Round The World

New Delhi, 15 June 2016

PM’S Five Nation Odyssey

BOOSTING INDIA’S GLOBAL IMAGE

By Amrita Banerjee

(School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi)

Weeks after China announced its intention to block India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, South Block did not rest. With the NSG membership in sight, Prime Minister Modi embarked upon his hurricane five nation tours where India’s quest was aggressively pursued.

Notably, the tour itinerary was made with care to include nations like Switzerland and Mexico besides Afghanistan, Qatar and US as they are considered ‘non-proliferation hardliners’ who had reservations on India’s membership in the past.

Undoubtedly, it has been a bumpy ride for India to get the membership of exclusive clubs like the NSG, MTCR, Wassenar Group because New Delhi remains outside the no proliferation umbrella.

However, as India got lucky with the Missile Technology Control Regime membership after tough diplomatic negotiations, her hopes to get into the NSG has gone a step closer.

The NSG membership is important for India for three reasons. One, she can have a say in steering the flow of nuclear commerce. Two, New Delhi can ensure that nuclear material used for bombs does not seep out of the exclusive club and last, it would significantly expand her atomic energy sector.

True, India’s bid to bag NSG membership seems to have rattled Pakistan badly for it thinks that if New Delhi is granted membership, it would tip the balance of power in South Asia against Islamabad. Thus, it has also pushed forward its application which is backed by China, notwithstanding questions over its proliferation record.

Even as India’s membership to the group hangs in a limbo, Modi’s recent visit has done its best by securing green flags from Switzerland and Mexico. And in this regard, this whirlwind tour can be seen as a success.

Besides attempting to secure the NSG membership bid, there have been some special attractions and takeaways from all the places Modi visited as it bolstered India’s global image considerably.

First, in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Salma Dam which will irrigate hundreds of villages besides generating power. Financed and built by India, the Dam underlines New Delhi’s commitment to stay invested in the peaceful development of Afghanistan despite Pakistan’s antipathy and its evil designs on the troubled nation.

Also, India’s decision to develop the Chabahar port as a trade and transit corridor to break Kabul’s land locked status is yet another goodwill gesture to help a friend in need.

Second, in Qatar Modi did the balancing act, renewing ties with the Sunni nation after his recent foray into Shia Iran. Besides, Qatar is a major player in the energy market, supplying liquefied natural gas to India which is now the world's fourth-largest energy consumer.

Undeniably, cultivating relationships abroad to secure the vast and uninterrupted supply of energy is necessary to fuel India's economic growth. The welfare of eight million-strong Indian community along with defence and intelligence cooperation to counter terrorists also is vital for both countries.

Third, the Switzerland stopover was aimed at securing that country’s support for India’s NSG membership. Along with it, Modi also pushed the Swiss for active cooperation in unearthing black money lying hidden in secret Swiss accounts.

It is no secret the Opposition often takes jibe at the Prime Minister for his election promise of bringing back black money from abroad. Consequently, any assurance from Swiss authorities would help boost his Government's profile back home. 

Fourth the Modi-Obama meeting seemed to nail the Paris Accord by 2017 along-with breaking a deal over operationalization of the civil nuclear agreement.

Modi’s charisma was felt prominently in his joint address to the US Congress which earned him repeated applause as he pressed the right buttons by focusing on the need to delink religion from terror.

Alongside his thoughtful gesture to visit the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier as India becomes a major defence partner of the US, the star attraction was US Secretary of State John Kerry’s act of sending out a letter to NSG members appealing for support for India.

The point to be highlighted is the support extended and transformation of Modi’s image, who only till two years ago was unwelcome in the US. The sea-change in the attitude of the Americans towards him reveals that maturity and good sense can overcome personal prejudices.

Importantly, not only was a new level of ‘comfort and candour’ seen in the conversations between the two leaders, the deepening Indo-US relations has set a strategic ‘symphony’ in play that seems to have overcome the hesitations of Cold War history.

Fifth, India earned Mexico’s valuable support in its NSG membership bid. Besides, Modi’s visit to this Latin American country also attains significance as the country had launched a ‘Made in Mexico’ campaign in the 70s which made it a manufacturing hub and 11th largest economy in the world.

With Modi's ambitious ‘Make in India’ programme already launched, Mexico can be a country India can emulate. 

In sum, monitoring Modi’s foreign travels is like journeying around the globe, while glued to television at home. This 140-hours long trip covering five nations including the US, 45-plus engagements over five days,  flying for nearly 44 hours, bulk of it at night, to cover nearly 33,000 kilometers shows the extent of the Prime Minister’s commitment towards ensuring that “a resurgent India” gets its “rightful place in the comity of nations and international institutions.”

Even though this hurricane trip can largely be touted as a successful tour, some scholars however have criticized India’s attempts to cozy up to the US and thereby isolating China.

Clearly, it is high time that critics exhibit some maturity because warmth with the US does not mean a chill with China. Moreover, if one analyzes Beijing’s track record, it too has not been friendly to us either. The incursion of Chinese troops in Ladakh while Modi was chatting with President Xi Jinping on a swing in Ahmedabad recently was a serious breach of trust.

Remember, China has always propped up Pakistan to contain India. It is not only  blocking proscription of terrorists like Maulana Masood Azhar on technical grounds at the United Nations but is also currently backing Pakistan, not India, when it comes to NSG membership. These make Indian policy makers to insist that New Delhi’s pro-US tilt is the product of Beijing’s efforts to undercut India.

Additionally, despite the argumentative chaos of Indian democratic life, where Modi’s proponents and opponents continue to slug it out, the Prime Minister is widely seen abroad as a leader who signifies energy and hope for an aspirational India. As it stands, his coming to office unleashed a surge of expectations, and that tide has not receded. 

According to Lord Palmerstone, a nation has neither “eternal allies” nor “perpetual enemies”. It has only “eternal and perpetual” interests.  In accordance with it, Modi is deploying diplomacy to accelerate the nation’s socio-economic transformation. 

However, the success of his visit would rest in its follow up work. Presently, India's domestic challenges will prevent it from realizing this potential because till the country’s rigid labour laws and convoluted tax system are reformed, adequate foreign investments would be difficult to generate.

The best would be if the domestic is strongly combined with diplomacy. In such a scenario, India would become unstoppable. -----INFA