India should tighten a noose of sanctions around Pakistan, appeals Indian

New Delhi: India should not waste this opportunity to increase pressure on Pakistan, who is already being castigated by the Financial Action Task Force, G20 and other international organisations. India should adopt a policy of imposing stringent sanctions to teach Pakistan a lesson. ‘Gateway House,’ an Indian study group, has also suggested that India should firmly target the Chinese companies dealing with both India and Pakistan.

Since the last few years, India has adopted multifaceted foreign policies, like prioritisation of the neighbouring countries, active support to the countries in the far east through its ‘Act East Policy’ and has stressed on regional development. This is becoming successful and has resulted in increased Indian influence in the region. The Gateway House has said that using this influence, India should corner Pakistan with stringent sanctions.

The report titled ‘Devising an Indian Policy on Sanctions for Pakistan’, the concerned study group has presented its views. At the same time, the study group has introduced some other proposals too. The report notes that Chinese companies like Haier, Morris Garages and Oppo enjoying a huge market share in India and having manufacturing plants set up in Pakistan can be targeted.

The study group has said that ‘India should make its export policy more stringent. There should be a strict clause that no country, importing any goods from India, will re-export them to Pakistan. India should make innovative changes to its policy for the neighbouring countries for this purpose.’ The report expresses confidence that if the agencies of the Indian government from national security council, defence, foreign affairs, commerce, textiles and other concerned ministries adopted an active and tough stand on this issue, Pakistan could easily be cornered with sanctions.

Last year, on the 5th of August, after India abrogated Article 370, which awarded special status to Jammu-Kashmir, Pakistan severed all the ties with India. Pakistan even stopped bilateral trade. Still, Indian products were reaching the Pakistani markets through the neighbouring and Gulf countries. This indirect trade between the two countries is worth nearly USD 4 billion. India must make efforts to stop this trade. The Gateway House demanded that harsher measures need to be implemented for this.