Narendra Modi’s Pakistan Strategy poorly understood

It comes as no surprise that the Pakistani establishment is doing what it does best — speak with a forked tongue while playing that old game of denial on Terror.

What is however surprising is the failure of the media pundits in reading Narendra Modi’s approach to Pakistan.

Let us rewind back to 2012–2013 when the idea of Modi as Prime Minister was just about beginning to take shape. Recall the doomsday scenarios that were painted on how a Modi Prime Ministership would jeopardise the “peace process” with Pakistan and how South Asia would be on the brink of nuclear war.

If anything the Modi Doctrine on Pakistan has been one of confounding skeptics at home and cynics across the border with the element of surprise.

If there was to be a breakdown in the peace process it was not going to be one that Modi caused.

If there was to be a chilling of the relationship it was not going to be of Modi’s making.

If there was to be brazen denial on Terror by Pakistan it was not of Modi’s provocation.

Pakistan today has been shown up to the world on how it has become a self fulfilling prophecy on every count of that doomsday scenario not because of Modi but inspite of Modi.

Such is the paradox of the current moment that it is not that Hard Right National Security Hawk that is calling on Modi to get tough with Pakistan but it is that bleeding heart liberal who walked right into Narendra Modi’s Pakistan gambit to unwittingly advocate the unthinkable.

So poorly have these Pundits misread #Modiplomacy that they failed to realise that you win some by design and some others by default.