Manipur Arms Seizure Includes US-Made Rifle
Arms in Manipur
The discovery of such a large number of weapons in Manipur was a shock to many. Notably, some of the weapons that were captured included US made rifles. As a result, this fact has caused alarms in New Delhi. Consequently, it has ceased to be a matter of insurgency. It concerns foreign prints on the domestic turmoil in India. Furthermore, the finding leads in an alarming direction. Therefore, it is no longer a separate law and order problem. It is a global riddle.
The incident has been exposed in the Indian media. It has subtle but sharp framing. India is indirectly blaming the United States. It is suspected that US weaponry is financing rebellion in the North-East.
This story has a lot of weight due to timing. It has been months of ethnic and communal conflict in Manipur. Groups of armed people have been taking advantage of the instability. It is difficult to ignore the sudden appearance of American rifles.
The American Ally in Question
Over the years, Washington has been described as a natural ally in New Delhi. The word implied increasing confidence. It was a convergence on strategic issues. But this finds dims away from the sunshine. The discovery does not sit well with many in India.
The question they raise is whether the US has become a silent enabler or not. American weapons in insurgent areas undermine confidence even though this is unintentional. Faith is destroyed and the doubts become numerous.
A sense of suspicion is on the rise in the power corridors in India. Strategic relationships are not stable. The US that used to be hailed as a partner appears as a suspect. Blunt questions are being posed by policymakers. So how did these rifles get in Manipur? Did they enter porous borders? Did they have an Afghan or Myanmar origin? Speculation runs immensely deep.
India and the US were drawing closer to each other in the field of defense. They were joined by joint exercises, sharing of technology and counter China strategy. However, this is jeopardized by the Manipur episode. Where the partners seem to be the cause of discomfort coldness freezes. The fact that foreign rifles were found transforms the perception. It allows critics who never believed Washington was honest a free hand and is the lack of growing trust.
Organized Supply Networks
The officials described the weapons that had been captured as a huge cache. The very volume means organization in supply. We do not mean a gun or two smuggled. It shows stable well invested networks. That is why New Delhi cannot afford to attribute this to a chance occurrence. To a government on its heels in Manipur the result is more dramatic. It demonstrates that the insurgents are more equipped than supposed.
The American Question
Not only simple but also straight forward questions are being asked by ordinary Indians. How did US make rifles get into the hands of insurgents? In the event they were the spillovers of conflict, how come America could not regulate their discharge? When channeled through allies, what surveillance was wanted? All the scenarios lead to Washington. Any silence on the part of the US will be construed as guilt. New Delhi will not be satisfied. And Washington can be boxed in.
It is not only in Manipur. The North-East is sensitive. It has Myanmar, Bangladesh and China as its neighbors. Armaments into this land change balance of power. They embolden armed groups. They weaken the control of India. To other countries it is gold rush to undermine India domestically. This is why the Manipur capture is not the local news. It has local and international interests.
The Future of Diplomacy
Diplomatic paths will now be put to the test. India will probably grieve the issue with Washington behind the scenes. But where responses are uncertain suspicion will become solid. Already, Indian analysts declare the term of a natural ally to be hollow. The strategic links seem to be getting weaker with each suspicion. The rifles of Manipur might become a sort of characteristic strain. They can decelerate the pace of India-US proximity.
A Cloud of Distrust
Significantly, the finding in Manipur goes beyond the success of the police. It is a political earthquake. India indirectly accuses the United States to foment insurgency in its Northern part. An immense stock of American rifles makes out that statement. Strategic relationships that seemed to be solid have begun to crack. Once counted as an ally Washington is shrouded in suspicion. The one question many Indians are left with is: How did American weapons get into insurgent territory? Until that is answered the cloud will not clear.
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