CHECKMATE PAKISTAN!!!!!!!

      The recent decision of Modi's cabinet to allocate ~USD 85.2 million for the development of Iranian Chabahar port has significant strategic ramifications as this can be seen as completion of military encirclement of Pakistan. This military encirclement is known to have four dimensions namely 1.Farkhor airbase (Tajikistan) 2.Chabahar port (Iran) 3.INS Kadamba (Karwar) 4.Security pact with Oman.

Shown in the image (below) are crucial strategic points in Arabian sea that can be utilized by Indian military in case of a war with Pakistan. Effective usage of these assets can give an upper hand for India.

Pakistan trapped in the "Triangle of Death"

All these began in 2002 when the Indian government officially acknowledged that it is setting up a full-fledged airbase in Tajik province of Ayni. This set the alarm bells ringing in Islamabad. The then President of Pakistan Pervez Musharaff lodged a strong protest with the Tajik government which the latter turned down. Since then IAF has deployed as many as 12 front-line Mig-29 fighters, transport helicopters (Chetaks & Mi-17s) & other logistics. The next big development came in 2008 when Pakistan was reeling under political instability following Benazir's assassination. The then Indian PM Dr.Singh's visited Oman & signed a Defence cooperation agreement (aka Security pact) with the Sultanate by which the Indian Navy was vested with the authority to dock its ships in any of the Omanese ports sans any prior permission from the Omanese government. By then the Phase-1 of Indian Navy's most ambitious Project Seabird was completed at a cost of some 2700 crore rupees helping India to establish its supremacy over Arabian sea. Best part is that, these slew of measures progressed at a steady pace irrespective of party in power at Delhi. The recent Cabinet decision comes in the wake of this near-completed encirclement strategy. Besides serving this purpose the Chabahar port also helps India to access land-locked Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. India's much-awaited decision to invest in Chabahar can also be seen as an response to Pakistani Gwadar port (location shown in image) in which the Chinese have invested some USD 200 million till date. What comes to my mind is 'BETTER LATE THAN NEVER'.