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India Cabinet

Katrina Pasquinelli, Chair

Sara McTigue, Political Officer

India Cabinet

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India Cabinet

Katrina Pasquinelli, Chair

Sara McTigue, Political Officer

An Open Letter to All Honorable Delegates from the Chair,

I would like to extend a warm welcome to you all to the JCC Indian Cabinet. India as you

know, or will soon find out is a diverse country rich in historical drama and controversy.

Standing as the world’s largest democracy, India, is a country rich in opportunities that has a

reservoir of untapped potential. A superpower in its own right, this great nation has long been

hindered by gridlock due to corruption, nepotism, and bureaucracy. A nation of 1.3 billion

people with nuclear capability should not have to play catch up with its fellow superpowers, but

India is doing just that. However, this shall no longer be the case because of you. As the

handpicked ministers of the brand-new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, you shall usher in a new

era for India; an era of progress and reform. However, this shall be no easy task. Years of

ineffective governing and foreign conflicts have held this nation back, so your first priority shall

be to make India pick itself up, and brush the dirt off. Only when outstanding conflicts are dealt

with, can we work towards making this nation great.

To be a successful minister, unity is key. You must be a leader who is forward thinking

and innovative. The aggressive pursuit of a solution is highly encouraged, but aggression

towards a fellow minister shall be met with reprimand. When it comes to speaking, the key is

quality over quantity unlike larger committees such as DISEC or the General Assembly. Yes, the

more speeches you give, the better, but repetitiveness or “reiteration” will reduce your credibility

and reputation in the eyes of your fellow ministers and your chair. Furthermore, you shall all be

granted with the ability to pass directives that will aid India in its quest to become a true global

power. Directives should be well planned, worded and should focus on the topic and/or crisis at

hand. Position papers shall be thoroughly analyzed, but do not worry, I will not hold you 100%

to your ministers viewpoint. The best delegates adapt to the situation rather than stubbornly stick

to a dying cause. You shall still be held accountable to best represent your respective ministry

and the Indian people. Furthermore, your economic and political views should be in line with

PM Modi’s. Only one position paper is required for this committee.

A little bit about me and this cabinet

I have been in Model UN for 2 years, participated in a handful of both highly-competitive

and training conferences alike. Although I associate with such a political crew, my true calling is

fine arts. So, creativity in committee will be greatly appreciated and rewarded.

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Your Chair,

Katrina Pasquinelli

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Overview-India

"India is the cradle of human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend,

and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most astrictive materials in the history of man are treasured up in

India only! “

-Mark Twain

India’s rich history not only contributes

to the nation’s growing success, but also its

abundance of issues. Beginning with the Indus

Valley civilizations flourishing during the 3rd and

2nd millennia B.C.E., India’s success, or rather

survival, as a monarchial empire began. The

Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries

B.C.E - which reached

its zenith under

Ashoka - united much

of South Asia. During

his climactic rule,

Ashoka was capable of

extending the empire

to new lands and with

his empirical

expansion he spread buddhism throughout his

kingdom. With a strong start, the Maurya Empire

was followed by the Golden Age, ushered in by

the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries C.E.). The

Golden Age saw a flowering of Indian science,

art, and culture as Islam spread across the

subcontinent over a period of 700 years.

In the early 16th century, the Emperor

Babur established the Mughal Dynasty that ruled

India for more than three centuries. Aryan tribes

from the northwest infiltrated the Indian

subcontinent through the Kyber Pass around 1500

C.E. and their integration of earlier Dravidian

tradition and customs created the classical Indian

culture. During the late Mughal Empire, circa

1600, European explorers began establishing

footholds in India and, by the 19th century, Great

Britain had become the dominant political power

on the subcontinent.

The Indian Empire, under the British Raj

(1858-1947) was a period of drastic change both

socially and politically- the actual specifics will

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have its own section. Its power and global

involvement can truly be seen during its later

years with the British Indian Army playing a vital

role in both World Wars.Years of nonviolent

resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas

Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, eventually resulted

in Indian independence, which was granted in

1947 following the end of WWII. Large-scale

communal violence took place before and after

the subcontinent partition into two separate states

- India and Pakistan. The neighboring nations

have fought three wars since independence, one

of the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in

East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of

Bangladesh.

———————————————————

The British Raj:

A founding member of the UN in San

Francisco, and a part of the league of nations,

the British Raj possessed a considerable

amount of power. Unfortunately, that power

did not translate into a tranquil empire. The

British Raj had to deal with many social and

political changes that involved uprisings and

revolutions and resulted in internal distress

and conflict. Attempts at solution by the

British empire involved actions such as the

Vernacular Press Act of 1878, or their solitary

neglect leaving the Indians to their own

devices after the Great Uprising of 1875.

The British Raj endured a plethora of

social reform beginning in the 1870’s

continuing until about 1910, preceding WWI .

There were two sides to social reform during

this period, radical and moderates, both

advocating for change. By 1885, intellectuals

and professionals alike were assembling the

Indian National Congress, its debates creating

a new image and outlook of Great Britain and

the control they possessed over India. Around

the same time Bengal was facing pressing

issues with partitioning. The separation,

similar to the Partition of India, faced troubles

dividing Bengal into Muslim and Hindu

provence when attempting to separate from

the Empire. The response to the partition

transcended social classes; there were

boycotts and bombings by students coming

home-although many efforts were suppressed

and dealt with my authorities- it was a time

frequently plaugued with terrorism that is still

a prevalent issue with separation of countries

today.

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Partition of India:

The Partition of India began in the

aftermath of WWII, marking the end of the

British Raj. Whilst both Great Britain and

British India were under great economic

stress put upon them from the war and its

demobilization, independence for India

became an attainable goal in the eyes of the

people and thus, their efforts towards partition

began.

Those who wanted a Muslim Indian

state had the intention of a clean break,

ending in an independent Pakistan and

Hindustan, dividing the empire by religious

lines. The partition of India was predicted to

be a peaceful separation but, the uneven

scattering of Muslims and Hindus in the

empire made it impossible. The partition of

India, a predicted success in the eyes of

many, instead, turned into wars and conflicts

among the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh people.

While their people fought amongst

themselves, Pakistan and India fought over

territorial claims.

Princely-ruled areas such as

Hyderabad and Kashmir were also involved

in the partition. Their allegiance with either

Pakistan or India was determined by their

ruler, the problems in that decision lying with

Kashmir. Kashmir joined India with the

signing of the Instruments of Accession due

to its Muslim Majority and yet, both Pakistan

and India laid claims on upon it. The

opposing ownership of the area and the

controversial status of the documents signed,

resulted in the main conflict these countries

continue to face, and the constant battling

between the two.

——————————————————

Kashmir and Its Historic

Controversial Status

Considered the core political dispute

by Pakistan, Kashmir stands as the oldest

item on the UN agenda tracing back to the

Partition of India. The root of the dispute

stemming from the controversial claims made

by the Instruments of Accesion succeeding

the coercive occupation of Jammu and

Kashmir by India in 1947 . Kashmir is

recognized globally, with the

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1)http://www.pakun.org/kashmir/history.php

exception of India, as a disputed territory

and, the people of Kashmir, as well as

Pakistan and the UN, do not recognize the

assertion of ownership made by India. The

rivals have fought two of three wars over the

territorial issue in 1947 and in 1965. A third

conflict between India and Pakistan erupted

in 1999 after Pakistani-backed forces

infiltrated Indian-controlled Kashmir in the

Kargil area. Both India and Pakistan have

fired across the demarcating Line of Control.

Such incidents have become common but

India has so far refrained from incursions into

Pakistani territory.

In 1998, both nations successfully

tested nuclear weapons, raising the stakes in

the Kashmiri conflict and in turn, overall

regional and global security. Discontent with

India within Kashmir has been a constant

presence way and manifests itself repeatedly

in street demonstrations. India's Armed

Forces Special Powers Act -- which gives

security forces wide-ranging powers to shoot,

arrest and search in battling a separatist

insurgency -- further alienates Kashmiris.

To make a long story short:

“1. New Delhi's allegation of assistance to the

Kashmiri people from the Pakistan side is

unfounded. Objective reports in foreign

media testify that the Kashmiri agitation is

indigenous.

2. Pakistan upholds the right of the people of

Jammu and Kashmir to self-determination in

accordance with the resolutions of the United

Nations Security Council. These resolutions

of 1948 and 1949 provide for the holding of a

free and impartial plebiscite for the

determination of the future of the state by the

people of Jammu and Kashmir.

3. The basic points about the UN resolution

are that:

• The complaint relating to Kashmir was

initiated by India in the Security Council;

• The Council explicitly and by implications,

rejected India's claim that Kashmir is legally

Indian territory;

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• The resolutions established self-

determination as the governing principal for

the settlement of the Kashmir dispute.”1

—————————————————————————

Modern Day India

India faces a surfeit of issues from Indian

societal conflict and a stagnant economy. The

expansive Indian Subcontinent is divided into

only 28 states, which causes a variety of

conflicts to arise. With over 2,000 spoken

dialects, and each state possessing different

political views, India’s extensive diversity

within the nation actually presents a problem.

Although multiple perspectives on a political

issue can be beneficial, it frequently leads to

gridlock resulting in an unproductive

parliament. In fact, the past elections in

which Narendra Modi won, was the first time

since 1984 that the Indian parliament had a

party that had a majority, simply due to the

sheer number of political parties that exist.

These glaring inefficacies have been

an ever-constant presence in India since it’s

independence in 1947 and, sadly, this is a

reality the Indian people have become

accustomed to. The Indian government lives

in the past, still relying on railways left by the

British, and other colonial legacies. For

example, starting small business in India is

next to impossible due to bureaucratic

inadequacies that have been in place since

their colonization. Paperwork takes months

to process and is often misplaced and the

government’s previous socialist system that

focused on welfare is no longer capable of

supporting India with the progression it has,

and continues to experience.

Though India is the world’s largest

democracy, it has suffered from corrupt

bureaucracy and flawed socialism that has

burdened the majority of Indians financially.

Though no longer stagnant, India’s economic

growth rate has steadily declined and the

threat posed by inflation is becoming more

serious as time progresses. India’s average

tariff rate is 7.2 percent, and their non-tariff

barriers along with other importation taxes

significantly impede trade contributing to its

economic predicament. India walks a fine line

in respect to its monetary freedom, and the

burdensome taxes and tariffs placed on the

people are subject bureaucratic corruption.

Modi’s new expansionary and capitalistic

fiscal policy is expected to help India utilize

the tools it posses and transform into a global

superpower; joining the ranks of the USA,

China and Russia. India is finally, but slowly,

starting to progress rather than stagnate.

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Separatist Movements

Diversity, as aforementioned, plays a

key role in Indian politics. The divergent

views between geo-political entities lead to

internal instability that stems from the

creation of the nation. Since India's

independence in 1947, there have been

attempts by a variety of Indian communities

to establish independent countries on Indian

soil -using terror and other means- but, so far,

India has remained a united country.

The partition-rich history of India

was bound to inspire separatist movements

for example, in Kashmir, organizations that

had previously demanded a Pakistani-

Kashmir have begun to demand Kashmiri

independence. In Punjab, out of Kashmir, the

Sikhs demanded an independent Sikh country

to be called Khalistan. In Northeast India,

there were frequent demands for separate

states by a variety of native communities

stemming from the area’s tribal descent.

Northeast India was, during the British Raj,

province of Assam. In this region, which

borders China, there are many communities

which are referred to under Indian law as

tribes. Since India's independence many tribal

communities in this region, originally

supported by their Chinese neighbors, tried to

establish independent states apart from India.

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In the 1960s rebellions from Mizoram

region even declared independence. The

Indian army suppressed these rebellions in

this region and the rebellion leaders signed

peace treaties with the Indian government. To

further address the rebellions the Indian

government created autonomous states for the

different tribes in this region within the Indian

Union by detaching parts from Assam. Other

frustrating actions taken by the Indian

governments caused discontent among the

Assamese and they demanded to separate

from India. In the 1980s there was even a

terror organization which included rebellions

from the seven Northeast Indian states and

they worked together against the Indian

government.

——————————————————

Nuclear Controversy

In 1974, India conducted its first

nuclear test: a subterranean explosion of a

nuclear device dubbed, “Smiling Buddha”.

India declared it a "peaceful" test, but it

announced to the world that India was

capable of of nuclear warfare. Approximately

two weeks after India’s test in 1998, Pakistani

began its own nuclear tests, confirming fears

of an arms race in the region

Following these tests, President Bill

Clinton immediately called for economic

sanctions against India that included cutting

off $40 million in economic and military aid,

and all American bank loans, despite the fact

that neither India nor Pakistan has signed the

treaties. The President also asked the

International Monetary Fund and World Bank

to cancel all new loans which could cost India

around $14.5 billion worth of public projects,

including a major modernization of India's

often failing electrical system. Moreover,

Japan and other industrial nations soon

followed the U.S. example and froze on-

going projects in India worth over a billion

dollars in aid.

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Presently , India is estimated to posses

between 90 and 110 nuclear weapons with

both land and air based delivery. The Indian

Government released a draft of their no first

use policy ,in 1999, asserting the nuclear

weapons they posses are purely a defensive

deterrence. The policy also declares that

India “will not be the first to initiate a nuclear

first strike, but will respond with punitive

retaliation should deterrence fail” and the

decision to utilize their weapons of mass

distraction lies in the hands of the prime

minister.

Despite the escalation of tension

between Pakistan and India, India currently

remains committed to its nuclear no-first-use

policy.

——————————————————

Overview- Origins of India-Pakistan

Conflict

The conflict between India and

Pakistan originated as a clash between Indian

and Muslim nationalism during British

colonial rule. The Indian National Congress

led the Indian-nationalist struggle, while the

principal Muslim-nationalist, political

organization was the Muslim League. As the

British government retreated from South Asia

after WWII, it served notice on these two

organizations to negotiate a constitutional

framework for postcolonial India before its

departure in 1947. But the bitter tensions

created by the colonial legacy of divide and

rule made it impossible for the parties to meet

this demand within the prescribed time.

Consequently, the British government

imposed its own plan and departed.

According to this plan, devised by the last

British Viceroy, Louis Mountbatten, areas

whose populations were predominantly

Muslim, were to join Pakistan, while Hindu-

majority areas were to be part of India.

In the 565 princely states of South Asia,

which were not governed directly by the

British, the decision to join either India or

Pakistan was left to their rulers. They were, of

course, not required to act according to their

people's wishes. Jammu and Kashmir had a

largely Muslim population but was ruled by a

Hindu who decided to join India.

A British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe drew the

boundary between India and Pakistan. The

incompetence and apathy with which the

British colonial regime handled its departure

had catastrophic consequences. Some three

million people lost their lives and seventeen

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million were compelled to leave their homes.

—————————————————

Brief Summaries of the India-

Pakistan Conflict By Year:

1947- The Indian subcontinent was

partitioned into Hindu-dominated but

nominally secular India and the newly created

Muslim state of Pakistan after India’s

independence from Great Britain in 1947.

Severe rioting and population movement

ensued and an estimated half a million people

were killed in communal violence. About a

million people were left homeless. Since

partition, the territory of Jammu and Kashmir

has remained in dispute, with Pakistan and

India both holding sector

***

1947-1948- India and Pakistan first went to

war in October 1947 after Pakistan supported

a Muslim insurgency in Kashmir. India

agreed to a request for armed assistance from

Kashmir's Maharaja, in return for accession

of the state to India. But the nature of that

accession has long been the subject of debate.

The war ended on 1 January 1949, with the

establishment of a ceasefire line. The status of

the territory remained in dispute because an

agreed referendum to confirm the accession

was never held.

***

1965-The two countries went to war again

after Pakistan launched a covert offensive

across the ceasefire line into Indian-

administered Jammu and Kashmir. India

retaliated by crossing the international border

at Lahore.

***

1971-Pakistan descended into civil war after

East Pakistan demanded autonomy and later

independence. India invaded East Pakistan in

support of its people after millions of civilians

fled to India. At the end of 1971, Bangladesh

was created out of East Pakistan.

***

1989-Armed resistance to Indian rule broke

out in the Kashmir valley in 1989, with some

groups calling for independence and others

calling for union with Pakistan. India accused

Pakistan of supplying weapons to the

militants. During the 1990s, with the

emergence of militant Muslim groups, the

movement’s ideology became essentially

Islamic in nature.

***

1996-1997- India and Pakistan set up low-

level meetings to defuse tension over Jammu

and Kashmir. The diplomatic push became

more concerted a year later and an agenda for

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peace talks was agreed on. Also in 1997,

Pakistan suggested that the two sides meet to

discuss restraining nuclear and missile

capabilities.

***

1998- Fears of a nuclear confrontation grew,

after both sides conducted nuclear tests. The

US ordered sanctions against both countries,

with several European nations doing the

same. Tensions were reduced early the

following year after the two sides signed an

accord pledging to intensify efforts to resolve

all issues – including that of Jammu and

Kashmir.

***

1999-Conflict again erupted after India

launched air strikes against Pakistani-backed

forces that had infiltrated Indian-administered

Kashmir. Fighting built up towards a direct

conflict between the two states and tens of

thousands of people were reported to have

fled their homes on both sides of the ceasefire

line. Later that year, General Musharraf led a

military coup in Pakistan.

***

2001-Tension along the ceasefire line

continued. In October 38 people were killed

after an attack on the Kashmiri assembly in

Srinagar. A month later, 14 people were

killed in an attack on the Indian parliament in

Delhi. India again blamed Pakistani-backed

Kashmiri militants. A dramatic build up of

troops along the Indo-Pakistan border ensued.

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Conclusion

After reading this, you may be wondering, “What on Earth is the topic?” Well as you have seen,

India is facing a multitude of problems, all of them pressing issues. It would have been

impossible to focus on one issue without needing to include another problem. Each issue affects

another issue whether it is directly or indirectly. The purpose of this background guide is to

present vague information on a variety of topics that will be discussed during this cabinet. A

recommendation from our staff is to have a very comprehensive general knowledge on a

multitude of topics, especially revolving around the India vs. Pakistan conflict. A strong delegate

will thrive in committee in relation to the crisis being presented. With this being said, delegates

must conduct extensive research on the topics presented in order to facilitate debate within

committee and, eventually come to a solution

It is up to you, and you alone to decide the fate of India, so work hard now and prepare

yourselves well. If you have, any questions feel free to email me at pas500376@gmail.com

IMPORTANT TOPICS TO KNOW

Indian Foreign Relations

State of the Indian Economy

Behavior and inclinations of Pakistan

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• Should India pursue the deflation of tensions between India and Pakistan?

• Which nations would prove to be useful allies in the event of an unforeseen crisis?

• What are the most important aspects of the India vs. Pakistan conflict?

• How is India’s Nuclear policy going to affect their actions and relations in the

future?

• How should India’s terrorism be dealt with and resolved?

• What cause and effect relationships are present?

• What takes precedence, internal or external issues?

• What should be done with Kashmir?

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• What forms of social reform should India pursue if any?

• Should India pursue joint nuclear disarmament with Pakistan?

• What are the best ways to create political and economic stabilization in Indian

Society?

USEFUL LINKS

http://www.bbc.com/news/10537286

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12557384

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_mkvLDRpbs (Skip to 2:52 and 5:40)

http://www.economicshelp.org/india/problems-indian-economy/

http://www.heritage.org/index/country/india

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Works Cited

Basu, Moni. "Kashmir: India and Pakistan's Bitter Dispute." CNN. Cable News Network, 26

Sept. 2010. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

"India Country Profile." BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

"India Country Profile." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 02

Dec. 2014.

"Refworld | Global Overview 2011: People Internally Displaced by Conflict and Violence -

India." Refworld. UNHCR, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.

"Wars and Conflicts between India and Pakistan." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec.

2014.