This refers to the article “Diplomat’s business” (September 6) by Sanjaya Baru. The word “promoting” needs to be replaced with “protecting” in the question “Should diplomats only walk the high road of high diplomacy (strategic policy, bilateral relations and regional cooperation) or should they also walk the low road of low diplomacy (commercial and business diplomacy), promoting the cause of business and commerce?”
The Indian embassy in Nepal did not promote but protected the interest of Dabur Nepal against the propaganda to malign the subsidiary of Indian company Dabur India Limited. When the embassies can come forward to protect the dignity and interests of individuals of their country, what is wrong in doing the same for Indian companies if they are under attack in any manner in foreign countries? The author has rightly said that the Indian embassy in Nepal should be complimented for its proactive stance.
As far as the question of seating at the Indian prime minister’s official banquets is concerned, the ministers and the secretaries to the government are nobodies compared with Indian business tycoons like Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji, the Ambanis, etc. who have changed the face of the country. The archaic protocol needs to be dumped. Business and commerce are directly related to growth of the country. India is on its way to becoming a global economic power. The politicians and bureaucrats must learn how to deal with country’s business leaders and must give them due importance.
M C Joshi, Lucknow
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