As the moolah about Modi's swearing in has died down, it is time to analyze the achievements of the mini SAARC summit organized on the sidelines of the new government's induction. Modi has adorned a new avatar relating to Pakistan, one which none of his political adversaries predicted given his acerbic views towards the Muslim neighbor during his campaign. By inviting Nawaz Sharif not only has Modi set a strong precedent but has also positioned himself as the absolute authority on foreign affairs. Nawaz Sharif on his part has gone out of his way to attend the event fending off the fundamentalists in his party and in the army. His statement which he read himself unlike the Indian statement which was read by the foreign secretary gave a clear indication of what transpired in the meeting when he said that he expects the future talks focus on "cooperation rather than confrontation". Clearly, Modi seems to have taken a hardline towards terrorism and 26/11.
Although these talks have been overshadowed by the presence of Pakistan, Modi's goal was much larger. He wanted to give a strong message to the world of his arrival. You can call it the reaffirmation of the Indian pride or Hindu rashtra. Not responding to the friendly overtures made by the US is a case in point.
Another step in this direction is the appointment of former General VK Singh as a minister for North-east affairs and connecting him to the external affairs ministry. China which has believed in pushing India to the limits with regards to border disputes as became evident in Ladakh, will have to re-calibrate its moves regarding the North-east. It has been aggressively building military grade roadways and railways to the North east borders, hence this move by Modi was a quintessential one.
Regarding Srilanka, it is believed that Modi has pushed Rajapaksa in the direction of giving more autonomy to its northern regions dominated by the Tamils. He has given a clear message to his regional partners that the days when the state dictated foreign policy are long gone with Manmohan Singh.
With the smaller neighbors like Nepal and Bhutan he has expressed strong support in warding off Chinese occupation.
All in all, Modi has set the agenda for his foreign policy. Expect more visits to the regional neighbors and Asian powers like Japan and South Korea, a measured aggression against China and a snub to the west.
(Photo courtesy dnaindia.com)
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