Book Launch “India’s Relations with Neighbours: Cooperation or Confrontation?”

ISLAMABAD, AUG 13 /DNA/ – “From the very start, the state of India had not been at peace with itself.” This was stated by General Zubair Mahmood Hayat , NI (M),  Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff  Committee  at the launch of  the book titled “India’s Relations with Neighbours: Cooperation or Confrontation?” by India Study Centre (ISC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), on August 13, 2021. Other speakers at the occasion included Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kaleem Abbasi, Vice Chancellor, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad; Prof. Dr. Attaullah Shah, Vice Chancellor, Karakorum International University, Gilgit – Baltistan; and  Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, Rector, International Islamic University, Islamabad. 

General Zubair Mahmood highlighted four different domains of the 74 years old Indian state. He said that India is a revisionist state as it has been revising the map that was left by the British. Be it Goa, Sikkim, Siachen or Junagarh, India is eating up any available geographical space. India is also a hegemonic state. Cooperation and confrontation takes place between the equals but in the case of India, it wants complete submission from its neighbours.  India is also a state which has sponsored terrorism. Moreover, India is also the exporter of hate.  He emphasised the need to understand both the character as well as the nature of the Indian state. He appraised the audience that Vande Mataram is still the official song of India. Additionally, India is the only country in the world which has a national symbol of a reptile – king cobra.

He said that the way India is behaving in the neighbourhood, it actually wants to create a new norm.  It likes to maintain a dominant position and as a result, every effort of peace like SAARC dies.

Prof. Dr. Kaleem Abbasi said that this book is a great collection of research articles. It provides comprehensive knowledge about India’s relations with its neighbours.  By compiling this book based on rigorous research, the ISSI has contributed not only for academicians, military officials and strategist but also for the students of History and International Relations.   

Prof. Dr. Attaullah Shah said that this book has provided a holistic picture of Indian intervention in neighbouring countries. India has been actively involved in confrontation with all its neighbours. He stressed that for a peaceful region, all nations of this region should understand the importance of peace and believe in co-existence.

Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai said that this book will go a long way for readers to get correct perspectives. RSS- a staunch Hindu organisation  is a force behind India’s ruling party that does not believe in the concept of secular India. The long cherished dream of Akhand Bharat is not only creating trouble for the minorities inside India but also for its relations with its neighbours.

Earlier, Director General  ISSI  Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary said that this is the third book published by one of the centres at the ISSI.  The launch of this book has been deliberately coincided with the August 14th.  The situation in Afghanistan has taken all the attention but despite that, this book remains relevant as India has been using Afghan soil to harm Pakistan.

The Director ISC Dr. Saif Malik, TI (M) said that ISC is the first ever think tank that focuses on different aspects of India as well as the issue of Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a short span of time, ISC has organised number of events in multiple formats to create awareness regarding Hindutva driven Modi’s policies and its implications in the short and long term.  Projecting national narrative and promotion of scholarship on specified theme is one of prime objective of ISC. He said this book would be useful for policy makers, academia as well as ordinary readers.

The event was attended by people from different fields who appreciated the book and its contributors.