Intro : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is emphatically integrating India’s cultural, spiritual and philosophical legacy to foreign policy and giving a new dimension to India’s soft power. The aim is to transform this Asian century into India’s century, and to build a strong, vibrant and self reliant India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent three nation trip to France, Germany and Canada witnessed his regime’s commitment to prosperity, growth, security and dignity of India. In order to give a successful dimension to his ‘Make in India’ drive, PM Modi tried to convince corporate groups in France, Germany and Canada to bring foreign investment and technologies in infrastructure, skill development, clean energy and defence sectors. India and France signed 17 deals in various sectors. “France will invest 2 billion euros in India. It will partner India in urban development of Infrastructure like railways, defence and nuclear sector”, announced president Francois Hollande.
PM Modi inaugurated trade fair in Hannover in Germany, where he expressed hope for not only German but global participation for making India a global manufacturing hub. He also highlighted India’s strength in terms of democracy, demography and demand. Other than this, combating terrorism was also take up with Germany.
Finalisation of foreign investment protection pact, increasing current six billion bilateral trade to new level and signing of free trade agreement were the core issues of discussion with Canada. In the area of security, France and India committed to give a new height to bilateral strategic partnership. India has agreed to purchase much needed 36 Rafale fighter jets from France for fulfilling critical operational necessity of the Indian Air Force (IAF). India and France will also cooperate on security issues in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and navies of both the countries will have joint exercise in IOR in this regard.
In order to give a thrust to nuclear diplomacy for energy security, India agreed with France to move ahead with stalled Jaitapur nuclear project where French Company Areva will set up six nuclear reactors with total power generation capacity of 10000 MW. Canada is also important from the point of view of nuclear energy, as it not only can provide nuclear hardware to India but it is also a big qualitative source of nuclear fuel. Canada had banned uranium supply to India in 1970s. Now, Cameco Corp is working with Indian counterparts towards long term supply agreement. This has put a successful end to the nuclear apartheid system that was earlier imposed on India. This reflects the recognition by the global nuclear community that India is a safe and responsible nuclear power despite its denial to sign NPT.
In a bid to give a thrust to India’s cultural diplomacy, PM Modi unveiled Shri Aurobindo’s statue in France and Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Germany. He also interacted with Indian Diaspora in these countries.
Policy Perspective
With the end of recent three nation diplomatic excursion in the western part of the globe, PM Modi’s diplomatic activism is about to complete its first year which was started with visiting Japan in the far East. This reflects the policy perspective and vision of India’s foreign policy under his dispensation. While core values like self-reliance, security, economic development and strategic autonomy remain unchanged, diplomatic behavior and foreign policy orientation has witnessed remarkable changes under PM Modi.
First, the change in the conduct of diplomacy is visible in terms of style and emphasis-It has been termed as ‘pro-active, strong and sensitive’. Second, foreign policy behavior under the PM is moving beyond ideology and non-alignment-It is focused on teleological, inclusive energetic foreign relations and dynamic diversification scheme. It also seems to have moved beyond ‘Nehruvian idealism’ and ‘neo-liberal orthodoxy’. Third, Modi’s regime is emphatically integrating India’s cultural, spiritual and philosophical legacy to foreign policy and is giving a new dimension to India’s soft power. Fourth, emphasis is on capability building in order to envisage a civilisational global role for India. The innovative concept of ‘Make in India’ has been started for the same. This includes not only developing military power and capacity but also economic and technological development. Fifth, Indian Diaspora has been given much importance and an attempt has been made to convert it into national capital and asset. Sixth, Paradiplomacy is on up-swing and Indian federal units and cities are supposed to play a bigger role in economic diplomacy. Seventh, the focus is on ‘India first’ and its national interests not only in economic field but also in security issues. Eigth, for the first time India, which is a net importer of weapons, has exported Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) to Mauritius. India is supposed to export soon such weapons to Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Philippines also.
India’s Regional and Global Engagement
Concentrating on the immediate neighbourhood, PM Modi initiated ‘neighbourhood first’ policy in order to correct and improve bilateral relations. Zero problem neighbourhood with interdependence is necessary for promoting regional connectivity and economic cooperation, limit Chinese influence and minimise and control radical and extremist forces. This is a prerequisite for India to play any decisive role beyond this region. Maintaining strategic stability in Afghanistan is a priority issue as Pakistan is becoming a difficult neighbour and the policy is that there could be no meaningful dialogue with them in the shadow of terrorism and violence.
In a bid to activate and energise Look East policy, Modi regime initiated Act East policy regarding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in order to deepen engagement in the region. The thrust is on moving beyond economic and political diplomacy and to forge a deep strategic dimension on regional engagement. The focus is on energy security, strategic security and maritime security. At least three levels of diplomatic engagement are visible in this region. India is intensifying relations with countries like Japan, Vietnam and Philippines which have territorial disputes with China. India is forging deeper engagement with nations like Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand which have good working relations with China. And Australia is being developed as important diplomatic destination for energy and security dimension.
The launching of Project ‘Mausam’, which is extending from East Africa to South East Asia, could be seen in reference to China’s ‘Maritime Silk Route’ and Western narrative of ‘Indo-Pacific’ configuration. PM Modi proposed ‘Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation’ in order to enhance cooperation with 14 Pacific island states. He has signalled India’s deep diplomatic interest in strategic maritime route during his visit to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka in March 2015.
Terrorist upsurge in West Asia is posing a threat to India’s security and the issue has been seriously raised by Modi in his engagement. Relation with Israel is moving beyond defence and agriculture. Deep high-tech relations with Israel have been emphasised. And a pragmatic equidistance has been displayed with reference to Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In global balance of power, India has demonstrated strategic autonomy vis-a-vis United States, Russia and China. India is forging deep multilayered relations with US. Russia is still a time tested friend. Economic engagement with China is a priority along with defence preparedness and geo-political alertness. India’s engagement with these powers reflected that despite forging deep relations with US it will bolster its engagement with both China and Russia and shall display a multi-aligned foreign policy posture. At multilateral regional and global engagement, India has displayed activism from BRICS to UNO.
Thus it can be concluded that the foreign policy initiative under PM Modi’s dispensation has displayed a mix of inclusive cultural nationalism, neo-liberalism and neo-realism. A fine blending of geo-economics and geo-politics with nationalist fervor has been demonstrated in India’s diplomatic engagement. 21st century is the century of Asia. In order to transform this Asian century into India’s century, PM Modi has focused to build a strong, vibrant and self reliant India.
Dr Anoop Kumar Gupta (The writer has been a visiting researcher at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel)
