Foreign aid and Realpolitik

Okay, so the Pakistan govt is not above playing politics on accepting aid from arch-enemy India. Looks like they have accepted it after some hemming and hawing. However, my question was this: Are we above playing politics here?

Consider this: why did the PM offer only $5m? It works out to around Rs. 22 crore. What would one do with that? I think the number is too small to look meaningful. We might as well not offer any aid, or just offer supplies without mentioning any monetary value. If we offer aid, it should be a serious offer, not something we hope they won't take. I think our govt. felt that offering a bigger amount would be politically inconvenient, especially since parliament is in session and the govt. is looking to pass the nuke liability bill. Also, talks with Pakistan aren't going well, and Kashmir isn't exactly happy right now. They don't want any issues from the opposition. So they make an offer that won't make waves domestically (after, who cares about just $5 million?), and one that mostly won't be accepted readily by Pakistan. Most of this calculation worked, and Pakistan did not accept it initially (after all, they have their own politics to attend to), the US and others waded in, asking them to accept it, etc. Finally, with a show of reluctance, they did accept it. Okay, so no harm done.

But, consider this: we regard ourselves as an emerging power with global ambitions. That means we must have influence around the world, and be able to project soft power backed by hard power anywhere anytime. We should play this properly if we want to be taken seriously. We did do a good job after the tsunami: the Indian Navy was hard at work when the US Navy arrived to provide relief in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. This was in spite of being hit by the tsunami ourselves. Sure, Indonesia and Sri Lanka aren't viewed like Pakistan is, but, still, it was an important humanitarian gesture that we could deliver on. If we can go to Indonesia immediately after the tsunami, what prevents us from packing a train with rice (FCI godowns are rotting with surplus food) and sending it across Wagah? Why did we wait until mid-Aug to even offer this aid? We could have just send some supplies of blankets and tents, etc. I am sure it will go a long way towards how we are perceived on the ground in Pakistan. Also, if we want to be a real global power, we have to settle our issues with our neighbours at some point, only then can we look outside of the sub-continent. These gestures will help someone on the ground, and hopefully remember us for that, and in the long run, help our perception there.

Realpolitik apart, let's go back to the offer itself: $5 million. It may not sound like peanuts to some, so consider the following:
What India has offered as aid:

1. Katrina: $5 million + supplies
India offered to contribute $5 million to the United States Red Cross for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. They also offered to donate medicines and large water purification systems for use in households and small communities in the stricken areas, where potable water was a key concern.[24] India sent tarps, blankets and hygiene kits. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas on September 13, 2005. Source

2. Haiti: $5 million + re-building

3. Sri Lanka, post war: $100 + $382 million(!) Source

4. Sri Lanka, post tsunami: (Immediate) Relief in kind Source

5. Afghanistan reconstruction: $1.2 Billion (!)
"...New Delhi has pledged $1.2 billion in aid to Afghanistan, making India the fifth largest donor nation to the country after..." Source

6. Pakistan flooding: $5 million, no mention of supplies, etc., offer came 2 weeks after flooding started (?) Source

Okay that's we have to offered. Now, what about others?

* EU: $179.4m
* US: $156.8m
* UK: $100m
* Saudi Arabia: $65.3m plus $40m uncommitted pledges
* Australia: $31.6m plus $225,000 uncommitted pledges
* UN Central Emergency Response Fund: $26.6m
* Germany: $12.4m plus $20.3m uncommitted pledges
Source

Cash strapped UK is offering 100 mil? Surely, we can do better than that? We are the next door neighbours and can do more if we want to. Remember, we quickly sent relief materials after the Kashmir earthquake, and relations weren't exactly rosy back then.

I am no fan of Pakistan's antics towards us, but I think we should have responded with more alacrity and credibility. For a country sitting on $280 billion in foreign reserves, we can offer a wee little more, I am sure the displaced people will not grudge us for that. Finally, if we want to be taken seriously as a global player, we should punch at our weight, and not at this 'small' level.