The Age of Ideas

Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Wahab

Patriot Park, Kubinka: One of the interesting encounters at Russian government’s International Military-Technical Forum ‘Army 2018’ took place in the Pakistan pavilion which was helmed by its flagship Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT).

Military equipment is a prop for visitors to the show (left); the BrahMos Aerospace stand was located alongside Heavy Industries Taxila

FORCE stopped at the pavilion, located close to India-Russia joint venture BrahMos Aerospace out of sheer curiosity and was greeted warmly by the junior commissioned officer who was doubling up as the receptionist. He offered tea and insisted that FORCE step inside the pavilion and talk with officers present. One thing led to another and FORCE found itself chatting with the communication-in-charge of HIT, who recounted her meeting with a retired Indian Army officer (now working with a global defence company) who visited the pavilion in the morning.

“He told me that if India and Pakistan were one country we could have had a huge pavilion here, which would have been the envy of everyone else. It was a wonderful statement coming from an army officer and had a ring of truth to it,” she said. With this opening, the conversation gravitated towards shared history. However, just then a visitor came who sought a meeting with the head of Pakistan delegation. A Pakistani national himself, he must have been living in Russia for a while as he spoke fluent Russian.

Eyeing FORCE warily, he tried to persuade the lady to one side so that he could explain why he wanted the appointment. The lady didn’t move. Sh