Dunya Maumoon, the Maldivian Foreign Minister, had an emergency to handle on the evening of December 4. The island nation's sole water desalination plant had caught fire and there would be no drinking water for its 100,000 citizens. She rang her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi that night and, within an hour and a half, the Indian machinery got into action.
Approved by the Prime Minister, the Indians had put together a logistical operation to supply drinking water to the Maldives. Two massive C-17 Globetrotters, three IL-76s, a Naval ship INS Sukanya, a tanker Deepak and a Navy Destroyer INS Kolkata were on their way to Male carrying potable water.
The first of the three IL 76s arrived on the night of Thursday-Friday carrying water. This is not just that India has the capacity to do this. It is also about intentions to help its neighbours. The last time Il-76s landed in Male was in November 1989; again in response to an SOS from the Maldivian Government, the Indians airlifted their troops and dispatched the Navy to help the Maldivian Government quell a revolt.
This is not the first time Indians have helped their neighbours. When the Tsunami struck the Bay of Bengal in December 2004, India's coast line in the south, in the Andaman Islands as well as Sri Lanka, was devastated.
Despite their own tragedies and massive devastation, the Indians were the first to respond to Sri Lanka's call for help.
The Indian Navy, with its aid and assistance, landed off the coast with all possible material help within hours. When a cyclone hit eastern India and Bangladesh in November 2007, India was one of the countries in the region that contributed assistance to Bangladesh, not Pakistan.
Also Read
On the other hand, after the devastating October 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir, India offered assistance for those on our side, as the logistics for supplying to thousands of people along the LoC could have been easier from the Indian side.But we are so terrified of Indian assistance or uncaring that, we first said no, and then said would accept assistance if it came in unmarked bags or containers.
The Indian offer to open relief and medical centers along the Line of Control (LoC) in their Uri, Tangdhar and Poonch sectors for the victims on the Pakistani side would have helped and the disaster could have had significant implications for Kashmir and Kashmiris, but our government said no. This is how we take care of our own people.
India offered President Pervez Musharraf rescue or relief measures. This included assistance by the Indian armed forces in any rescue missions. We remained ultra-sensitive to receiving any assistance from India. The Pakistan Army's Inter-Services Public Relations denied that Indian soldiers had crossed the LoC to help repair one of its army bunkers. The Indian Army, however, said that Indian soldiers had crossed the LoC to hand over tools for rescue as a humanitarian gesture.
India had sent relief material to Pakistan, including food, blankets and medicine. Even some big Indian companies had offered aid.
Just four days after the earthquake, an IL76 cargo plane brought in seven truckloads of medicines, 15,000 blankets and 50 tents. India also sent another consignment of relief material to Pakistan, by train through Wagah. The consignment comprised blankets, tents, plastic sheets and medicine. India also pledged aid worth USD 25 million to Pakistan.
Pakistan rejected the offer of helicopters from India, badly needed for rescue and relief operations. We wanted the helicopters without Indian pilots, because of certain "sensitivities". We had to finally depend on US helicopters and NATO forces for rescue work.
The Indians did another generous and a practical thing that was a win-win for both countries. They helped Bhutan build a power plant entirely with Indian money and assistance. Now, they buy excess electricity from Bhutan at prices that are very favourable to Bhutan. This way Bhutan gained two ways. When India offered to sell extra power to Pakistan, we said no.
When Nepal had its internal political crisis that continues till today, the Indians did not take advantage and interfere, but instead, offered assistance for a political solution. After that, they have left the Nepalese politicians to sort out their problems themselves.
Let us also not forget that after their victory in East Pakistan that became Bangladesh, the Indian Army quickly vacated the country, to establish that they were not an occupying force.
These are facts that cannot be ignored, however unhappy we may be about this. Have we ever wondered why the Indians are so popular in Afghanistan and we the most hated? The reason is very simple. The Indians send in aid and do not interfere in Afghanistan's politics. On the other hand, Pakistan sends in terrorists or keeps them on its soil and interferes in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
So why do the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh turn to India in their hour of need? Why do they not ask Pakistan for help, after all, we are a big country, we have a strong army and nuclear weapons? This is because these countries know that not only has India the capacity to help, it has the intention and generosity to help its neighbours.
These countries may not openly take sides in the various Pakistan-India disputes, but they can see how we keep spreading terror, and this is hardly the image of a responsible and friendly neighbour. It is wonderful to think well of oneself and one's own country. It is also necessary to pay attention to what one's neighbours think of us.
The views expressed in the above article are that of Mr. Irfan Ahmed.
.