The costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war. The dictum is the cornerstone for civilization. Today evening as both India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire we can all heave a sigh of relief. The skirmish though unfortunate was thrust upon us by a wrongful self image conjured by Pakistan which has put it in a delusional state switching between persecution and grandeur. The vested interests of its military aggravate the situation further. After five days of air strikes both countries were being sucked into a compulsive competitive escalatory cycle. The primary objective of establishing a credible deterrence against terrorism was not being served. Hence Alternative means of deterrence need to be explored. The international community has shied from holding Pakistan accountable, rather the conflict seemed to be an arena for testing and demonstration of their military hardware. Chinese aircrafts and missiles never got such field exposure, and Russian S-400 salvaged plummeting reputation post Ukraine. Regional peace and stability is for us to ensure and an arms race would jeopardize it , besides diverting precious resources and attention from the abject poverty plaguing us. Questions over Kashmir and terrorism would remain though and no letting down of guard is possible. Restoring diplomatic relations and institutions like the Indus water treaty and Shimla agreement must be watched out for.
