Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in China on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping. The crucial meeting is aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties, especially at a time when trade tensions with the US are escalating and heavy tariffs have been imposed on Indian products.
Modi’s visit has again reminded us of a turning point in India’s diplomatic history, the time when India’s National Security Advisor and ‘super spy’ Ajit Doval took a strong stand in defence of the country’s sovereignty.
During September 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak and the SCO’s National Security Advisors were meeting virtually, when Pakistan’s representative Dr Moeed Yusuf presented a new political map, which showed Jammu and Kashmir and Junagadh, which are part of India, as part of Pakistan.
This was a violation of SCO rules, which do not allow bilateral disputes to be brought to multilateral forums.
India strongly opposed the move. Russia, the chairman of the meeting, asked Pakistan several times to remove the map, but Pakistan did not change its position. Ajit Doval then symbolically left the meeting.
A senior official described Pakistan’s action as “a clear violation of the SCO Charter and against the rules of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member countries”. Russia later supported India, and Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Russian National Security Council, praised Doval’s move.
Ajit Doval has the image of a ‘super spy’ who has been working on secret and strategic missions for decades. From 1971 to 1978, he worked undercover in Pakistan as a Muslim cleric and provided India with important intelligence during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. His inputs shaped India’s strategies and strengthened national security.
Doval also played a key role in quelling several insurgencies within the country. He negotiated with Mizo rebels and helped forge the 1986 Mizo Peace Accord. During Operation Black Thunder in 1988, he sneaked into the Golden Temple and kept an eye on militants.
At a time when Prime Minister Modi is pushing diplomatic efforts in China, Ajit Doval’s firm stand at the SCO and his long service send a clear message that India will not compromise on its sovereignty.
Also Read: SCO Summit Day 2: PM Modi To Meet Putin Today Amid Tension Over Trump Tariffs For Russian Oil
