India Launches F-32 !

India’s launch of the F-32 is reverberating around the globe. No, this is not the indigenous 5th-generation fighter jet, which would take another 8-10 years. This is about the diplomatic offensive launched by India; foreign visits to 32 countries by seven groups of Indian politicians.

The initiative would have naturally been prompted by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, considering the political benefits that would also accrue at home. Earlier, the news was that each group will visit five countries. This would have made it F-35, corresponding to Donald Trump trying to sell F-35 fighter jets to India.

Op ‘Sindoor’ is paused, not halted, and these political emissaries are to advance India’s case. But wartime has a place for humour and so social media is not failing on that score. Many are looking forward to photographs of Shashi Tharoor with a bevy of foreign ladies.

Admittedly, India has come a long way in sending political emissaries globetrotting. Recall that in 1995-1996, India sent groups of MPs all over the world for guess what,Check the Use of Hindi in our Embassies! However, the format remains the same.

Travel of course is VIP-style. Stay in 5-star hotels. In addition to arranging discussions, the respective ambassador will host a dinner, and the smarter ambassador will also arrange for an Indian-origin businessman hosting a meal for them, who naturally will give them gifts. Then comes sightseeing arranged by the embassy with free transport and meals. Itinerary of the ones going to Paris would include a visit to Moulin Rouge, with some secretly trying to record the show. Next comes shopping with a representative of the embassy playing the guide, and guess who pays for the gifts bought? Would these MP’s not thank the ruling party for giving them such an opportunity?

With regard to the F-32, a veteran-scholar, having access to the inner circle writes, “Will this nautanki of sending all parties MPs to foreign countries costing crores achieve any credible results? Barring Tharoor, who had a long tenure in the UN and has connections, all others are incapable of doing anything worthwhile. Waste of time, money and effort.”

But let us examine the issue closely. The MEA has already briefed the envoys of all countries in New Delhi. Heads of our missions abroad would have conveyed the same to governments of the respective countries our embassies are located in.

The whole world knows that Pakistan unabashedly sponsors terrorism, what with Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif publicly admitting Islamabad has been doing the “dirty work” for the US for the past several decades – which was already well known.

Pakistani army officials attending the funeral of terrorists was no surprise either. US President Donald Trump says he brokered the India-Pakistan ceasefire but has not uttered a single word blaming Pakistan for the terror attack.

Pakistan is the proxy of the US and of Britain – the American pooch. Only countries who blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam massacre are Israel and Afghanistan. French President Emmanual Macron calls India his friend, has/is exporting Rafale fighter jets to India, but does not blame Pakistan for the terror attack. Instead, he openly blames Russia for invading Ukraine and hugs Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a manner that raises a query on X whether the West is led by a small cadre of homosexuals (https://x.com/HenryMakow/status/1923737626076643668?t=dSG6WjdUZIUBO1zTLpouZQ&s=03).

Russia also did not blame Pakistan for the Pahalgam massacre. President Vladimir Putin no doubt is busy with the war in Ukraine, but obviously this has something to do with India drastically cutting down defence imports from Russia, in order to appease the US.

Good luck to the F-32 mission but it would be surprising if they get anything more than some sympathy, a few words against terrorism and support for India’s right for self-defence; but not a word blaming Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack. Yes, the IMF has placed stipulations on Pakistan for the release of “subsequent” tranches, but this is about all one should expect.

India aims for a three-stage trade deal with the US ahead of the July tariff deadline (india-aims-for-three-stage-trade-deal-with-us-ahead-of-july-tariff-deadline/3850606/) although most of the US demands have already been reportedly met by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The signing of the trade deal may coincide with Trump visiting India for the Quad Leaders’ Summit later this year. Meanwhile, India has reiterated its stand against de-dollarization (hbrics-rift-grows-as-india-refuses-dedollarization/), which would please the US.

The Indian Army has reportedly rejected the proposal for co-production of the vintage Stryker ICVs in India. Trump anyway has deployed the Stryker Brigade on the Mexico border in an anti-infiltration/anti-smuggling role. Whether, Trump is able to sell any fighter jets to India, without transfer of technology of course, remains to be seen.

Finally, the question being asked is, depending on the experience on and after the flight of F-32, whether any of the MPs will switch political parties?

Lt General Prakash Katoch is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed here are the writer’s own.