PM MODI IS REDEFINING AND EXPANDING INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY: Dr CHANDRA

Stressing that PM Modi has towed a new line by bringing into the warm fold of Indian embrace all those nations which had been sidelined by all previous govts of nation, Dr. Jagdeesh Chandra says that it is PM Modi who has looked towards less-important nations and propelled them on the world stage giving them equal importance as any other major world power. Dr. Chandra further says that it is due to this aspect that foreign leaders break protocol befitting a leader of a nation, and extend courtesy to Modi owing to the warmth in their hearts towards PM Modi. Excerpts… (Part I)

• What does Brunei, Singapore, new friendship, new relations mean?
  Dr Jagdeesh Chandra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dubai and Brunei is like a breath of fresh air in India’s international diplomacy. Modi’s vision is to move forward, make new friends, meet new countries, increase trade, increase diplomacy, get out of Delhi. Realize his global vision. And since India is a global country, our Prime Minister is a global leader, then encash his image, his popularity in India’s interest, and create a new world in which India’s name keeps ringing. Therefore, the basic mantra is to make new friends, define friendship, redefine, expand foreign policy and hence it is called new friends, new hopes.

• Why did PM Modi suddenly decide to go to Brunei? Will Brunei become an alternative to India?
  Many people were surprised to see this because he had just come from Ukraine, how did he go back so quickly. He has his own assessment and he does not do anything suddenly. There is a well thought out strategy behind his moves and he has his own expertise in foreign affairs as he is the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Minister and Prime Minister. I believe that his decision was based on many reasons. The first reason that must have come to his mind is to reduce oil dependency on Russia through Brunei. If in the future, owing to Chinese intervention or any other issue, Russia stops the supply of oil to India or increases the price and like we have seen that over the past two and a half years the price of fuel have not changed dramatically in the country, then in that scenario what options are we left with? I believe that he undertook this visit to Brunei to explore an option for an oil deal. I feel that in the coming days, some major oil supply agreement with Brunei could be coined. Second reason for his visit could have been the geopolitics being played out in South-China sea and to control China through it and Brunei has a huge role to play in that issue. Brunei is a natural ally to India and Singapore to stop China. Third reason could have been to expand business dealings and to further advance India’s economic interests with Brunei. Another aspect to his visit is to further strengthen ‘Brand Modi’ in yet another Islamic nation. So these I believe could have been the reason and was surely a well thought out plan and not a sudden or unscheduled visit.

• In the joint statement issued by India and Brunei it was said that the bilateral ties to be converted to enhance partnership. What is your take on that? Secondly, what other sectors could India and Brunei have decided to forge a partnership or follow same strategy?
  The basic point is that this is a positive and constructive approach. This approach should be further enhanced. If someone goes to another nation, then both the nations should feel strengthened. It is a well thought of decision that the current level of diplomacy and relationship between the two nations is further advanced or enhanced into a newer and better partnership which will be a welcome move. Second you questioned about the focus of agreements entered into by the nations. Basically it is to support Brunei in defence, training and capacity building. Then there is trade and investment followed by digital technology, space technology and renewable energy. So these are the major areas in which both the nations will work together. This is PM’s vision of moving forward in all the directions which is a good initiative.

• Was this a first visit of any Indian PM to Brunei? Also, will PM Modi continue this trend in the future as well and visit nations that have been neglected so far?
  Although Narendra Modi has visited thrice but this was the first official bilateral visit. Fourteen thousand Indians live there whose ancestors migrated there in 1920s in search of oil and they stayed there. When these nations were formed, their connection with India remained cordial always. Now an attempt is being made to redefine those relations and are strengthening them. As far as first visit is concerned, PM is always excited to do something new and this is not happening for the first time. Right now PM Modi is in his third tenure and there are at least ten nations, with whom Indian’s leadership had miniscule interaction but Modi changed that and visited such nations that did not feature high in foreign ministry’s priority. For example he visited Poland which is a first for an Indian PM in forty five years, then he visited Ukraine recently which is also a first for any PM in thirty three years. When he became PM for the first time in 2014, he visited Nepal which was a first for a PM in seventeen years, thereafter he visited Sri Lanka which was a first in twenty eight years and then he visited Fiji which was a first for an Indian PM in thirty three years. So there is a long list of such visited undertaken by PM Modi. So he has undertaken several such visited and I have complete confidence that in the near future, such nations which did not feature as priority for foreign ministry and were kept on sidelines, Modi will visit such nations and forge or strengthen their bonds or relationship with us.

• Whenever PM Modi goes for a foreign visit, he appears to be happy and excited. What is the reason behind that?
  That is because he has clarity in his mind that distances are only psychological. It does not matter to him if he is in Delhi, Ahmedabad or Brunei, his state of mind is clear. Secondly, only busy people have time because they are planned. Thirdly, the economic relations are strengthened through it since he goes and signs one or the other deal keeping India first. Fourthly, when ever he visits some nation, the leader of the said nation rolls out the red carpet for him and accords him a grand welcome, through which anyone would become emotional and become impressed. Some leader would touch his feet, some would hug him tightly, some have termed his as the boss, so an image is created. Then there are expats living in these nations and the Prime Minister have always had a sense of belonging towards those people as well and he thus meets them as a mark of love and respect towards them. We all have seen the pictures and videos how Modi meets the India diaspora and how people and even children get excited seeing him among them. Modi reciprocates that love through various actions like picking up a child and hugging him or speaking to the women, asking the elderly about their well being. So when he meets people of Indian descent on foreign soil, Modi feel elated and extremely happy. So the point is that for him there is no difference between Indian and other nations rather his mind and his vision has reached the global level. And this will continue.

• The Sultan of Brunei broke protocol for PM Modi and reached the airport to receive and welcome him. He also organised a private dinner for PM Modi at his palace. What is so important about all this?
  See, PM Narendra Modi’s personality is such that people like to break protocol for him. When ever he has visited an Islamic nation, the leader of that nation has received him breaking protocols. He has a magnetism due to which people tend to get attracted towards him. Modi has an image of a global leader and is the most popular leader amongst his peers across the world. His approval ratings are at the top spot across all other world leaders. The same thing happened in Brunei also. As far as dinner is concerned, I read somewhere that Indian dishes were also served and a variety of dishes were served during this meal so that he does not feel that he is not in India rather should feel like he is at home. So this was Sultan’s concern that Modi should be treated with good food. Moreover, that palace is the biggest royal palace in the world which is valued at five billion dollars which has over seventeen hundred rooms which stands in two lakh square meters of land. It is recorded in Guiness Book of World Records. On the contrary, Modi is like a pauper who has risen through the society through his own hard work and visits palaces and huts with the same love and zeal towards the people that inhabit them. If a King honours him, it is a moment of pride for us Indians.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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