India has reminded the US, flush from its success in liquidating Osama bin Laden, that the war on terror cannot end without the elimination of terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan.
India was categorical that Osama’s death was “not an end of what remains an ongoing war” against terrorism. More so because Al Qaeda’s affiliates such as the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba remain formidable and continue to espouse violent ideology. At the same time, Osama’s killing had brought home the cold reality that India was “alone” in its fight against terrorism: That Washington could not be expected to fight Delhi’s battles, and that Pakistan’s strategic value to the US will likely remain.
Another reality was that while Osama’s killing would have brought closure for the 9/11 victims in the US, there could not be any for the 26/11 victims till the terrorist camps in Pakistan or Pakistani-held territory were dismantled.
An official source explained away the difficulties by saying that there will always come moments in the US’ relations with Pakistan when certain decisions that will be taken will not be palatable to India.
However, the source was quick to point out that there were reasons for India to be “satisfied” with how its ties with the US had “matured” over the years, and that both sides were collaborating on issues of mutual interest or concern. For instance, New Delhi would be looking to Washington for its views about whether and how “Operation Geronimo” would affect the balance of power between civilian government and the military in Pakistan.
New Delhi was assessing the impact of Osama’s killing on the role of the “larger than life” institutions in Pakistan such as the army and the ISI as it could have a bearing on Pakistan’s disposition towards India, and tied to it would be the fate of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Pakistan initiative and the resumed peace process. Another issue that will engage the attention of India going forward is Afghanistan, as the US prepares to draw down its forces there. New Delhi was against allowing Islamabad a veto over India’s role there. These and other issues were expected to come up in the second round of India-US strategic dialogue, to be held in July, when US secretary of state Hillary Clinton arrives for talks with external affairs minister S.M. Krishna.