Keep looking west

India must stay engaged,but cant be bogged down by point-scoring

A new president assumes office in Washington,DC in four days. It is still unclear what exactly Barack Obama plans to do with South Asia,but it is hoped that his formidable foreign policy team would already have the broad contours of a policy worked out. India is waiting for those contours to become visible,as they will within the first few weeks of the Obama presidency. The tension is aggravated by the lack of substantive engagement from the Pakistani side of the investigation into the Mumbai attacks. So far,the Indian government has been remarkably rational in not being reactive,even as it has played its diplomatic cards and planned upgrades of defence resources. But after weeks of efforts,the result is nought barring some

arrests by Pakistan. The Jamaat-

ud-Dawa still functions under a new name,despite a UNSC ban,and Pakistan plans to formally respond to the Indian dossier in a week calling it information and not evidence,inadequate and inadmissible in a court.

The government and the people of India are justifiably frustrated. This frustration,coupled with impatience,is raising demands and hopes for a quick and smart tactical move. There is also talk of snapping diplomatic,economic and cultural ties with Pakistan. Under the circumstances,the government is better advised to stay focused on the developing situation. What it must do is overhaul its long-term diplomatic strategy after all,the Mumbai attacks were one instance of a much bigger and complex problem that didnt arise one particular day and which will not disappear even if Pakistan cooperated on this one count. As India exhibits bilateral toughness with Pakistan,it must also stay alert at every moment to avoid being dictated to. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband nearly did that.

Military upgrade and combative readiness are necessary,of course,but taking one step back in the diplomatic game would cost India dearly. India has to decide its own policy and fix its priorities,without letting anybody forget for a moment about November 26,2008,about where responsibility lies and what remains to be done. The dossier should correctly be looked upon as a work in progress and,given the FBIs involvement,it is of little further consequence to the political game India must play. Pakistan is making a political mistake by not cooperating; India must capitalise on that blunder by diplomatically exploiting this obstructionism. It can begin by wasting no time in engaging with the Obama administration,extending cooperation but dismissing political concessions to appease Pakistan.