Newsmaker: Shyam Saran

Paradigm shift

Shyam Saran,
Foreign Secretary

He has neither served in Europe, nor in the US, nor in Pakistan, the three Meccas to foreign secretary-hood. Foreign service officers feel psychologically a few inches closer to the most coveted job in the service if they've served in even one of the three places.

But new foreign secretary Shyam Saran's appointment appears to signal the new focus and priorities of Indian foreign policy. Look East is the Look de Jour, Pakistan is passe, unipolarity is out and non alignment (as distinct from the non aligned movement) is in.

Saran's postings have been, by large and in the East - Mauritius, Myanmar, Indonesia, Bhutan and Nepal and as number 2 in Beijing and Tokyo.

His other solid professional experience has been in the heart of the United Nations - as India's alternate representative based in Geneva and in the United Nations General Assembly. Of these Myanmar and Nepal are the most recent.

Maybe because of his experience in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) during the prime ministership of PV Narasimha Rao handling economic issues, Saran has been a big hit with industry which believes it will get a boost because of him.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised not one but two Made in India shows in Mauritius while he was Ambassador there.

To do two shows in a country that has a small industry and manufacturing base and is known mostly for the sun, the sea and the sand, is no mean achievement in itself.

"We knew no one in Mauritius. It was because of Saran that we got the Prime Minister of Mauritius to our show, and virtually the entire cabinet. He opened up Mauritius for Indian industry. I would do anything with him blindfolded because that's the faith I have in him" said a CII functionary who has worked with him.

By contrast, CII did not do a show in Myanmar while Saran was ambassador because he assesed the political situation and counselled that the time was not right for a suden explosion of Indian presence. "He opted to stay away from self-glorification" said a CII source.

Nepal was a real test of Saran's strength. If you are Indian High Commissioner in Nepal, you can have a tendency to become a viceroy because India is so important to Nepal; or be perceived as a doormat, because foreign policy in Nepal can become an excuse for India-bashing.

During Saran's tenure as High Commissioner, India wore its power lightly. His access to the Palace was the confessed envy of many western envoys including the United States.

With Saran's appointment at least two things are clear. The era of short-tenure foreign secretaries appointed either for reasons of seniority (Shashank served a tenure as foreign secretary that was unfairly short) or political correctness (in the case of Chokila Aiyar, for instance) is over.

Whether the government stays or goes, the Foreign Secretary will stay, is the message his appointment signals because he will get a little over two years in the job. Second, because of his understanding of economic issues, Saran hopefully, will impart a new thrust to diplomacy.

Because of his light touch with his subordinates, Saran will be a foreign secretary who will be respected in the service as well as liked. This will be a change.