By Rana Danish Nisar
My little brief ramshackle effort to ever firstly introduce and coined new term or concept “Mirror Diplomacy” in International Relations which may sooner or later become the part of this wider subject.
Apart from all other definitions of diplomacy, the simple meaning of diplomacy by using my petite and diminutive knowledge and according to my lenses is “the tactics which are adopted by states aim to acquire or fulfill their national interests or aim to forestall the adversary either aggressively or (un)aggressively”.
Interestingly, world politics is revolved around ‘Realism” in my perspective. The lust of power, ruled over the weak states, adoption of corrosive measures, maximization of power, and firmly acquisition of national interests are rooted in every state’s DNA. Being a strong realist and follower of the realistic school of thought and I have no chairs in my dining hall for “Liberalism and constructivism” and I have a potent belief that state every, sole and single course of actions; either improvement relations with other, economic juxtaposition, diplomatic looms towards each other are associated with their national interests and enhancement of its abilities, capabilities, power and much more relevant to benefits.
The national interests, enhancement of defensive capabilities, boost-up power which lead towards hegemony are the rooted in State’s selfish nature, and states adopt different channels to acquire them and these channels can be called term “Diplomacy”.Remarkably, as like the importance and significance of white and red blood cells in the body, the national interests of states are significantly important and they adopt different strategies, policies, course of actions aim to procure them. In International relations wider subject, these looms, strategies, policies can be called as “Diplomacy”.
In the etymological context, the term “Diplomacy” can be traced from the 18th-century French word “Diplomat” which is based on the antediluvian Greek term “diploma” which means “double folded paper”, “state paper” which are used by one state for other ones aim to build-up relations and try to sort out any skirmishes among them according to my knowledge which may be wrong or true.
It is a long history of Diplomacy. Alongside, many types of Diplomacy are adopted by states i.e. Open diplomacy, Close diplomacy, appeasement, counterinsurgency diplomacy, economic diplomacy, gunboat diplomacy, hostage diplomacy, humanitarian diplomacy, migration diplomacy, nuclear diplomacy, para-diplomacy, P2P diplomacy, preventive diplomacy, cricket diplomacy, Ping-Pong diplomacy, dept.-trap diplomacy, quiet diplomacy, science diplomacy, soft power diplomacy, city diplomacy, corrosive diplomacy, and much more.
Apart from discussing the elongated history of “Diplomacy”, this piece of writing will introduce or contribute to the new term “Mirror Diplomacy” in International Relations subject and apply it as a case study of “India-Pakistan relations”. “Mirror Diplomacy” can be explained that “apart from the notions of asymmetric & lopsided, the adoption of in-depth “courage” or “eye-to-eye contact”, “face-to-face interaction” with opponents by arising the slogan of “Tit-for-Tat” and “Action-Reaction (reflection)” is called “Mirror Diplomacy”. Furthermore, states adopt courage or direct “eye-to-eye contact” with its adversary without thinking the “win or lose” and send a signal to the adversary that if they attack, the reciprocal action will be more aggressive which may be harsher as the other expected. More precisely, “Mirror diplomacy” can be related with “deterrence diplomacy (DD) or (D2)”. The lively example of the “Mirror Diplomacy in the contemporary history is the victory of “Hu Chi Minh” in long Vietnam War and adopt the “mirror diplomacy” that explains if the state has courage, it can defeat its adversary which is ten times more powerful. The invasion of the Soviet on Afghanistan and the reciprocally 11 years “tit-for-tat” efforts of Afghans to deter its 100 times more powerful invader with limited resources is another exceptional example.
History has witnessed that India and Pakistan have animosity since their first day of birth. Moreover, Pakistan has traditional security threats from India. But it is a very rare example in history that a state with limited resources and narrow economic power deter the nuclear major power and Pakistan is the example of this. Without discussing the criticism of critics, Pakistan’s nuclear program and development, attain new munitions is the reciprocal action or defensive policies or “Mirror” diplomacy which is adopted by Pakistan aims to ensure its existence in South Asia due to Indian obsessed offensive “Supremacists” nuclear developments, upsurge nuclear stockpiles in a nuclear briefcase, advancement in the military domain. But interestingly, with the huge conventional asymmetry among India and Pakistan, lopsided in the economic domain of both countries, three or four times the largest territory of India as compared to Pakistan, India’s six times more population as compare to its western border entity, Pakistan is still a hurdle in the way of fulfillment of India’s dream of “Greater India”.
From India’s perspective, apart from other weaker entities of South Asia, Pakistan is the main hurdle for India. Since the times of yore and being a defensive realist state, Pakistan has no aggrieve intentions but to adopt the defensive posture against its eastern border offensive adversary. Indian “Pokhran-I” and “Pokhran-II” are deterred by Pakistan in the same suiting in the year of 1998 and declare itself as nuclear power state. By adoption of “Mirror diplomacy”, Pakistan defensive actions counter Indian offensive actions perfectly in 1965, 1971, Brasstacks, Kargil war, compound crisis, and most recently hunt-down Indian Air-force combat aircraft in 2019 when Indian Air force try to enter in the territory of Pakistan and try to hit the sovereignty of LAND OF PURE (Pakistan).
By following the “Mirror Diplomacy”, Pakistan shows the power of its defense that “Cat can be turned into tiger in the times of need” and Pakistan has strong defensive capabilities to deter its offensive antagonist. With very limited resources and a deprived economy, Pakistan has a potent defense and dares to deter India. Moving ahead, one can relate mirror diplomacy with the word “deterrence” to deter its enemy. As the “mirror” reflect everything, same as by the adoption of “Mirror diplomacy” the state can show its in-depth courage to deter the opposite one.
Additionally, “Mirror diplomacy” not only useful for deterring enemy in the times of war or conflict but it can be useful for the resolution of bilateral conflicts and give push force to validate “Confidence Building Measures” (CBMs). Sometimes, mirror interactions are mandatory a useful for the mutual benefits, distinct benefits i.e. Indo-Pak “Tashkent agreement, Simla Agreement, Smajhota express” etc. Summarily, “Mirror diplomacy” can not only useful to deter opposite ones military but can be useful for build-up strong relationships in every domain and resolution of conflicts. States should adopt the “Mirror diplomacy” according to the situation aim to eradicate mistrust, suspicion, misunderstanding, suspicion, doubts, and qualms but preferably for the peace of the world and region as well as mutual benefits.
Rana Danish Nisar The author is a PhD (International Relations) Student at the School of Politics and International Studies (SPIS). He holds Mphil in (International Relations), Masters in (Pakistan Studies), and Masters in (International Relations) degrees. He won acceptance Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations HPAIR (USA), 2017. His research interests are broadly in South Asian Affairs, South Asia Geo-Politics, India-Pakistan Relations, South Asian Nuclear Politics, US and South Asia, Indian Ocean, Security studies, South Asian developments studies.
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or views of World Geostrategic Insights).