THAT other three members of the four-nation Quad of India, United States, Japan and Australia have concurred with the Indian stand against terror and have stressed that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack should be fully punished, is a major diplomatic development of recent times. Just as he joined the Quad meet in Washington DC, Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar had stated clearly that India expected other three members of the grouping to agree with its stand on terrorism as a common scourge. That expectation has been fulfilled and the Quad has stated its position on terror unambiguously. Though India need not flaunt this as a diplomatic victory, there is reason for it to consider this as a major step forward in the international positioning against terrorism that has been so brazenly used by some elements as a tool of geopolitics. Of course, there are many scholars of international relations spread in different countries feeling that with the successful Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has taken a major step forward to start leading a change in the existing global order.

 

The Quad’s assertion on the issue of terror, thus, needs to be treated as still another step further in the right direction. The importance of this must be viewed against the background of the fact that Pakistan has just assumed chairmanship of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of July. Most unfortunately, the existing world order does not have any objection to a country like Pakistan becoming chief of the UN’s highest body for whatever period. This paradox in international relations is perplexing, to say the least. Contemporary history of international realpolitik is replete with instances of ugly sponsorship of terror by many countries of the world -- including a few with superpower status. Several instances have come to fore in the past few decades when leading nations have supported other nations with a clear indulgence in terrorism as a tool of geopolitics. When India produced mountains of evidence of Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism, even the countries like the United States refused to believe the Indian insistence -- so much so that the US even doubted the data India put forth.

 

That was not so because there were some lacunae in the data, but because there was a fault with the American preaching and thought and action. That was also the reason why many countries maintained cosy relations with countries -- even other than Pakistan -- that brazenly indulged in sponsorship of terrorism. What India often insisted was that the world must give its double-standards on terrorism. This expectation may still not get fulfilled even today -- no matter what Quad might have said for now. No matter that, it must be admitted that India has been making a steady progress in its diplomatic efforts to create a united front against terror in the international community -- as a critical plank in its foreign policy handling.

 

Of course, terrorism is a major concern around which a lot of diplomacy would get woven in the near and far future. Yet, India has often indicated that its foreign policy concerns travel far beyond terrorism or conflict of any kind. India just does not indulge in political tall talk on the issue, but believes at its core that progress takes place only in conditions of peace and harmony. That was a the reason why it agreed for a ceasefire when Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) urgently urged India to stop its military advance against Pakistani installations. Despite that, the Indian stand is more than clear -- that it entertains no nonsense if anybody indulges in terror-sponsorship and nuclear blackmail. Quad’s assertion in this regard, therefore, assumes a great importance -- for India and for the world.