Prime Minister Modi Fumbles on Pakistan

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, fumbled an early test of leadership this week when he canceled a high-level meeting with Pakistan. There are no two countries in the world that need to talk, and talk regularly, more than these nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors whose tensions must be carefully managed.

Mr. Modi raised expectations that he would work harder at resolving cross-border differences when he took the unorthodox step of inviting Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, along with other regional leaders to his inauguration in May. The photo of the two men shaking hands came to symbolize the promise of that moment.

But that felicitous picture seemed a fading memory when, on Monday, India canceled foreign-secretary-level talks, which would have been the first in two years, that were scheduled to take place in Islamabad on Aug. 25.

smArtha wrote:You mean NY times op-ed represents the 'World view' and Indians should value that while judging their PM's abilities/limitations?

confuzzled dude wrote:

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, fumbled an early test of leadership this week when he canceled a high-level meeting with Pakistan. There are no two countries in the world that need to talk, and talk regularly, more than these nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors whose tensions must be carefully managed.

Mr. Modi raised expectations that he would work harder at resolving cross-border differences when he took the unorthodox step of inviting Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, along with other regional leaders to his inauguration in May. The photo of the two men shaking hands came to symbolize the promise of that moment.

But that felicitous picture seemed a fading memory when, on Monday, India canceled foreign-secretary-level talks, which would have been the first in two years, that were scheduled to take place in Islamabad on Aug. 25.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/opinion/prime-minister-modi-fumbles-on-pakistan.html?_r=0

World is taking a notice of all his blunders, second in less than a month; doesn't bode well for India nor inspires confidence in this govt's leadership abilities.

Merlot Daruwala wrote:

confuzzled dude wrote:

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, fumbled an early test of leadership this week when he canceled a high-level meeting with Pakistan. There are no two countries in the world that need to talk, and talk regularly, more than these nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors whose tensions must be carefully managed.

Mr. Modi raised expectations that he would work harder at resolving cross-border differences when he took the unorthodox step of inviting Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, along with other regional leaders to his inauguration in May. The photo of the two men shaking hands came to symbolize the promise of that moment.

But that felicitous picture seemed a fading memory when, on Monday, India canceled foreign-secretary-level talks, which would have been the first in two years, that were scheduled to take place in Islamabad on Aug. 25.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/opinion/prime-minister-modi-fumbles-on-pakistan.html?_r=0

World is taking a notice of all his blunders, second in less than a month; doesn't bode well for India nor inspires confidence in this govt's leadership abilities.

No, I think he did the right thing. Its high time we discarded that old AB/MMS' gotta-talk-to-the-Pakis-at-any-cost thinking. We've nothing to gain talking to that basket case nation. If we do talk, it should only be on our terms.

Merlot Daruwala wrote:

confuzzled dude wrote:

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, fumbled an early test of leadership this week when he canceled a high-level meeting with Pakistan. There are no two countries in the world that need to talk, and talk regularly, more than these nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors whose tensions must be carefully managed.

Mr. Modi raised expectations that he would work harder at resolving cross-border differences when he took the unorthodox step of inviting Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, along with other regional leaders to his inauguration in May. The photo of the two men shaking hands came to symbolize the promise of that moment.

But that felicitous picture seemed a fading memory when, on Monday, India canceled foreign-secretary-level talks, which would have been the first in two years, that were scheduled to take place in Islamabad on Aug. 25.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/opinion/prime-minister-modi-fumbles-on-pakistan.html?_r=0

World is taking a notice of all his blunders, second in less than a month; doesn't bode well for India nor inspires confidence in this govt's leadership abilities.

No, I think he did the right thing. Its high time we discarded that old AB/MMS' gotta-talk-to-the-Pakis-at-any-cost thinking. We've nothing to gain talking to that basket case nation. If we do talk, it should only be on our terms.

Rashmun wrote:Vakavaka it is Amit Shah, and not Amit Shaw.

The supposedly tough stance taken by Modi certainly went down well with much of the Indian media, especially some of the more jingoistic television anchors. After India announced it was cancelling the talks, one of the anchors could be seen shouting at the Pakistanis on his show that it was “no longer business as usual”.

This may go down very well among some in India and further burnish Modi’s no-nonsense image. But it is unlikely to help relations between the two countries, and in particular their differences over Kashmir.

However, their mothers should not expect more gifts in the near future