CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Recent Ceasefire Between India and Pakistan: A Lesson on Strategic Autonomy vs External Pressure
The recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, made possible through US mediation, once again offers an opportunity to reflect on whether India should make its strategic decisions under external pressures. Over the past few years, India has taken steps toward self-reliance and strategic autonomy in its foreign policy, but recent developments appear to be a deviation from that path.
Immediately after the ceasefire announcement, India accused Pakistan of violating the agreement, while Pakistan denied these allegations. This clearly shows that the ceasefire was only a temporary solution, not a concrete step toward lasting peace. The agreement brokered by the US—with the involvement of President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio—raises questions about India’s strategic autonomy.
India must understand that solutions obtained through external powers’ mediation are often temporary and do not resolve long-term issues. Especially in relations with Pakistan, when it comes to terrorism and cross-border infiltration, India needs to make decisions on its own terms. The ceasefire mediated by the US, in which India lost its military and diplomatic advantage, serves as a warning that yielding to external pressures can be harmful to long-term interests.
Going forward, India should prioritize self-reliance and strategic autonomy in its foreign policy. Regardless of how attractive externally mediated solutions may seem, they often fail to address long-term problems. India must make decisions aligned with its national interests, not under external compulsion.
This ceasefire should teach India that externally mediated solutions are temporary and do not solve long-term problems. India must give precedence to self-reliance and strategic autonomy in its foreign policy to protect its national interests.
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