Modi’s Machiavellian plan for isolating Pakistan may be an Indian desire but the evidence suggests otherwise. Pakistan continues to enjoy important international stature due to its geopolitical significance, potent nuclear capability, professional strong armed forces, and its economic potential. It remains a pivot to regional security, connectivity and prosperity; and is thus an important stakeholder in regional and world affairs.

Modi’s scheme of using the BRICS platform to isolate Pakistan despite repeatedly bringing up the issue of Pakistan couldn’t find voice in the Goa declaration. Instead China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: “Pakistan has made huge efforts and great sacrifices in fighting terrorism. I think the international community should respect this. We also oppose the linking of terrorism to any specific country, ethnicity or religion. This is China's consistent position.” She added that China would support its all-weather ally amid a campaign by India to isolate Pakistan. Russia also refused to support India in its claims that Pakistan allegedly sponsors terrorism. In fact Modi was so obsessed and fixated on this agenda that he overplayed the issue in every session, which was outside the briefs of BRICS, derailing BRICS’ own agenda in the process.

Previously, while India was weighing its options for sub-conventional warfare with Pakistan, Russia’s foreign policy underwent a major paradigm shift. Russian soldiers came to Pakistan for the first ever joint military exercise Druzhba 2016 which former Defense Minister of India A. K. Antony termed as a failure of India’s foreign policy. Just before Putin’s visit to India, Russia's land force Commander-in-Chief General Oleg Salyukov announced that Russia would hold another round of military exercises with Pakistan in 2017.

The only progress, though counter productive, India made was that it conspired not to attend the SAARC summit that was to take place in Pakistan. One thing that needs to be clearly understood is that if we close the doors to such regional alliances, the regional cooperation, planning, stability and integration would be adversely affected. This in fact is a loss of all regional countries and should be seen in that perspective.

Another monumental breakthrough that Pakistan achieved was with the first-ever international PACES competition that was held in Pakistan between October 18 and 23. A total of 15 countries took part in the six day event including four SAARC countries.

Besides developments in relations with Russia and PACES competition, some other noteworthy developments also came to pass in the region. Despite having a deal on Chabahar Port between Iran and India, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, on the sidelines of the 2016 UNGA meeting, told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that Iran wants to be part of CPEC. Also Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his recent visit to Azerbaijan – a country that has huge significance as the gateway between East and West, sitting on the edge of Europe and Western Asia – vowed to build strong economic, investment and military ties between the two countries. The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyey also expressed his desire to work jointly on defense production and joint military exercises.

Acknowledgement of the cooperation and irreparable losses of Pakistan by the international community in the war against terror poses another predicament to Modi’s claims. The UK Chief of General Staff General Nicholas Carter and Sir Mark Lyall Grant, National Security Advisor to Prime Minister of UK in their recent visits to Pakistan recognized the achievements made by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and its continued efforts for regional peace and stability.

Pakistan’s current position proceeds to reduce Modi’s ambitions to ad absurdum and his actions a mere desperate ploy. After these unsuccessful ventures India is left with no option but repeated LOC violations, regardless of the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement, killing and injuring a number of civilians. India must let go of this obdurate pattern and reconcile with Pakistan’s existence in order to stop hatching conspiracies to harm Pakistan.

It is important that the world continues to cooperate with Pakistan in terms of coping with terrorist threats in the region. There are countless opportunities and new life trajectories on the route surrounding diplomacy and peace if we get rid of the unwanted obstructions to such progress.

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