India’s Missile Test and Tension With Pakistan

Re “India’s Wayward Trajectory,” editorial, Jan. 30: It is misleading to describe India’s missile test as ominous and “blustery,” as it was conducted in a totally nonprovocative manner across international waters fully in accordance with the international practice, with prior intimation to Pakistan and others, including the U.S.

The test was part of the technological evolution of India’s indigenous integrated missile development program, and the timing was determined solely by technical factors and has no bearing whatsoever on the situation on the border. Like that of the U.S., India’s missile program is solely for the purpose of defending the nation in a security scenario in a region that is marked by clandestine transfer of nuclear and missile technologies.

The editorial rightly pointed out that for decades Pakistan has been sponsoring terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The so-called ban on Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, two Pakistan-based organizations behind the Dec. 13 attack on the Indian Parliament, came too late. Both these organizations have reportedly changed their names. Further, even this cosmetic action was not taken by President Pervez Musharraf because of his choice or commitment to fighting terrorism but under direct pressure from the U.S. government, as was his earlier decision to snap Pakistan’s intimate ties with the Taliban.

H.H.S. Viswanathan

Consul General of India

San Francisco

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Your editorial illustrates the point that nations can fall victim to their own rhetoric and propaganda. In the wake of the legitimate U.S. response to the criminal acts of Sept. 11, other nations, leading among them India, are making a serious mistake in mixing genuine political and freedom struggles with terrorism. Musharraf has shown through his pragmatic leadership how civilized nations should behave when faced with historical challenges. Call a spade a spade; i.e., when it is terrorism call it terrorism--the attack on the Indian Parliament, for example. But don’t cloud the real issue of Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination by lumping it with terrorism.

It is now the Indian leadership’s challenge as to how it responds to Pakistan’s action and focuses on de-escalating the war hysteria and resolving the Kashmir issue.

Syed H. Husaini

Sunnyvale