India's Tryst With The World: A Foreign Policy Manifesto Edited By: Salman Khurshid and Salil Shetty: An Essay By Prof. Neelam Mahajan Singh
India's Tryst With The World: A Foreign Policy Manifesto
Edited By: Salman Khurshid and Salil Shetty
Publisher: Penguin
Dr. Waiel Awwad, President: The Foreign Correspondents' Club Of South Asia, New Delhi welcomes Salman Khurshid to FCC-SA
Dr. Waiel Awwad, Salman Khurshid, Dr. Prakash Nanda, P.M. Narayanan, hosting an interactive session with audience.
Salman Khurshid, ex Minister of External Affairs
India’s foreign policy in 21st century is rooted in the core values, but Delhi must necessarily adapt to changing external circumstances and shifting domestic needs. India’s foreign policy faces five important challenges in the years to come, i.e. creation of an area of peace and prosperity in the South-Asian subcontinent; construction of a stable architecture for peace and cooperation in Asia; peaceful management of Asia’s maritime commons; a 'new inter-nationalism' that will be shaped by a deepening integration with the global economy, an effective management of global problems; and a clear line to be drawn between celebrating its democratic values.
The word ‘new’ in the title of this analysis refers to the substantive changes in India’s foreign policy orientation in recent years, ever since Narendra Modi's Government came to power in 2014? Is it continuity of Congress' Nehruvian foreign policy or is there a goal change? The recent global developments with the world have put India's foreign policy in a tizzy and the policy makers have to take an overview in diplomacy.
In fact Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is himself in the forefront to present India’s perspective. Dr. S. Jaishankar, IFS, a career diplomat has been India's ambassador to both, China and United States of America.
Why then the relationship between India - America and India - China are at it's lowest ebb? Salman Khurshid, former Minister of External Affairs, recently questioned the Government to give clarity and confirmation of India's relationship with America and China.
A jam packed auditorium of The Foreign Correspondents' Club Of South Asia
In an event at Foreign Correspondents' Club Of South Asia in New Delhi, a book edited by Salman Khurshid and Salil Shetty, 'India's Tryst With The World: A Foreign Policy Manifesto' was released and there was an interactive session with journalists and participating audience, on the changing perspective of India's foreign policy.
Dr. Waiel Awaad, President, FCC-SA, Dr. Prakash Nanda, Secretary and P. M. Narayanan, Treasurer, conducted a live interaction. Salman Khurshid said that the notion of ‘non-alignment’ continues to animate the domestic and international discourse on India’s foreign affairs. Khurshid said the The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was an important regional inter- governmental organization and played important role in the geopolitical union of South Asian countries.
This resulted in Dr. S. Jaishankar to make several diplomatic initiatives with Beijing. It was during Congress government, headed by P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh that India signed Nuclear (Civil) Deal with America. This boosted the trust confidence between India- America relations.
Though 'Modi - Trump Friendship' was a buzz talk, yet Donald Trump imposed 50% duty on imports from India. Imposition of percent duty on petroleum-based products led to crash in Indo - USA ties. After the terror massacre of 36 people in Pahalgam, and 'Operation Sindoor" by India, the diabolical views of Pakistan, the relations between two neighbours has plummeted downwards. Although India’s perception of itself and its role in the world is transformed. During the Cold War, India steadily drifted towards the Soviet Union and its relations with all the other major centres of power, USA, Western Europe, China and Japan remained static. After the prolonged chill in India’s bilateral relations with China from 1960s to 1980s, Beijing is now India’s largest trading partner in goods, and while it is building strategic partnerships with the European Union and Japan, India has also managed to hold on to its special relationship with post Soviet Russia.
Due to India’s import of petroleum-based from Russia, USA is extremely antagonised. India had to take a decision to save the domestic economy and Vladimir Putin's Russia stood by old friend; India. In retrospect it may be stated that while 'change' has been the trend of the times, the foreign policies of countries like India are always rooted in a set of core values. India’s commitment to internationalism, independence of judgement in the conduct of external relations, support for world democratisation and contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security are enduring legacies of India’s national movement and enjoy strong bipartisan support.
Asian subcontinent has to be an area of peace. The first and most important challenge for India is the determination to work with its neighbours as well as with the world’s major powers to defeat the scourge of violent extremism that is rooted in the subcontinent’s north-west. P.M. Inder Kumar Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh, have persistently attempted to normalise the country’s ties with Pakistan. In retrospect P.M. Narendra Modi's government has to redefine India’s relationship with her neighbours. India is unilaterally opening its markets to neighbours in the subcontinent, contributing to the internal stability and prosperity of Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives. India’s foreign policy orientation has to be mustered by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Vikram Misri, IFS, Foreign Secretary, in close coordination with Prime Minister’s Office.
(Sr. Journalist, Author, Doordarshan personality, International Strategic Affairs analyst, Solicitor for Human Rights Protection and philanthropist.)
singhnofficial@gmail.com
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