bilateral. This could lead to more countries offering mediation in a future India-Pakistan crisis.

Pakistan’s advantage

Pakistan is in the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member. In July, Pakistan will become president of the Council for a month and will have the right to set the agenda, which will put it at an advantage.

But there are 14 other members — five permanent members, namely the US, the UK, France, Russia, and China — and nine other non-permanent members, Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia.

Also Read: India's stand on terrorism firm: Baijayant Panda in Saudi

The seven delegations are scheduled to visit 32 countries and the European Union headquarters in Belgium. India has decided to engage not only with the Security Council members at the UN headquarters in New York, but also with the leadership in their respective countries.

The Indian delegations are not only visiting western capitals, but also Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Egypt besides other countries in Africa and Latin America.

India’s immediate aim

Faced with the challenge that Pakistan is likely to pose at the Council, India’s immediate aim will be to gather enough support among UNSC members to thwart the agenda that Pakistan is likely to push under its presidency to dilute the Indian charges and come up with counter allegations to corner New Delhi.

India’s attempt at creating world opinion against Pakistan and convincing world leaders about its commitment to fight terrorism will not be limited to the Security Council members.

The government wants to maintain a sustained campaign against Pakistan at other international and regional forums for its use of cross-border terrorism as a tool of foreign policy against India.

Hectic lobbying in the US

The Indian and Pakistani delegations will be in the US around the same time and both will try their best to garner support among Congressmen, Senators, think-tank members, and opinion makers to get them to hear and accept their side of the story on Pahalgam.

American President Donald Trump, who claimed several times in recent weeks that the conflict between India and Pakistan came to an end on his intervention, is likely to maintain an equidistant policy between the two South Asian neighbours.

Also Read: All-party delegations highlight India’s new approach to combat cross-border terrorism

The US has indicated that a trade agreement is likely to be signed soon between the US and India. But it has also maintained that a trade agreement with Pakistan is also in the offing. This is also likely to be the stand of other senior members of the Trump Administration and other opinion makers in the US and most of the other world capitals.

The delegation will return and submit their report and discuss their experience with the Prime Minister in the coming weeks.

Sustained campaign needed

India’s hectic engagement and lobbying with the world leaders may be able to thwart Pakistan’s design to put the blame of the recent crisis on Delhi and highlight its commitment against terrorist activities.

However, sceptics argue that to put Pakistan in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for financing terror outfits operating from its soil, India will need a much more vigorous and sustained campaign.

Given the fact that most countries are interested in safeguarding their own interests and calibrating their position on major issues accordingly, this will not be an easy task.

Also Read: ‘No talks when Pak continues to attack’: All-party teams take India’s message to world

Therefore, to minimise future terrorist attacks in the country, India will have to plug loopholes in its own security apparatus and step up efforts to win the hearts and minds of the Kashmiris.

Observers point out that Pakistan’s design can be successfully thwarted only when the people of Jammu and Kashmir come out unequivocally to reject it, as they did after the Pahalgam terror attack.