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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

US Soldier Tops Indian Army Course Conducted In Jammu And Kashmir

A significant development, their participation.

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"Eleven weeks of rigorous high-elevation training in India culminated with the “Best Student” trophy awarded to U.S. Army artillery officer Capt. Matthew Hickey with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

Hickey, a 26-year-old officer hailing from St. Paul, Minn., attended two courses while training at the Indian army’s high altitude warfare school located in the Himalayan Mountain Range near Sonamarg in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir."

- Arctic Army officer excels on India’s high ground

Some quick thoughts. Unmistakably, the article refers to the region as the 'Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir', and not the usual "Indian-administered Kashmir", as is normally found in texts originating from there. A significant change in the term of reference used in an official US Government writing. Also, his participation in this particular course conveys that he, and by association, the US Govt is in acceptance of India's jurisdiction over the state. In fact, three other US personals also underwent the course with him. In addition to this, as reported, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Botswana & Bhutan too sent its men. Fact that the people visiting are official representative of their country lends certain gravitas to this symbolism.

For long, countries have resorted to issuance or denial of visas as means to demonstrate or strengthen ones case for territorial claims. In fact, it was this very knowledge that pakistan had been issuing Visas to mountaineers who wanted to reach the Siachen glaciers, that set alarm bells ringing in the Indian establishment, & the rest, as they say is history. Similarly, China regularly denies visas to Indian citizens domiciled in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, stating people from that region, whose territory China claims, do not require a visa to visit, what they assert, is the rest of their own country. In less high-profile cases, it has been trying to issue stapled visa that hold no legal sanctity, & provide them with plausible deniability.

Positive though, these indicators [J&K course] are, they wouldn't warrant doing a victory dance, just yet, far from it. For one, this change in their reference to J&K is, undoubtedly, temporal, in keeping with the feel-good vibe of the news. Also, an isolated case such as this is not going to lend any heft to India's case. Actions, such as this, if not accompanied by other multipronged approaches to safeguard & promote Indian interest, would be inconsequential. What this news does, is that it provides a guide, if one were in need of one, suggesting greater inter-governmental international engagements involving Jammu & Kashmir, under the ambit of the country's Central Government. Continuing with metaphors, this is but one of the arrows in India's quivers. An archer, however, would need a lot more than one arrow to ensure victory.

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U.S. Army Capt. Mathew Hickey (left), with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, hailing from St. Paul, Minn., and Indian Army Maj. Sanat Kumar, pause for a photo after reaching the summit of Machoi Peak, July 7, 2013, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Hickey and Kumar were there for training at the Indian Army’s High Altitude Warfare School.

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U.S. Army Capt. Mathew Hickey (left), with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, hailing from St. Paul, Minn., leads the way up a steep slope while on his way to winning an endurance test during training at the Indian Army’s High Altitude Warfare School, June 10, 2013, near Sonamarg, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

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Pictured is Machoi Peak, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India, July 5, 2013.

Godspeed

Also Read: British Army Officer living in India for a year [Blog Watch]