South Asia getting closer to a nuclear showdown due to Modi’s Hindutva

India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, has been driving South Asia closer to a dangerous cliff; a nuclear showdown that could have catastrophic consequences for the entire region.  The irresponsible manner in which Modi is governing the country coupled with his assertive Hindutva belief has created what was previously a fairly stable condition to a ticking time-bomb, just waiting to blow any time. His political ambitions have endangered the lives of millions of innocent people just because he wants to gain politically and acquire more power.

Modi rhetoric and behaviour, especially towards nuclear armament, have been more warlike. His nuclear rhetoric is now a menu in his political approach. In 2019, the global community was horrified when he bragged at an election rally in Gujarat that India has the “mother of nuclear bombs” a claim that sent shockwaves world over. India Already, the security situation in the region was quite fragile, but Modi appeared to indicate that India was ready to utilize its nuclear armoury in case of a war with Pakistan, which made the situation even more dangerous.

But this was not a solitary utterance. At another rally later in the year in Rajasthan, Modi rhetorically asked the question as to whether the nuclear weapons of India were to be kept as a Diwali gift, meaning that they were to be utilized as and when needed. The shocking thing about these words is that they were uttered amidst the passion of an election campaign, and were calculated to incite a nationalist mood, and to attractive the extremist sections of Indian society. Such rhetoric, which lacks the diplomacy and peace building efforts, is reckless at best, and outright perilous at its worst.

The situation has merely deteriorated because of Hindutva agenda led by Modi. Through his agenda of religious nationalism, he has managed to build a hostile and divided India not only among the Indians but also between India and its neighbours, particularly Pakistan. The exclusionary nature of Hindutva has contributed to the side-lining of the Muslim communities in India, thus causing further tension. This religious superiority ideology is a time bomb waiting to explode into all out violence since it capitalizes on ancient differences and creates an atmosphere of hate.

Among the most alarming details about Modi as a leader is that he has abandoned the Indian policy of “no first use” when it comes to nuclear weaponry. India had long held the doctrine that its nuclear weapons would never be used as an attack but only in retaliatory cases, decades ago. Nevertheless, there is a worrying change in this policy as Modi has become more and more provocative in his rhetoric and behaviour. His open threats of a nuclear retailor have now made what was initially a defensive nuclear position to be a dangerous game of chicken with Pakistan; a nation with whom India has fought several wars before.

Such a break with no-first-use policy is a fundamental shift in Indian nuclear strategy, a shift that threatens to spark an arms race in South Asia. Pakistan, a country that already has nuclear weapons will not watch India showing off her nuclear potentials. The concern is that with this kind of increasing rhetoric, there is a possibility of a scenario where both nations in the passion of the moment may misjudge and put the region on the verge of a nuclear conflict. This will be a catastrophic situation, not only to India and Pakistan, but also to the whole world.

The other reason why the region is inching towards disaster is the hawkish foreign policy adopted by Modi, particularly towards Pakistan. His policy of surgical strike or retaliatory attacks on Pakistan have whipped up nationalist sentiment and passions. Instead of trying to find a dialogue and peace, Modi has decided to worsen the situation, making military steps his way of gaining political points. Such a careless form of diplomacy is not just shortsighted but reckless as well, discarding the long-term implications of a nuclear warfare in favor of immediate political points.

With more than two billion people, South Asia cannot afford to roll dice with nuclear weapons. It is stakes too high. The harmful rhetoric and policies of Modi have led the region to the brink of a nuclear disaster, and the international community should act. The international community cannot sit back and watch the leaders of India playing with tragedy. Unless the international community intervenes at this juncture, silence in the current world may be construed as consent in the days to come because the impact of a nuclear war in South Asia would be experienced in all parts of the globe.

Modi nuclear brinkmanship should be named out by the international community and India demanded to explain its nuclear brinkmanship that has endangered the whole world. India can proudly talk of its burgeoning nuclear weaponry but the international community should make it hear that nuclear armaments are not playthings to be brandished about in the name of political mileage. They are mass destruction weapons and their usage will cause havoc not only to the nations in conflict but also to the whole world.

As always, the ultimate victims of Modi and his careless policies would be the people of South Asia. The individuals of India, Pakistan and the region need peace, stability and prosperity and not the fear and uncertainty that has been accorded to the region by Modi through his Hindutva and nuclear threats. It is time that Modi stops his political games when it comes to the future of millions of innocent lives as the stakes are too high. The world should have had enough of him being able to get away with things and it is time to bring him to task and ensure that we go back to diplomacy, restraint, and peace. The future of South Asia must not be left to the vagaries of a single man with distasteful ideology and political aspirations.