India, once with almost singular fixation on Pakistan and South Asia, has considerably enlarged its international status in the past decade. The vision of India as a major Asian power of global significance has been bolstered by a continual pattern of high economic growth in recent years. Additionally, the Indo-US Nuclear deal represents a significant milestone in what can be called a paradigm shift in foreign policy relations with the US. The refinement in Sino-Indian relations despite an ever looming threat for potential conflict is equally important.

The Indo-Pakistan border continues to remain one of the most actively hostile and fiercely contested border regions in the world. While India is a dominant player in the conflict ridden South Asian region, its position is being increasingly challenged by the growing influence of China. In so far, the prevention of South Asia from turning into a proverbial “Achilles Heel” for New Delhi’s global ambitions is vital towards serving India’s best interests. Therefore, the key for India in the mid to long term is a stable Pakistan, and a reduction in tensions with the archrival, a close ally of the People’s Republic of China.

The Mumbai terror attacks between the 26th and 28th of November 2008 pose a severe test of enormous proportions in terms of relations between New Delhi and Islamabad. Given that the attacks shall have a direct bearing upon the forthcoming elections in 2009, the foremost challenge presently facing the Indian government is striking an appropriate balance between taking decisive counter terrorist action on the one hand, whilst continuing a seemingly unsustainable policy of rapprochement towards Pakistan in the light of the current state of affairs.

However, according to the German analyst Christian Wagner, a forced escalation of the current crises by India could almost certainly spell a significant setback for its foreign policy, both in the regional as well as global context. The majority of Indian security experts do not concur with this view, which represents a foreign opinion that has persisted over decades, namely, the obsolete notion of regarding Pakistan as being at par with India. This notion continues to persist to a certain degree even today. Indian Security experts have long perceived India’s position as being certainly ascendant over the potentially failed state of Pakistan. A détente with Pakistan under the current circumstances is wholly unacceptable, also given the international status acquired by India over the past years. In this context, M. J. Akbar quotes Shandana Khan Mohmand’s editorial in the Pakistani daily Dawn: “Pakistan needs to accept a very harsh reality - it is not India’s equal.”

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