Friendly Strategic Co-operation

Let's face it, this really is a double standard writ large.  On the other hand, that's a surface reaction.  If we dig a little deeper and look at the states involved there's not that much comparison between them.  North Korea is defined as a hermit state, severely xenophobic, and completely disinterested in human rights.  It is devoted to itself as a military state and all else is secondary to its existence; its population can starve and that is unfortunate but priorities are priorities.

India, on the other hand, is an steadily emerging economy, one that describes itself as the largest democracy in the world, and it is that.  Unlike the homogeneity of North Korea's population, India's is comprised of a huge multitude of ethnicities, tribes, religions and ideologies.  One only is permitted in North Korea.  India has made great inroads in establishing a middle class population, even while it also has millions of impoverished among its huge population, second only to China.

India also has an open society, encouraging goodwill among its diverse populations, and enjoys good relations with other countries of the world, though a problematical one with Pakistan and with China.  North Korea has invited world censure at its plans for nuclear armaments, and its most recent missile send-off which resulted in a failure, was roundly condemned as a provocation and a threat against stability and world peace.  Which it most certainly did represent.

And then, here's India, exulting at the success of its surface-to-surface Agni-V missile, a long-range weapon that will serve it well in its disagreements with its neighbours as an inhibitor to future aggression.  India is celebrating its brilliant technology beholden to no other country for its scientific expertise, but it has also sent a message to Pakistan and to China with whom it has certain disagreements. 

China's reaction was conciliatory and diplomatic claiming that it and India must "work hard to uphold friendly strategic co-operation.  China and India are large developing nations.  We are not competitors but partners", explained Liu Weimin, a ministry spokesman.  That's an acceptable perspective.  China would be hard put to criticize its giant neighbour for testing a long-range ballistic missile in any event, since it forbears to do so with North Korea.

India is now, if there was ever any doubt about it, to be considered part of a very elite club of a handful of nations - all of which, oddly enough, are permanent members of the UN Security Council - to have ownership of long-range weapons capable of reaching very far from their borders.  A kind of insurance to remind those who might wish them ill that they are more than capable of looking after themselves.

"It is one of the ways of signalling India's arrival on the global stage, that India deserves to be sitting at the high table", said one defence expert.  India has aspirations to be invited to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.  India certainly qualifies in terms of influence and emerging economic and social status.

There are also concerns related to this event.  That it will inspire Pakistan to attempt its own reflection of India's success. Whatever India achieves in terms of technology, armaments, nuclear advances, Pakistan views itself as needing to acquire for itself to maintain the right balance of pugnacious challenge, as far as Pakistan is concerned.

For that reason alone, the world should be wary and just a little critical of India's latest adventure in weapons delivery.