Tazeen Akhtar / Islamabad
India is continuously under hard criticize from different parts of the world. From Canada to USA and Qatar , now it is Azerbaijan. From international organized crimes like murders of the leaders of Khalistan movement to supply of weapons to countries that follow the ideology of illegal occupations and unprovoked aggression against the neighboring countries. President of Azerbaijan , Ilham Aliyev has rightly and timely exposed the Modi Regime as ” Pouring Oil to Fire.”
President Ilham has not shared the nature or name of the weapons but other sources are point out that Armenia receives PINAKA Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers, Anti Tank Missiles and Armored Personnel Carriers from India and France.
Pinaka system is considered at par with the US HIMARS. The DRDO developed the Pinaka system as a replacement for the Russian GRAD BM-21. Azerbaijan used drones in second Karabakh War. For an MBRLS to survive in a drone-saturated battlefield, it must have the ability to shoot and then disappear quickly. The Pinaka Mk-1 has that ability.Shoot and Scoot capability enables the launcher to escape the counter-battery fire. Pinaka support vehicles have matching mobility and logistics commonalities. The multiple rocket launcher is already in service with the Indian Army and has been deployed along the borders with China and Pakistan.
Here it is worth noting that Azerbaijan and Armenia have already agreed to build confidence and mutually work towards a peace deal. Both countries are about to exchange prisoners of war. This development raises question then why Armenia is being weaponized by these two countries? What for? Who For if a peace deal has been reached ? To breach it?
Wilsonian Armenia, Bidenian Armenia or Putinian Armenia? -by- Tazeen Akhtar
Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev has conveyed Indian diplomat Sridharan Madhusudhanan the concerns about the expanding military cooperation between India and Armenia.
President Ilham Aliyev first warned India’s supply of weapons to Armenia an unfriendly move. In Jan this year , He made it clear that , “If we are facing a serious threat, we will deal with that threat immediately, regardless of where that threat arises, within our territory or outside our borders. It is our legitimate right to do so.”
Now in Dec 2023, after a year of his first warning to India, seeing him in the same scene, President Ilham Aliyev has again warned India and France both in his address at the Forum “Karabakh: Back Home After 30 Years. Accomplishments and Challenges” co-organized by ADA University and the Center of Analysis of International Relations.
He rightly termed the moves by India and France as “Unrealistic Illusions” and “Unrealistic Expectations”. He actually rejected any possibility of Armenian taking back the newly liberated territories of Karabakh.
In his words ” These countries are pouring oil to the fire and creating unrealistic illusions in Armenia that using these weapons they can take back Karabakh.”
President blasted France as well along with India for the same , supply of weapons to Armenia. France has a big population of Armenians there. French and Armenians have a long history of collaboration and cooperation. Therefore France stands by the Armenians in all possible means. France is “Far” from Azerbaijan for the same reason. Azerbaijani Gas supply to Europe after ban on Russian Fuel even could not compel France to mend fences with Azerbaijan. France opted to Central Asian Republics for fuel and cooperation in other sectors. President Macrons recent visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan can be seen in the same connection.
“I don’t want to go into details about the quality of these weapons. Though, I know what kind of weapons these are, but even if there’s a state-of-the-art weapons, they have no chance. Because the war and the result of war is decided not by weapons, but by people, by spirit. And during the Second Karabakh War, according to Armenians’ own statements, there have been 12,000 deserters from the battlefield in Armenian army and zero in the Azerbaijani army. So, they have no chance.”
India has developed partnership with Armenia more for more out of her enmity to Pakistan than her solidarity to Armenia.Pakistan supports Azerbaijan on Karabakh while Azerbaijan stands by Pakistan on Kashmir. Pakistani Senate passed resolution in favor of Azerbaijan during second Karabakh War Sep -Nov 2020. Pakistani military leadership have visited Azerbaijan frequently in the previous couple of years.
This is principled stand of both countries that occupations of Armenia and India on Karabakh and Kashmir are illegal. That is the reason India is trying its utmost to strengthen Armenia for another war against Azerbaijan. But matter of fact is Armenia can never occupy the newly liberated lands of Karabakh. It was illegal occupation according to United Nations’ Security Council resolutions. Neither international law allows nor Armenia herself has the guts to dare do this now. They do not have any other option than sitting idle in their homes and lick their wounds inflicted by the brave soldiers of Azerbaijan.
I elaborated in one of my previous articles (link shared here) that the joint military ventures of Armenia and India are quite unnatural. The only reason for their connivance is Azerbaijan Pakistan brotherly relations. We have historical bonds but Armenians and Indians have no connection of anything like history, traditions, heritage, language etc.
Indian – Armenian Defense Cooperation – Impacts for Pakistan & Azerbaijan -Tazeen Akhtar
As long as, France is concerned , they have commonalities with Armenians in the past. France’ military and mercenaries supply to Armenia may have reason but at the same time it is also a question for France that “What the Armenians can do good with France’ support when they failed again and again with all out backing of the neighboring Russian Federation”.
Moreover, France was part of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh, which works towards ensuring a peaceful resolution of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Then why France is equipping Armenia with its weapons. Armenia has any other conflict with any other country of the region?
President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan views this plan to arm Armenia as provocative.He said “What France is doing is a provocation. It should know that it is not doing Armenia a favor but the opposite. France has given Armenia a lot of support in the past. What result did they get? None.”
There is not justification to supply weapons to a country that has already signed peace agreement with the only rival country around its borders. Indian Modi Regime is trying to settle its score with Pakistan by hitting her friendly country but how France can escape her obligations as member of OSCE?
Further, when European countries are bringing arguments against Russian invasion of Ukraine and occupation of its eastern states , how they can allow their leading member France to do the same in south caucuses like what they allege Russia did in Ukraine. European Union is playing double game?
“The Armenian leadership should learn the lessons of the recent past and not go for these provocations. It is in Armenia’s interest to seize the opportunity for peace and not to fall into the trap of countries that mislead Armenia. Peaceful relations with Azerbaijan is the best option for Armenia. Those who put weapons in Armenia’s hands are doing Armenia a disservice.”
The sane minds in Armenia are expected to see the situation in its true shape and pressurize their government to avoid any adventure on the behest of India and France. Any more aggression or strike against Azerbaijan can cause more damage to already fragile state of Armenia. Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkiye are suggesting them the right thing for the better future and peaceful co-existence of both nations in the region. Would that Armenians may understand it and refrain from a suicide.
