Opinion The chemical weapons window

India has so far been reticent to enter the Syria debate despite the debilitating economic impact.

PranabDhalSamanta

September 12, 2013 01:07 AM IST First published on: Sep 12, 2013 at 01:07 AM IST

India has so far been reticent to enter the Syria debate despite the debilitating economic impact of a possible US strike,especially on Indias oil import bill. In many ways,Indian diplomacy has come to believe that there is little it can do in a fight where its opinion may count for little given that its no longer a member of the UN Security Council.

In fact,this guarded stance is quite in line with Indias general attitude towards such conflicts beyond its immediate geography. And in reality,this may,perhaps,be a more pragmatic line as unlike the past,India no longer wants to take normative positions that could negatively impact its relations with bigger powers. Simply put,why end up taking sides if it can be avoided?

But at the same time,its important to make a distinction between taking moral positions for the sake of international grandstanding and those which are congruent to a countrys national interest. And here is where the Russian proposal,which Damascus has agreed in-principle,to have Syria give up its chemical weapons provides India that opportunity.

How? India is among the founder signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention. It destroyed its stockpile and became one of three countries in the world to declare that it does not have chemical weapons. In fact,the US and Russia are yet to do away with their stocks. This is one area,where Indias non-proliferation credentials are impeccable enough to take a stronger position in the interest of resolving the current crisis after the chemical attack in Syria.

In other words,India should go beyond just termig this proposal as a positive development,which has even got the US interested,but also proactively push it further given its own commitment against chemical weapons. Until now,India was caught between this commitment and its larger principle against unilateral military intervention.

The idea of Syria giving up chemical weapons is one that allows India to work its way into the debate and be part of this workable solution,which could provide desirable outcomes to all sides. Given its huge economic stakes in avoiding US strikes at this moment,India should not lose time in making its diplomatic assertions soon rather than just standing on the sidelines.

Samanta is editor,Express News Service pranab.samanta@expressindia.com