On Saturday, ‘Lion of Gujarat’ and prime minister-in-waiting, Narendra Modi roared again. This time, his ‘simhanaada’ was emitted from India’s easternmost state. Its target was the Chinese Dragon, a looming presence just north of the McMahon Line.
China, said Modi, had better be warned. Its expansionist policies would not be taken kindly to any longer, at least in India. It had better keep its designs on Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as ‘South Tibet’, in check.
Though I am no fan of Shri Modi, I could not but help feel elated this time. Finally, an Indian leader had showed some spine to roar out a challenge to Beijing. Finally, after a string of kow-towing acts by the UPA, somebody had showed the grit to stare the Chinese in the eye.
It has disputes with South Korea and Japan, just across the East China Sea. The one with Japan, over the Senkaku/Diaoyu isles has hogged much limelight in recent days. In the South China Sea, which Beijing considers its own ‘private lake’, it faces opposition from Vietnam and the Philippines. It also has border disputes with some of the Central Asian ‘stans’ like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
So, I was happy at Modi cocking a snook at Beijing. But, it left me a trifle worried too. Is Modi’s roar a sign of the times to come?
With his chances of being India’s leader post-May almost certain now, what can we expect from Narendra Modi in matters of foreign policy, especially in India’s dealings with its neighbours, and with the world at large? Would he be belligerent? Or would he be the wise statesman?
Among the countries in India’s immediate vicinity, it is Modi’s dealings with Pakistan and Bangladesh which would be the most-watched. Given his Hindu nationalist background, would he ‘keep Pakistan in its place’ as many concerned observers fear and his legions of followers salivate at?
Many in the media on both sides of the Radcliffe Line have till now dismissed the prospect, citing the precedent of Atal Behari Vajpayee’s NDA regime. Not only did Vajpayee visit the Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, he also signed the landmark Lahore Declaration, they say. Modi too, it is believed, would be tied by the demands of coalition politics and would thus be forced to play more dove than hawk.
In the east, Modi has been in the forefront of building support for the BJP in Assam on grounds of the illegal Bangladeshi settlers issue. Once he becomes prime minister, would he be able to act good on his promise of sending ‘every illegal settler back home’? And what of water-sharing?
The incumbent UPA government could not sign the landmark Teesta River Water Agreement with Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. Would Modi be able to do so? There is also the long-pending issue of Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves in the other country’s territory. What about that?
To the south, what will be Modi’s policy towards our neighbour across the Palk Strait? What if Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK joins the NDA after the election? How will that influence Modi’s Lanka policy? Also, the BJP and the larger Sangh Parivar have usually been sympathetic to the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils. Would that play a factor as well?
Finally, there is always Uncle Sam. While the US recently began a detente of sorts after Nancy Powell met Modi in Gandhinagar, much distrust still remains between both sides. How will Modi overcome it all to continue the UPA’s friendly policy towards the United States?
Clearly, a lot of these questions remain unanswered at this moment. We don’t know Mr. Modi’s stance on all these topics since he has hardly spoken to the media on any of these till now. I only have a word of caution for our next leader: While it would be gladdening for every Indian to see him throw India’s weight around, both in South Asia as well as the wider world, he would, nevertheless have to do it all in a balanced manner, without ruffling feathers of the other side. If Modi is able to perform this balancing act, the word ‘statesman’ would be added to his already popular image of ‘Vikas Purush’, something which would not be doctored like the latter, but purely genuine.
But for that, we will have to wait and watch. Interesting times surely lie ahead of us.
China, said Modi, had better be warned. Its expansionist policies would not be taken kindly to any longer, at least in India. It had better keep its designs on Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as ‘South Tibet’, in check.
Though I am no fan of Shri Modi, I could not but help feel elated this time. Finally, an Indian leader had showed some spine to roar out a challenge to Beijing. Finally, after a string of kow-towing acts by the UPA, somebody had showed the grit to stare the Chinese in the eye.
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To be sure, Modi had touched an emotional chord in me (and I believe in many other Indians). China has, since 1962, loomed large in the Indian psyche. A reminder of the shame of defeat that we suffered at its hands in 1962. What is more, the People’s Republic has been the classic ‘schoolyard bully’ in its dealings with not just India, but also with other countries in Asia.
It has disputes with South Korea and Japan, just across the East China Sea. The one with Japan, over the Senkaku/Diaoyu isles has hogged much limelight in recent days. In the South China Sea, which Beijing considers its own ‘private lake’, it faces opposition from Vietnam and the Philippines. It also has border disputes with some of the Central Asian ‘stans’ like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
So, I was happy at Modi cocking a snook at Beijing. But, it left me a trifle worried too. Is Modi’s roar a sign of the times to come?
With his chances of being India’s leader post-May almost certain now, what can we expect from Narendra Modi in matters of foreign policy, especially in India’s dealings with its neighbours, and with the world at large? Would he be belligerent? Or would he be the wise statesman?
Among the countries in India’s immediate vicinity, it is Modi’s dealings with Pakistan and Bangladesh which would be the most-watched. Given his Hindu nationalist background, would he ‘keep Pakistan in its place’ as many concerned observers fear and his legions of followers salivate at?
Many in the media on both sides of the Radcliffe Line have till now dismissed the prospect, citing the precedent of Atal Behari Vajpayee’s NDA regime. Not only did Vajpayee visit the Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, he also signed the landmark Lahore Declaration, they say. Modi too, it is believed, would be tied by the demands of coalition politics and would thus be forced to play more dove than hawk.
In the east, Modi has been in the forefront of building support for the BJP in Assam on grounds of the illegal Bangladeshi settlers issue. Once he becomes prime minister, would he be able to act good on his promise of sending ‘every illegal settler back home’? And what of water-sharing?
The incumbent UPA government could not sign the landmark Teesta River Water Agreement with Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. Would Modi be able to do so? There is also the long-pending issue of Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves in the other country’s territory. What about that?
To the south, what will be Modi’s policy towards our neighbour across the Palk Strait? What if Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK joins the NDA after the election? How will that influence Modi’s Lanka policy? Also, the BJP and the larger Sangh Parivar have usually been sympathetic to the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils. Would that play a factor as well?
Finally, there is always Uncle Sam. While the US recently began a detente of sorts after Nancy Powell met Modi in Gandhinagar, much distrust still remains between both sides. How will Modi overcome it all to continue the UPA’s friendly policy towards the United States?
Clearly, a lot of these questions remain unanswered at this moment. We don’t know Mr. Modi’s stance on all these topics since he has hardly spoken to the media on any of these till now. I only have a word of caution for our next leader: While it would be gladdening for every Indian to see him throw India’s weight around, both in South Asia as well as the wider world, he would, nevertheless have to do it all in a balanced manner, without ruffling feathers of the other side. If Modi is able to perform this balancing act, the word ‘statesman’ would be added to his already popular image of ‘Vikas Purush’, something which would not be doctored like the latter, but purely genuine.
But for that, we will have to wait and watch. Interesting times surely lie ahead of us.