Dynamic Cong leader Manish Tiwari: The sum of Narendra Modi's diplomacy is a big fat zero

by Guest Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:13 pm

Similarly, with the United States there is no “big idea” to take the relationship to the next level. In the five interactions that Mr Modi has had with US President Barack Obama, he has not been able to walk away with even a single big takeaway. Despite the histrionics in the Indian media space the cold reality is that on both his visits to the US Mr Modi was given short shrift by Mr Obama. In fact, on the most recent visit, the snub could not have been more obvious with Mr Obama hosting a state banquet for Mr Xi and fobbing off Mr Modi with a working meal.

This is despite the National Democratic Alliance government completely subscribing to the American vision of regional security on the Asian continent, thus virtually becoming a junior partner if not a client state of the United States. This is evidenced by the imminent joint meetings between the foreign ministers of the US, Japan and India, the proposed ocean dialogue, cooperation between India and the US in developing an aircraft carrier, and the inclusion of Japan, and possibly Australia, in the India-US naval exercises — the notorious quad. All this and much more is playing itself out under the auspices of the India-US Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, a policy document that India was practically coerced into signing as the quid pro quo for Mr Obama agreeing to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade earlier this year.

This will have serious implications on the independence of our foreign policy and our ability and flexibility to navigate between the various emerging poles of the global power dynamic in the 21st century.

If it wasn’t humiliating it could have been termed hilarious: while Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame flew to Washington DC to pay his respects to the Chinese President by marking his presence at Mr Obama’s state dinner, the Indian Prime Minister flew to the West Coast to pay obeisance to the founder of the new media enterprise. Incidentally, Facebook, Twitter and all the other Western new media platforms are not allowed to operate in China. They are all blocked.

One wonders why Narayana Murthy was never accorded this courtesy with the Prime Minister making a dedicated visit to the Infosys headquarters in Bengaluru or, for that matter, what is happening to the ambitious proposal cleared by the UPA Cabinet to build foundries for chip manufacturing which would put India at the heart of the new economy rather than merely remaining a body-shopping paradise. Has that also been given an ignominious burial to kowtow to the old masters of the new information order?

http://www.asianage.com/columnists/sum-modi-s-diplomacy-zero-128

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I find Manish Tiwari to be more scholarly and erudite than Rahul Baba. If a way can be found to get rid of the Gandhi family, and if the Chidambarams, and the Manish Tiwaris can assume leadership of the Congress, then i think it would be good for the Congress party and also good for the nation.