Analysis: India's rising anger

Many Indians want their government to take action

By Owen Bennett-Jones Regional analyst

India's decision to expel the Pakistani High Commissioner reflects a growing sense of frustration felt by ministers in Delhi.

To their considerable irritation, Pakistan has managed to position itself as one of America's key allies in the war on terrorism.

Given the strength of the rhetoric coming out of Delhi, the expulsion of the High Commissioner is a relatively mild measure

But India believes that, for all President Pervez Musharraf's speeches denouncing terrorism, the Pakistan army is still supporting the insurgency against Indian security forces in Kashmir.

In January Mr Musharraf banned two of the Pakistan-based militant groups fighting in Kashmir, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

But India says that, in reality, both organisations have been allowed to resurrect themselves.

Disappointment

India has blamed Pakistani-based militants for the most recent attack in Kashmir, in which at least 30 people were killed when three men opened fire on an Indian army base at Kaluchak near the winter capital Jammu.

When US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca visited Delhi last week her Indian hosts insisted that Pakistan was a sponsor of cross-border terrorism in Kashmir.

And they urged Washington to put pressure on Pakistan to end its support for such militant activity.

While Ms Rocca did unambiguously condemn the Kaluchak attack, her visit did not produce the kind of statements India was hoping for.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that while ending the infiltration of militants into Kashmir was "an important concern", the issue should be seen in the context or reducing tensions more generally and starting a dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Indian ministers have made no secret of their disappointment with the American stance.

Artillery fire

The deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan reflect recent military developments.

For several months now the two countries have had hundreds of thousands of troops deployed on their common border.

Cross-border artillery fire is common

And in Kashmir itself there have been heavy exchanges of artillery fire across the line of control.

In recent weeks Indian officials have threatened limited military strikes across the line of control in Kashmir.

They say they want to destroy the militant training camps in Pakistani-held territory.

Given the strength of the rhetoric coming out of Delhi, the expulsion of the High Commissioner on 18 May is a relatively mild measure.

India's External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, said the move would maintain parity since India withdrew its High Commissioner from Islamabad after the 13 December attack on the Indian parliament.

The question for the months ahead is whether India will continue to employ such diplomatic measures or whether it will decide to launch some kind of military action.