Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Modi’s foreign policy initiatives should be appreciated' that was published in Newsband

Modi’s foreign policy initiatives should be appreciated

Modi government’s foreign policy initiatives and efforts to raise India’s international profile are prominent features of the year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to 18 countries in the West, Latin America, China, the neighbourhood and East Asia were great efforts made by him and his government to adapt India to a fast-changing, multipolar world. The government has simultaneously pursued Indo-U.S. strategic ties. This was outlined in the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region signed during President Barack Obama’s visit when he was the guest of honour at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. Modi’s government has played a proactive role in the neighbourhood. Land agreement with Bangladesh and helping Nepal find its feet after the earthquake and also promising to help them write their constitution were great moves.

Modi visited a lot of countries that has resulted in increased business for India. There was one drawback noticed when Modi visited the US. He was only interested in addressing the Indian diaspora in a glitzy, rock-star like fashion. He did not speak to the American public at all. He should have made himself well known to American public too. The same was the case in other countries too where Modi addressed the Indian crowd there rather than the local people. The 'Rock Star' performances abroad did catapult Modi onto the international stage. If anytime in the future he finds a need to campaign for the UN Chief's post, such performances will certainly help him. 

Some people talk about the Nehruvian emphasis that is laid on strategic autonomy. What is Nehruvian about our strategic autonomy? In fact the NDA has corrected the Nehruvian Pro-Russian servitude by talking to both the U.S and Japan. Nehru's infatuation with China was to the extent of giving them the Security Council seat on a platter when both the U.S and USSR were offering it to us. Unfortunately, most of the Indians, including the editors of the newspapers, have been taught to credit everything positive about India to Jawaharlal Nehru or his descendents. When will our text books and also our mindset change? When will we get independence from this family? Sixty five years since independence seems like a long time.