The report released by the Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and prepared by its task force on 'National Security and Terrorism' has created several doubts and questions marks in the minds of all those who believe in the famous slogans "World peace through world trade," and "More business in government and less government in business."
These slogans have been popularised by the US Chambers of Commerce and the International Chamber of Commerce - a subsidiary organ of the United Nations. The most important reflection of the report is the composition of the task force, formed by the FICCI, for the study and preparation of the report on the Indian National Security.
The composition of the task force is a clear deviation from the norms and tradition of the formation of business community representative boards and committees. Only three out of eight members' task force represent the entire Indian business community. Four out of eight members of this task force belong to the security forces and one is a former bureaucrat.
Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar (Retd), former Director Indian Intelligence Bureau Ajit Kumar Doval, former air chief S. Krishnaswamy, former head of the National Security Guard Ved Prakash Marwah, retired additional cabinet secretary B. Raman, President FICCI Harsh Pati Singhania, FICCI's immediate past president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and a past president Yogendra Modi are included in the task force. While being the FICCI's Secretary General Dr Amit Mitra also serves the task force.
It is notable that the research reports, prepared by economic institutions and think tanks, are always based on causal relationships. Surprisingly, cause and effect relations are absolutely missing in the FICCI's report. The report does not discuss or quantify the economic causes or consequences of terrorism or national insecurity in India.
This is evidence that this report was not prepared by economists or business community representatives. By its contents, approach, language and suggestions, it cannot be considered as a piece of research or economic analysis, it seems to be the views and opinion of the extremists bias.
Another major deviation can be found in the patterns of the recommendations writing in this report. The recommendations of the FICCI's Task Force discuss in detail various options available to handle Pakistan. At the first stage, the report recommends hard options, such as an economic embargo to surgical strikes and an all-out war etc.
A set of soft options, such as sharing intelligence, improving military-to-military relations and better cultural ties has been recommended at the second stage. No need to mention that this pattern of recommendations is not only against the principles of diplomacy; it is against the morality and ethics of peace dialogues.
The Task Force is convinced that Pakistan has to make a clean break from its existing state policy of supporting terrorism. It suggests "inflicting economic pain" on Pakistan at the initial stage of recommended policy implementation. It suggests stopping all imports from Pakistan, banning overflight by Pakistani airlines and significantly restricting travel between the two countries. According to the FICCI's assessment, Pakistan will react but the pain will be asymmetrically more for Pakistan.
It recommends also conducting surgical strikes, particularly at the "Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir terror camps". It was presumed in the report that India knows, with reasonable certainty, where these terror camps are. Furthermore, it was also suggested that the Indian government should be prepared deal with international disapproval and more importantly prepare for escalation of war with Pakistan.
According to the report, the Indus Water Treaty is highly tilted in favour of Pakistan. Water is a very serious issue for Pakistan, while India can seriously pressurise Pakistan through the control over water for its irrigation and power.
The FICCI observed that the terror attacks last year, including in Mumbai, Jaipur and Bangalore, were meant to "derail India's surging economic growth". The report focuses on the paradigm-shift in threat perception by the corporate sector in India. It indicates that the post-26/11 terror has taken a new dimension and the subject of security has entered the corporate boardroom. The report recommends the incorporating private sector and civil society into India's war on terror.
Another important corroboration which can be inferred from this report, is the isolation of Indian thought from the entire world, even in the present era of globalisation. Pakistan is not the only target of the report; it gives negative remarks against United States, Bangladesh, China, and Nepal. The report reflects on how threats from Bangladesh, and through other porous borders, have assumed serious dimensions.
The report indicates that world, and, particularly United States, will not accept Indian policy (recommended in FICCI's report). It indicates, "President Barack Obama has been following the traditional US policy of closing its eyes to Pakistan and Pakistan has always taken advantage of such double standards in the US counter-terrorism policy."
On page 23, the report gives a list of major terrorists attacks in India during 2008. There were 12 major attacks, including the Mumbai attack on 26th November 2008. The other attacks were in Jaipur, New Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Modasa, Malegaon, Agartala, Kanpur, Imphal, and Assam.
It is notable that all incidents, except Mumbai were either against the Indian Muslims or the elite Hindu population. The world media has been highlighting that Hindu extremists or depressed poor class communities in India were responsible for these terrorist attacks (except Mumbai). However, FICCI's report shifted all allegations towards its neighbouring countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and China.
Red and green flags have been shown in the abstract form, on the top of the 118 pages of the report. These red and green flags indicate the security risk to India because of Communists and Muslims. The report highlights that in the backward tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgar, MP and Orissa, Maoist insurgents have expanded their hold, exploiting the long-standing and unattended grievances of the tribal population and the landless poor.
In these parts, social security mechanisms are absent and the Maoists have tried to exploit such gaps to increase their influence. The report further observes that the threat posed by the Naxalite insurgency is also exacerbated by its reported links with other insurgent groups in South Asia, including separatist groups in India's north-east and the Communist Party of Nepal.
On a tactical level, concerns also remain over Naxalite insurgents and Nepali Maoists obtaining arms, training, and sanctuaries in each other's territories. To quell the challenges posed by the Maoist insurgency, the report recommends different options, including India's rapid economic growth and balancing urban-rural development.
The report also focuses on the role of the Indian media. It recommends that the media information should be factual and responsible, exaggeration or sensationalization of events and proactive media coverage must be avoided; national and community interests should be borne uppermost in mind in media coverage; nothing should be done or shown which helps the terrorists, their planners, mentors and forces inimical to India.
Despite its biases, misleading approach and lack of insufficiency, the report provides a strong justification for opening the eyes of the FPCCI's authorities. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is actively involved in the Indian national agenda from the formation to the implementation stages.
Unfortunately, the FPCCI has been facing severe problems at its human infrastructure front. This problem is not at the secretariat level only; the problem is more severe at the elected office bearers' level. Majority of the office bearers do not have awareness about the structure, functions and scope of the federation's activities. The poor human infrastructure is not the only problem; the darkest side of the picture is its rapid deterioration.
It is notable that 27 out of 35 departments in FICCI belong to the R&D, and their heads are eminent economists. All the departmental heads are professionally well-qualified. Similarly, 7 out of 10 departments in TOBB (Turkey) and 10 out of 15 departments in US Chamber of Commerce belong to the R&D. Each Department in TOBB, USCC and FICCI has 2 to 3 divisions and 5 to 15 employees.
The FICCI provides several services to its members, including arbitration, B2B solutions, ATA Carnet, Consumers' care, CSR, Economic affairs and research, Intellectual Property Right, Quality and standardisation, energy conservation, resources conservation, technology-management, managerial skills development, commercialisation of non-traditional products, web initiatives, and women entrepreneurships. No such service or initiative is available to the members of the FPCCI.
The FICCI conducted several specialised studies for nation building and development. FICCI's 100 days Agenda for the New Government, Making the Indian Higher Education System Future Ready, Public-Private Sector Quality and Affordable Health Care System, Technology Development and Transfer in Climate Change, Handbook for Doing Business in India, Business Confidence Survey, Insurance and Pension Plans, and India's Contribution in US Employment, Capital Growth and Taxes are a few examples of FICCI's in-house studies in 2008.
During the current year, FICCI provided its feedback with concrete and feasible recommendations to the Indian government on the proposed Health Bill, Clinical Establishment Bill, Protection of Traditional Knowledge, IPR Database Management, Software's Regulations, Optical Disc Law, Entertainment Tax, and FM Radio Industry.
FICCI has also established various taskforces to address the River Water Problem, Climate Change Issues, Clinical Research, Competition Laws, Corporate Governance, Defence Strategies, National Security and Terrorism, Technical Textile, Private Equity and Venture Capital etc. Various sector performance forums on the specialised industries are working under the FICCI's umbrella.
The forums of boating, lifestyles, medical devices, medical electronics, trade facilitation, skill development, parliamentarians, India-US relation, India-British relations, India-Germany relations, India-European Union relations, India-Pakistan relations, India-Japan relations, and Indo-Arab economic forum are included in these forums.
It is notable that these specialised forums are headed by experts and qualified persons. Their area and scope is different from the Joint Business Councils. These forums are responsible for identifying root causes and solution of the problems, while joint business councils are responsible for enhancement in the volume of bilateral trade.
Unfortunately, it is evident from the documentary record that all JBCs in Pakistan have failed, either to enhance Pakistan's export volume or improve the trade balance with their respective countries, except Afghanistan. In fact, FPCCI is not performing as a national apex institution; by its organisational structure and activities, it seems a local chamber of commerce. In the present context, the need of the hour is to improve and enhance its role an activities by restructuring.
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