Shimla Agreement of 1972: A Victory in War and Defeat in Diplomacy. Discuss (200 words)
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Mohammed yaseen 7 years
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IAS Parliament 7 years
Shimla Agreement of 1972: A Victory in War and Defeat in Diplomacy. Discuss
KEY POINTS
Shimla agreement
· It was signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan on 2nd July 1972.
· It seeks to reverse the consequences of the 1971 war i.e. to bring about withdrawals of troops and an exchange of POWs (Prisoner of Wars).
· It was a comprehensive blue print for good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan.
Major objective of Shimla agreement
· India wanted to have a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue or, failing that, an agreement that would constrain Pakistan from involving third parties in discussions about the future of Kashmir.
· India hoped that the Shimla Agreement would allow for a new beginning in relations with Pakistan based upon Pakistan’s acceptance of the new balance of power.
India’s diplomatic moves
· India left open the possibility of achieving both these objectives without pushing Pakistan to the wall and creating a revanchist anti-India regime.
· That’s why India did not forced Pakistan to convert the ceasefire line (i.e.) Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir in to the international boundary when Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ruled out this option.
· After the agreement India was inclined to return the POWs but was constrained from doing so.
· Because they had surrendered to the joint India-Bangladesh command and could not be returned without the latter’s concurrence.
· Dhaka made it clear that it would not return the POWs until Islamabad recognised Bangladesh, thus delaying the POWs’ return until 1974.
Failure of the agreement
· Shimla Agreement did not fully achieve any of India’s above said objectives.
· Despite its soft line on Kashmir and the POWs, India was unable to prevent the military from taking power in Islamabad in 1977 and executing Bhutto.
· General Zia-ul-Haq’s coup had a major bearing on India’s other objectives.
· Pakistan’s acquisition of nuclear capability created a situation of deterrence negating India’s superiority in conventional power.
· The 1999 Kargil War validated the success of deterrence when India desisted from taking the war into Pakistani territory.
· Deterrence also provided the shield for the Pakistani military to take the “war” into Indian Kashmir through its proxies, the terrorist groups created and supported by the ISI.
· Nuclear weapons prevented India from retaliating on Pakistani territory.
