Chapter 42: The United Nations' Big Stage

  On July 8th, the battlefield situation underwent a major change.

  After gaining local air superiority for the first time since the start of the war, the Pakistan Air Force did not give its opponent a chance to breathe. On that morning, it launched a comprehensive attack and focused on bombing military targets in Indian-controlled Kashmir. In the afternoon, four fighter squadrons were dispatched to bomb military targets in northwestern India.

  The Indian Air Force withdrew completely and only sent fighter jets to protect major cities and strategic locations.

  Just six days into the war, Pakistan shifted from being reactive to proactive, from defence to offence.

  To complement the air force's combat operations, Pakistan Army's long-range artillery units shelled military targets in Indian-administered Kashmir on the same afternoon, and ground assault troops began to push towards the ceasefire line.

  Although Pakistani President Sherif repeatedly emphasized that Pakistan's main goal is to recover the Kashmir region occupied by India, and has no intention of occupying Indian territory, people with discerning eyes know that under China's support, Pakistan not only has air superiority but also has the initiative in war. Some even predict that if India remains inactive, the Pakistani army will enter the Indian-controlled Kashmir region within 48 hours and complete the military operation to occupy the Indian-controlled Kashmir region within a week.

  On this day, outside of the intense battlefield, another major event took place.

  Initiated and organized by the United States, with the participation of two permanent members of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom and France, as well as four rotating members, Mexico, Germany, Turkey, and Brazil, a draft resolution was presented to the UN Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between India and Pakistan.

  Before formally submitting the proposal, Jia Pei did not forget to call Ji Youguo, hoping that China could play a positive role.

  The US move indicates that Jaishankar is even more unwilling than Santos for India to lose the war.

  Before the outbreak of war, Russia had proposed a similar draft resolution in the Security Council, hoping to mediate the Indo-Pakistani conflict through the United Nations. At that time, the United States, together with several allies, suppressed this draft resolution. Less than ten days later, the US attitude underwent a 180-degree change, which cannot be said to be a great irony.

  At this time, the situation in the United States is indeed very embarrassing. Because it did not expect China to react so strongly, a war that was supposed to be easily won turned into the most disastrous defeat for India since its founding 70 years ago. As the instigator of the war, the United States can hardly do anything except provide intelligence assistance to India.

  If war continues, India will definitely lose Kashmir region.

  For the Santos government, losing Kashmir is equivalent to losing its legitimacy of existence. For the National Congress Party, it means losing the foundation for governance.

  At the same time, however, the US also does not want India's current opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to come to power.

  At the beginning, the People's Party conducted nuclear weapons experiments for the first time in power, breaking the monopoly of the five major nuclear powers and triggering a wave of nuclear weapon development around the world. This made Iran and North Korea, who were already eager to move, feel itchy and unbearable. Years later, North Korea tested an atomic bomb, causing the Korean Peninsula to be on high alert, and the US had to make great efforts to calm down Japan and South Korea. The Iranian nuclear issue is even more complicated, and it still affects the pain nerves of the United States today. If the People's Party comes to power again, who can guarantee that India will not use atomic bombs as a weapon in the next Indo-Pakistani war?

  The United States also does not want Santos to step down.

  Even if the Congress party retains its position as the ruling party, after Sonia Gandhi steps down, the most eligible person to become the Prime Minister of India is Rahul Gandhi, the 42-year-old son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Like his parents, Rahul is a staunch pro-Russian and will not easily lean towards America.

  The UN stepped in to mediate, saving face for the US while kicking the ball to China.

  Russia's attitude is very clear. As long as Rahul can come to power, Russia will do its best to help India exit the war with dignity.

  Only China has the motive to obstruct mediation, because Pakistan's occupation of all Kashmir is equivalent to helping China solve its troubles on the western border with India, which is beneficial to China.

  To China's disadvantage, all four permanent members of the Security Council and most other nations wished to see a UN-sponsored ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

  Will China risk confrontation with the whole world and veto in the Security Council?

  On the 8th, at 3:00 pm Beijing time, Foreign Minister Huang Guohua of the Republic set out for the United Nations.

  At 7:30 pm Islamabad time, Sharif announced a 24-hour suspension of military action.

  Subsequently, Indian interim Prime Minister Santos also announced a 24-hour suspension of military action.

  China has not made a clear statement, but China's influence is evident.

  On 8th at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time, representatives of member states of the Security Council held a closed-door consultation with Indian and Pakistani representatives.

  Four hours later, the meeting ended. US Secretary of State Lynch announced that the talks had yielded positive results in an interview with reporters. Huang Guowei did not accept an interview from reporters and returned directly to the Chinese Consulate General in New York.

  At around 10:30 on the 9th Beijing time, Ji Youguo received a call from Huang Guowei.

  The meeting ended without any result, the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir remained unresolved, and both sides were dissatisfied with the mediation decision of the Security Council. The Security Council will also hold a second round of consultations in two hours to discuss whether to impose sanctions on India and Pakistan if they do not accept ceasefire mediation.

  The ball is at America's feet again.

  At the behest of Kiyo Arai, Huang Guowei will move a motion to impose severe sanctions on the party that initiated the war and demand a condemnation statement in the name of the United Nations.

  The situation is extremely unfavorable for both India and the United States.

  Pakistan has evidence and witnesses of India's initiation of war, namely the combat operations of Indian special forces in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the captured Indian special forces major. Moreover, the war was sparked by India's missile attack on Pakistan, and Pakistan is fighting a defensive war while India is waging an aggressive war.

  On the contrary, India has no evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the two New Delhi blasts.

  As soon as Huang Guowei proposed the motion to sanction India, the United States would be in a dilemma. If it supported the motion, India would face severe sanctions and even international isolation. If it opposed the motion, America's wolfish ambitions would be exposed, and its role in this war would be made public.

  Ji Youguo still has an "ace up his sleeve", namely that the US intelligence agencies planned and manufactured the New Delhi bombing case.

  He didn't rush to take action for three reasons: one, there was no conclusive evidence; two, the timing wasn't ripe yet; and three, he couldn't push America into a corner.

  As a result, when Huang Guowei proposed sanctions against India, the United States abstained.

  When Ji Youguo received this message, he was very excited for a while.

  That year, the United States sent troops to attack Iraq, and China voted to abstain under duress. This time, it's finally the turn of the Americans to vote to abstain.

  The news conference later stunned the whole world with this message.

  The United States, which has always regarded the UN as its own "backyard", actually abstained from voting on such a major resolution! It is worth noting that in the 70-year history of the UN, the number of times the US has abstained from voting in the Security Council can be counted on one's fingers. In the past, the US would have definitely vetoed it.

  This time, it was Russia, not the United States, that cast a veto vote.

  This is within the expectation of Ji Youguo. Russia and India have a huge trade volume, if they really impose sanctions on India, Russia will be affected the most.

  Besides, Ji Youguo did not expect UN sanctions against India.

  In the absence of an agreement in the second round of negotiations, it was decided, on a British-French proposal, to proceed with a third round.

  At this time, the 24-hour ceasefire has expired and fighting has resumed.

  The severely damaged Indian Air Force could only barely guarantee the air defense of key areas, while the Pakistani Air Force launched a comprehensive attack and continued to bomb military targets in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

  On the night of 9th, at 21:30 Islamabad time, three Pakistani armoured divisions deployed on the western side of the Indo-Pakistani ceasefire line in Kashmir crossed the ceasefire line and entered Indian-controlled Kashmir, advancing towards Srinagar.

  The ground battle of the Fourth Indo-Pakistani War has officially started.

  To avoid being accused of "aggression", Pakistan used the pretext of "self-defence counterattack".

  Fierce ground fighting continued till dawn and under the tenacious resistance of Indian troops, Pakistan Army could advance only five thousand yards.

  On the tenth day morning, Pakistan's President and Army Chief of Staff announced this "great victory".

  The third round of negotiations in the Security Council was also convened ahead of schedule, with representatives from 20 countries returning to the negotiating table after less than six hours' rest.

  As Pakistan and India had not declared a temporary ceasefire, the meeting took place amidst the rumble of cannons.

  From then on, the fourth Indo-Pakistani War entered its second phase: war for peace.

  On the tenth day in the afternoon, something not very eye-catching happened.

  Chinese naval taskforce arrived in the Arabian Sea and encountered the US Navy's USS Truman carrier strike group while en route to Karachi port, and was tailed by US military aircraft.

  After dark, the task force entered Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone and was escorted by Pakistani fighter jets.

  By then, China's move to dispatch maritime combat forces to the Indian Ocean had taken its first step. After arriving in the Arabian Sea, the task force shifted to conduct offshore patrol missions and provide early warning support for Pakistan.

  It wasn't until the eleventh day at dawn that India sent fighter jets to monitor the actions of the task force.

  Because China did not enter the war and the Chinese fleet was on an evacuation mission, Indian fighter jets did not dare to attack the Chinese special mixed fleet.

  On the same day, Resolution 2334 was adopted by the Security Council.

  Because the content of the resolution was altered beyond recognition during the haggling negotiations, it completely lost its original form and therefore has no binding force on either side.

  The United Nations' first attempt at mediation ended in failure.

  Huang Guowei left New York by special plane after meeting separately with US Secretary of State Lynch.