Hassan Ahmad
Indian ambitions to dominate the region are endangering peace in South Asia. The post-Pahalgam military misadventure of the Modi-led regime against Pakistan is recent evidence that has pushed the region to the brink of war. Swift accusations against Pakistan, without any evidence and internal accountability for security gaps in Pahalgam, made it clear from the outset that India had made up its mind to escalate tensions. Ironically, the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was unilaterally held in abeyance, with threats clearly showing intentions to undermine the agrarian economy of Pakistan. Irrespective of the obvious illegality of this decision, saner quarters on either side of the border are worried about the allied threats to regional peace, especially as the Indian decision-making tiers seem obsessed with warfare. Such tendencies are abnormal and unusually precarious amid the nuclear capabilities of both Pakistan and India. Subsequently, missile strikes inside Pakistan proved that New Delhi lacked the ability to assess the worst consequences of war between two nuclear-armed states. The response from the Pakistani side was stunning, especially for the hawks in the BJP camp. This series of events ended up in sheer embarrassment for India under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
What lies ahead is more important for those who truly care about peace, prosperity, and the lives of the people living in South Asia. It seems that the BJP is unwilling to accept the harsh realities following the post-Pahalgam developments. RSS-influenced strategies of the BJP revolve around ideas of destroying Pakistan, dominating the region, cleansing Muslims as well as other religious minorities, and converting India into a ‘Hindu Rashtra.’ It is not going to end here. The intended ‘Hindu Rashtra’ would become the base camp for ‘Akhand Bharat’ or ‘The Greater India.’ Let’s not take this as a fictional or mythical idea because multiple pieces of evidence can be found easily in the ideological literature left behind by the founders of the RSS. India is pursuing this toxic ideology with hostile posturing toward its neighbors by breaking treaties, politicizing borders, weaponizing water, and igniting land disputes. Besides Pakistan, all significant countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Bangladesh, are encountering Indian expansionist policies. The latest exposure of hegemonic pursuits has surfaced from the politically motivated reignition of the Katchatheevu Island dispute with Sri Lanka. As the state elections in Tamil Nadu approach, the Indian ruling class and regional parties have started to overemphasize historical treaties for political gain, in sheer disregard for international agreements and regional stability. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, backed by the radical clergy of Madurai Aadheenam, has openly demanded the revocation of the 1974 Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement, which lawfully transferred Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka. Even more dangerously, the Aadheenam has claimed that PM Modi would “reclaim” the island and carve out a separate “Tamil nation.” This volatile idea directly threatens the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. Misplaced claims on Katchatheevu are not about Tamil rights or historical justice; rather, they are calculated attempts to stir ultra-nationalist sentiments for internal political benefits. India’s bleak record shows a clear pattern of expansionism, hidden under the veil of diplomacy and democratic values. On one hand, the BJP is opposing such extremist claims, but on the other hand, ground workers of the RSS are supporting the DMK on this issue. During PM Modi’s visit to Colombo on May 15, 2025, for the signing of a defense cooperation MoU with Sri Lanka, DMK outrage was sparked. Party General Secretary V. M. Dravida interpreted it as complicity in Sri Lanka’s “aggression” against Indian fishermen, a claim that deliberately ignores the repeated illegal intrusions by Indian trawlers into Sri Lankan waters. The 1974 and 1976 bilateral agreements legally recognized Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory and barred Indian fishermen from entering there. India’s unresolved disputes with various countries, including Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and China, are enough to comprehend the rogue mindset. This hegemonic attitude of India poses serious threats to the entire region.
The writer is a student.
