India is neither Israel nor the USA

After the recent Mumbai terror attacks, many in my circle of friends and relatives mocked at our level of internal security and said that India could not do what the US did after 9/11 &/or what Israel has been doing for a long time.

While I am not supporting India's current level of preparedness, it is also imperative that we understand under what circumstances the US and Israel succeeded.

Israel is a very small country but one with a long history of support from the largest economy in the world. Having just one commercial airport and not being a great tourism destination or a business hub has aided the high security at the airports. My visits to some of the busiest airports in the world have shown many inconsistencies. People are not thoroughly checked in some airports, some allow people to walk with shoes, belts and jackets through the detectors, some allow juice bottles etc.

But what really works for Israel & the US is that the people are homogenous in terms of thoughts. There is unanimous support for the government's action. And the government too, acts responsibly. Graduating to this level of sophistication did not happen overnight. It was a long process of trial and error, which probably began with Munich in 1972 or before. Here's an interesting article that seconds my thoughts:

New York Times: From Munich to Mumbai

As for the US, its biggest advantage is its geographical location. Surrounded by ocean for the most parts and by responsible neighbors in Canada and Mexico, there is a lower possibility of infiltration on lines that happens in India. While it was caught napping on 9/11, it woke up with increased vigilance with the necessary infrastructure. Again, with a very small and homogenous population, it is easier to track potential criminals. When there is a problem of national security, the two parties come together. Do Indian political parties do the same?

What India needs is a government that values every life and one that creates avenues to involve the public in decision making and utilize its views for improving the country. But most importantly, it needs people to have a mindset change. One that rallies around national aspirations and not regional aspirations. Indian should trump a Bangalorean or a Mumbaikar.