View Indo-US ties independently

~ By Alok Bansal

US President Barack Obama’s visit to New Delhi as the chief guest for India’s Republic Day celebrations has raised vast expectations. Not only is this the first time that a US President will be the chief guest, it is also unique for a US President to visit India twice during his tenure. It may seem strange, but the US is the only country from P-5 whose leader had never been invited for India’s Republic Day. The expectations, therefore, are sky high. Most analysts believe that it is the congruence of interests in the post-Cold War era that has brought the two countries together. However, a realistic appraisal will show that the proximity is driven more by the common values of democracy and pluralism, rather than any common perceived interests. This explains the relatively robust people-to-people relationship, even during the heights of Cold War, when the two countries were viewed to be on different sides of the global divide. In today’s world the interests have become transient, but the societal values are relatively constant. The two countries are undoubtedly the largest democracies as well as amongst the most pluralistic societies in the globe.

However, when it comes to the average citizens, the relationship is often viewed from the prism of two triangular relationships, namely — India, Pakistan and the US; and India, China and the US. Most Indians look at the US in terms of its relationship with Pakistan. Consequently, they expect the US to ensure that Pakistan fulfils India’s wish list, from delivering Dawood Ibrahim to incarcerating Hafiz Saeed. To that extent, President Obama’s visit to India not being linked to Pakistan is a big positive. On the other hand, many in the US perceive India as a bulwark against growing Chinese influence. They presuppose a conflictual relationship between India and China and expect India to become an ally. It is important to look at the bilateral relations without looking through these triangular relationships. It must be appreciated that India’s security interests cannot be underwritten by others. On the other hand, India is too big to become an appendage and would always like to retain its right to say “no” in any partnership.

The visit may resolve longstanding deadlocks on the civil nuclear deal and defence cooperation. The US has emerged as the largest supplier of defence equipment to India and its defence sales to India have crossed over $10 billion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” programme offers US companies, especially those in the defence sector, a unique opportunity with suitable incentives to set up manufacturing facilities in the largest defence market. Inexpensive labour, a large market and consequently, the economies of scale can easily allow them to develop India as a production hub for supplying to other parts of the world as well. It may be prudent for them not to waste time nitpicking, trying to find flaws in procedures, but to look at the intent which is to facilitate. Similarly, it may be prudent to look at the long term cooperation in the field of defence by way of joint development and production of new platforms and systems, rather than looking at quick procurement deals.

Another field where there is immense scope for cooperation is green technologies. India is looking for cleaner technologies to ameliorate the impact of rapid growth and industrialisation. Climate change has become significant and India is committed to cutting down its carbon emissions by 25% and this requires greater reliance on renewable energy. The two countries are collaborating in this field under Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE) and this has the potential to transform India.

President Obama’s visit will usher in a new era in Indo-US relations, by laying down a foundation for long term cooperation. It may not result in any spectacular announcements, but the President shares a unique chemistry with Prime Minister Modi. The two leaders have risen from underprivileged backgrounds to transform their countries and this similarity leads to a bond that has the potential to cement the Indo-US relationship for the future.

Alok Bansal is the Director Centre for Security and Strategy, India foundation. The views expressed are his own.

India Foundation Journal Issue 6 (Vol. II)

The Modi impact is being felt across the country. As we had predicted  the nation is slowly rising out of the mood of despondency to one of hope and promise.

To download the Journal, click hereNovember-cover-FP.

A Clarion Call to Reimagine the Idea of India

~ By Apurv Kumar Mishra

iic_216-1indiaideasconclave_5iic_12-1

iic_202The phrase “Idea of India” was first used by Rabindranath Tagore in a letter to C. F Andrews in 1921, writing that “the idea of India is against the intense consciousness of the separateness of one’s own people from others, which inevitably leads to ceaseless conflicts”. He was talking about India’s relation with the world and her role in helping individuals attain salvation. Taking off from that theme, the first India Ideas Conclave held at Goa from December 19-21 in collaboration with the state government, was the first step towards creating the intellectual infrastructure for thinkers to engage on important public policy issues and create space for an alternative narrative of the India story.

The India Ideas Conclave identified Shri Deen Dayal Upadhaya’s philosophy of integral human development as the key theme. The Conclave held a series of dynamic panel discussions and seminars on various sub-themes, punctuated with keynote lectures by thought leaders from around the world. The event brought together 70 thinkers, ministers and politicians from across the world, to address a select group of over 400 participantsinclude eminent academics, global CEOs, renowned scientists, technologists, senior political thinkers and practitioners and media luminaries. Over two days, there was a free flow of intellectual discussion on economics, governance, ideas of development, spirituality and dialogue between civilizations.

The event was graced by the presence of senior ministers of the government including ShriManohar Parrikar (Union Minister of Defence, Government of India) who attended the inaugural session, Shri Suresh Prabhu (Union Minister of Railways, Government of India), Smt. Sushma Swaraj (Union Minister of External Affairs, Government of India) who gave the valedictory address along with Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Minister of State with Independent Charge, Commerce and Industry), Shri Piyush Goyal (Union Minister of State with Independent Charge, Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India), and Shri Jayant Sinha(Union Minister of State, Finance).Renowned spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who was also the chairman of the organising committee,gave the opening keynote which set the tone for the entire conference. He focussed on the need to revisit and learn from ancient India’s wisdom on the path to the country’s transformation. Quoting the Rig Veda, (Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah- Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions), he asked upon the participants to welcome ideas from all sources for India’s transformation.

One of the most significantpanel discussions was moderated by Shri Suresh Prabhu and saw four leading economic experts- Shri Arvind Panagriya,Lord Meghnad Desai, Shri Subramanian Swamy and Shri Vallabh Bhansali – discuss the topic “Reforms for the Welfare of the Last Man”. Suggestions ranged from using Thorium to generate nuclear power to creating a regulatory environment that encourages start-ups in India. The discussion on nature of economic reforms was later continued in a panel headed by Shri Jayant Sinha on innovation and entrepreneurship in which the participants highlighted the need to drastically improve the ease of doing business in India to ensure the success of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Make in India campaign.

Another session on energy security that included Shri Piyush Goyal and Shri Sumant Sinha (Founder Chairman and CEO of ReNew Power Ventures Pvt. Ltd) ideated on the reforms needed for the growth of power sector and the role of non-renewable sources of energy especially solar power in providing energy security for India. Panel discussions on “Gender Imperative” and “New Politics and New Media” completed the set of debates analysing domestic issues facing contemporary India. Both the panels concluded that the general elections of 2014 had demolished several long-standing assumptions about Indian society and polity and provided a unique opportunity to reshape the contours of the debate on feminism in India and the role of media in a democracy.

Apart from economic reforms needed for material prosperity of the country, the other major idea discussed in the conference was the central importance of our civilizational heritage in restoring the spiritual well-being of the nation. In a session titled “From the Past to the Present & Future”, Shri Amish Tripathi debunked the Aryan Invasion theory and Acharya David Frawley suggested the creation of a new order of thinkers for the modern world in who would use the tools of technology for a higher idealism and self-transcendence.

Similar panel discussions were organised on the topics “Where East Meets West” and “Learning to Lead” in which Professor Dinesh Singh spoke about the high quality of mathematics in ancient India. The session “Religion- Tolerance and Terror’ saw a frank discussion how terrorism is perceived around the world. In another plenary on “Culture & Nation”, Dr. Lokesh Chandra (President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations) emphasised the idea that culture is core and civilization is shell.

The final set of discussions revolved around India’s position in the global orderwith panel topics such as “Democracy in 21st century”, “World for India” and “Enduring Peace in South Asia”. These discussions witnessed the active participation of several diplomats and foreign delegates including former Turkish Presidential candidate and Secretary General of OIC Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Ruud Lubbers (Former Prime Minister, Netherlands), Shri G. Parthasarthy (Former Ambassador, India), H.E. Lobsang Sangay (Sikyong, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala), Shri Jigmi Thinley (former PM of Bhutan), Dr. Nyamdavaa Oidov (Former Ambassador of Mongolia to India), Smt. Veena Sikri (Former Ambassador, India), Dr. Abdelsalam al-Majali (Former Prime Minister, Jordan) and Shri Alojz Peterle (Former Prime Minister, Slovenia) among other luminaries. Shri Sangay’s speech stood in particular for his emphasis that solving the Tibet issue was crucial to maintaining enduring peace in South Asia.

The conference was a unique platform where the country’s leading minds came together to brainstorm an alternative “Idea of India”which synthesized useful suggestions from all sources- India’s ancient past, our neighbours, international best practises in human development, intellectuals, domain expertsand our spiritual gurus- to create a uniquely Indian worldview and roadmap for the country’s development. This conclave was just the first edition of what promises to be an annual event to create a credible and vibrant ecosystem for debate on India’s national well-being.

For more photos of the India Ideas Conclave 2014, please use the following link:

 https://plus.google.com/events/gallery/cmva6a52o1mld76hev17uici0ao?sort=1

Skill Development in India

~ By Tarang Singhal

The importance of skills in India is not a recent phenomenon. The varna system was designed keeping in mind that the identity of the person is from what he does and that is supreme, which then ossified into a system based on birth and then hierarchy. The creators had a different purpose in mind, they saw the need for a varied skills set and thus probably wanted to create guilds that could ultimately churn out individuals who are the best at what they do. It is no wonder today to see a shock when the humble electrician has a visiting fees of Rs 200! There are places in India where doctors don’t charge that much fees even today. One can only imagine things going worse or better, depending on what side of the table you are! Though this can be attributed to living costs of the place but I disagree with the notion. Young men aged 16-20 scoff at agriculture jobs (which in many cases is really well paying, how did they manage to buy that Hero Honda bike after-all), however the story is same when they are offered vocational training for electrician or welding. Their first reaction is to avoid it and ask for computer related jobs, this does show an increase in aspiration but hard to point out the irony (the jobs around them need core skills!). Yet this is not even half the story of skill development in India. You will find countless NGOs working in skill development in India, many offer Mobile Repair training to 15 youth from the same village (an industry which is highly unorganized), and one wonders how many would find gainful employment. Then there are the ubiquitous ITIs. What was a step in the right direction, today only offers a piece of paper which acts as a mere qualifier.

Skill development in India requires a complete inversion in how we understand education. The exposure to skills/vocational skills is seen as fit for a certain strata of society. The fact that we have mentally classified jobs such as electrician, plumbing, mechanic as the lowest portends to a modern caste system. By conflating these gainful skills with economic strata we have ensured that the stigma remains. Skills education in India requires the following:

  1. Introduction of vocational courses at school level with which can be replaced with any subject a student wants.
  2. Integrating the ITI model with the first point and then further create a skills curriculum with the industry. It may be worthwhile to drop the obsession to have ITIs in every district but create near industrial clusters and get industries to design curriculum. Introduce new courses (such as graphic designing, video shooting, facility management, banking correspondent security management etc.) which are relevant to clusters.
  3. Apprentice model needs to be strengthened by integrating it with ITI curriculum (something like a final year project) facilitating placement of ITI graduates.
  4. Creating a market place for blue collar jobs, that links these jobs with a set of tangible skill sets and requirements

The government has started making the right moves about it, already moving from the previous model of only talking about mere placements to addressing the core issues of skill development. Competitiveness of our labour at a global level is the vision that is now being talked about. A 500 million strong globally competitive work force by 2022 is the right way to look at it. The recently created skills ministry is a sign of showing the priorities. The first signs look encouraging. The task requires cooperation between departments like fisheries, textiles, agriculture, rural development, heavy industries just to name a few and the ministry could do well if aggregates and lays down ground work for synergies. The task at hand is cut out. The Indo-EU Skills Development Project has done some ground work around how to approach the complex problem. In a recently conducted survey for automotive clusters in Mahrashtra the agency found that the gaps in data collection being done by the present agencies. Basic data such as wages, skills set for jobs, the classification of workforce in blue collar jobs (which haven’t been revised since the archaic classification for labour) was found to be in formats that cannot be used in present day terms. The urgent need to upgrade capacity of the functionaries is the first step that needs to be taken. The disconnect between the labour ministry and the skills ministry would require immediate resolution. A real view of the today’s burgeoning service based industry and a pragmatic view towards addressing them with inputs from industry would be a good starting point.

The next would entail creating a framework of jobs mapped with skills for whom industries have present and future requirements. This would follow with the work done at step one and align with the work done by the respective ministries. This would flow into creation of a market place where the industries can then post their requirements. The classification would then also enable in creation of the right kind of clusters and curriculum that enables placement with the industry. Policy making would be required to promote industries and agencies to fill in this gap.  There is a large un-organized sector in India where maximum graduates of ITI are usually headed. They have neither any incentive nor capability to offer rigorous training. This results in the widely reported numbers of India having the lowest productivity among BRIC countries. Our Policymakers sadly haven’t moved beyond policies that focus on districts and the per hour rate for trainers. Critical things like Training of Trainers, curriculum upgradation and infrastructure upgradation are not even on the radar. Skills will command respect when they are relevant. If today your wood smith uses tools that were used by his forefathers it reflects the fact that an entire ecosystem to upgrade the skills and thus expose to more efficient techniques are completely missing.

To conclude, the barometer for skills development will not be how much is your electrician paid but what tools is he working with and probably where his/her kids are studying.

Tarang Singhal  works in the CSR sector of Vedanta group. The views expressed are his own. 

Will President Obama walk that extra mile?

~ By Ram Madhav Varanasi

India is looking forward to US President Barack Obama’s visit to Delhi as the guest of honour at this year’s Republic Day parade on January 26. Neither the fact that he is the outgoing president nor that it is his second visit as president dampens the enthusiasm in the Indian establishment.

Coming a few months after the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, this visit has understandably been seen by some as India’s effort at a balancing act. However it must be kept in mind that Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy approach is non-conventional. He has freed Indian diplomacy from romantic slogan-mongering and embarked on a pragmatic ‘India’s interest’ path. Even when he is on a multilateral mission his focus is on bilateralism with ‘India’s interest’ as the benchmark. Thus for him, the visit of the Chinese president and the forthcoming visit of the US president are, far from being a balancing act, two independent events that have great bearing on India’s diplomatic objectives.
US-India relations have seen many ups and downs. When Prime Minister Modi took over many skeptics thought that the relationship would go from bad to worse because of the visa related acrimony between the two in the last one decade. But Prime Minister Modi displayed great statesmanship by leaving behind all the personal insults and ill-will and embarking on a major charm offensive. As an astute politician he used his visit to the US in October last to attend the United Nations General Assembly to set bilateral relations on a different course.

He spent just 24 hours in Washington DC. But in that short visit he was able to achieve so much, the most important being the demolition of the skepticism and creation of confidence. President Obama too responded positively to the overtures thus laying a firm foundation for a redefined relationship.
India and US are the world’s most populous and successful democracies. Both share several political, ethical and moral values. Thus the two are seen by many as natural allies. India’s four million strong diaspora population is a binding factor between the two countries. Both have benefited in all these years whenever the relations were cordial. Both have suffered due to misunderstandings and consequent strain in relationship too.

The joint statement issued by both the leaders during PM Modi’s visit to Washington DC comprehensively outlined the agenda for cooperation and development. It described the new initiative as a “long-term vision for a resilient and ambitious partnership” and “guiding framework” for the people and the government. The joint statement aptly underscored that ‘prosperity and security’ are the expected end result of the strategic partnership between the two countries. On his part, Prime Minister Modi was categorical in emphasizing that India accords ‘priority’ to its partnership with the United States in order to ‘realize India’s rise as a responsible, influential world power’.
Prime Minister Modi, continuing his determined effort to upgrade the relations, has invited President Obama to attend this year’s Republic Day parade. President Obama too displayed his goodwill by accepting the invitation. It is now up to the two leaders to use the opportunity to chart out a road map for future.
Economics plays an important role in the relationship between the two countries. Prime Minister Modi is aggressively pushing forward a development agenda that requires massive investments from all over. The US can be one of the important countries to supplement the efforts and support this agenda. PM Modi’s vision of providing a better life to his people calls for massive investment in the fields of infrastructure, education, skill development, healthcare and manufacturing. He has taken several steps like raising caps to encourage FDI in many areas including insurance, real estate etc. Several infrastructure areas like roads, railways, ports, defence are also partially or fully opened up for foreign equity participation. Much awaited and much needed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act too have taken place bolstering investor confidence especially in the infrastructure areas.

The US has good scope to enter into these areas by enhancing its investments. The Indo-US bilateral trade stands at $ 100 billion today. Prime Minister Modi has ambitious plans for a ten-fold growth of Indian economy from present $ 2 trillion. That gives enormous scope for the bilateral trade also to grow from current figures to $ 500 billion as envisaged by the leaders of the two countries.

Besides economy and trade there are areas like counter-terrorism and regional security, environment and climate change etc. in which the two countries have a greater scope to cooperate. Climate change area is a potential minefield for both the countries. UN Climate Change regime talks are due for the end of this year in Paris where a new world order on climate change is expected to be announced. There is a lot of jostling taking place between the developed and developing countries over the reduction of hydrofluorocarbon – HFC emissions. Although the US has reasonably amended its position the concerns of the Third World countries over the emergence of an unequal regime remain relevant. India has been firmly opposing any unjust order in climate change regime so far. It can’t be complacent even at this stage of greater bonhomie with the US. It would be a better idea to designate a Special Envoy for Climate Change Negotiations and deploy aggressive PR in the next few months so that the UN member countries can be properly sensitized about the need for a just and equitable world climate regime.
Counter-terrorism and regional and homeland security are comparatively easier areas for India and US to cooperate. As two major democracies in the world with pluralist ethos and values the two countries recognise their responsibility to jointly work towards ameliorating the situation in West Asia, Middle East and Pak-Af regions. The rise of ISIL calls for a totally new approach by the democratic world especially in the light of the incidents in Paris and other European cities. Close to two thousand European citizens have reportedly joined ISIL in the last few months. Deradicalisation programs thus acquire greater significance and urgency.
Besides ISIL, the two countries have to reach a common understanding about the situation in the Pak-Af region. So far the US’ stand on Pakistan has remained a matter of concern to India. Despite unequivocal evidence linking Pakistan with global terror the US has adopted ostrich approach going to the ridiculous extent of manufacturing Good Taliban-Bad Taliban distinction. In its eagerness to appease the potential trouble maker in the region the US has shown little sensitivity to the concerns of countries like India. As recently as last month the US Congress has again released $ 100 Billion aid to Pakistan brushing aside objections from many from within and without.
However there appears to be some rethinking of late. Secretary Kerry for the first time asked Pakistan to neutralise terror groups on ‘both sides’ that are engaged in cross border terrorism. President Obama is expected to give out similar signals as his gesture of calling up the prime minister of Pakistan immediately after accepting India’s invitation for the Republic Day has not been appreciated by the hosts.
There are challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, especially in South China Sea about which references were made by Prime Minister Modi at the ASEAN meeting in Myanmar as well as in the joint statement with President Obama. This region has become the new hub of trade activity. The global power axis has moved away from the Pacific-Atlantic region to Indo-Pacific region. Growing prosperity of the countries in the region is leading to growing tensions too. As a major country in the region India has a lot of stakes. It has upgraded its Look East policy into an ambitious Act East policy. However to realise the dream of emerging as a major player in the region India needs to equip itself in a big way.

India’s blue water navy is in a pathetic condition. A lot of up-gradation of vessels, equipment and skills is needed for it to progress in the direction of its ambition. The other power in the region, China, has assiduously built up its maritime capacity in the last decade or so. Once a great maritime power the country had lost its primacy after 16th century due to some archaic thinking of its rulers. However it has made an impressive comeback in the last two decades giving sleepless nights to other maritime powers like Japan and the US.

India and the US have been cooperating on the naval front for a long time. According to one estimate the two countries undertake close to fifty joint exercises in a year meaning a joint exercise every week. Of late a trilateral exercise partnering India, Japan and US too has been initiated. India expects greater cooperation in this area with the US in the coming years.

India under Prime Minister Modi wants to play a greater role in the world affairs. Usually the discussion on India’s global role is always linked to the permanent membership in the UN Security Council. India’s legitimate right to secure a place in UNSC is undisputed. But as a rising economic power India can aspire for a role in several other multilateral bodies like Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) etc. President Obama recognises that India deserves a place of prominence in these bodies. India expects the US to help it secure that place.

Prime Minister Modi has shown extraordinary skill and determination in uplifting Indo-US relations to a next higher level. It is US’s turn to show that they too are committed to it. Most important challenge in the relations is to uplift India from the usual hyphenation with Pakistan or China. Looking at US’ relations with India from the prism of Pakistan and China has been the nemesis of the relations in all these years. President Obama should be prepared to walk that extra mile in order to exploit the great potential the relationship offers to both the countries.

Ram Madhav Varanasi is the General Secretary of Bhartiya Janata Party and the Director of India Foundation. The views expressed are his own. 

Discussion on “The Future of Indo-US Relationship”

India Foundation organized a discussion on “The Future of Indo – US Relationship” at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi on 03 January, 2015 from 04:30 PM to 06:00 PM. The Keynote Speaker was Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, Member of the US House of Representatives. 

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The evening started with welcoming Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, Member of the US Congress (House of Representatives). She started her note by thanking the people for making her first trip to India a fabulous journey with all the enthusiasm and also thanked India Foundation for inviting her to speak people and discuss the future of Indo-Us relationship.

Ms. Gabbard emphasized on the new dimensions of Indo-Us relationship taking off, which is empathetically manifested in the fact that Mr. Obama is the chief guest for India’s Republic Day parade this year. It would be for the first time that any president of USA would be visiting India twice in his term. She began with the asking people to explore common grounds between India and USA where the flowers of mutual interests and understanding could blossom.

She recalled the spirit of aloha, which stresses on the deepest respect and opening of hearts. Indulging in the spiritual dimension of the foreign policy, she stressed on the need for understanding between the two countries with mutual respect for each other and with an open heart. She gave importance to India’s soft power tools like its eminent culture envisaged in its civilization and its divine spiritual teachings scripted in Bhagwad Gita.

Talking further, she recalled her life-long journey, how she started a non-profit organisation with her father to serve the people of her province and to positively intervene in various concerns relating to environment, public service, etc. She portrayed women as equal partners in 21st century’s global concerns and world politics, through the narration of her experiences of serving in the US military for two terms in the most dangerous zones of Middle-East and Iraq.

Taking her note to the final end, she urged to value the spirit of aloha in bridging the gaps between the contentious issues between the two countries. She concluded her address by recalling one of the greatest leaders of this century, Mahatma Gandhi- Be the Change you want to see in the world.

Mr. Kanwal Sibal

Mr. Sibal was the moderator of the discussion. Previously, he has held the post of Foreign Secretary of India. He started his note by thanking Ms. Gabbard for presenting a philosophical guidance to the foreign policy. He embarked upon on his note by mentioning that the relationship between India and US is the most significant relationship between two countries in this 21st century. The Indo-US relationship took a new voyage when the log-jam over the Nuclear Deal was broken and two countries signed the nuclear deal in 2005. The unprecedented and serious relationship between both the countries has taken many new dimensions in the last decade, especially in defense and trade sectors where US has become one of the leading exporters of arms and ammunition to India. The invitation to the US President for the Republic Day celebrations and his acceptance for the same signaled the high priority given to the growth of the relationship between the two countries.

The countries have witnessed a paradigm shift in their relationship from being the natural allies to being the long term strategic partners in the last few years. There have been some of the contentious issues between the countries like Indian IPR policy, Civil Aviation securities, drug and pharma issues that led to the slowdown of the relationship momentum in the second term of President Obama. Nevertheless, the US has always shown the positive sign to support India’s bid for permanent seat in the UNSC and the countries have been working positively on the controversial issues since the new regime has come to place in New Delhi under the guidance of our enthusiastic Prime Minister.
It’s important for two countries to find common grounds to deal with issues concerning geo-politics, Carbon emissions, peace and security, etc.

After the stimulating address of the Congresswoman on the discourse of bilateral interface between the two nations, the Director of Centre for Security & Strategy (CSS), India Foundation, Shri Alok Bansal delivered the vote of thanks expressing heartfelt gratitude to the Congresswoman and Shri Kanwal Sibal on the behalf of India Foundation.

The discussion was then followed by a stimulating Q&A session where the participants raised thought-provoking questions and clarified their doubts.

Bilateral Conference on India-China Relations

The Centre for Security and Strategy (CSS), India Foundation organized a bilateral conference with the Institute of International Studies (IIS), Fudan University, China on India-China Relations at India International Centre, New Delhi on 11th December 2014.                                            

DSC_0069DSC_0120DSC_0050DSC_0175Inaugural Session

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Captain (IN) Alok Bansal, Director, CSS on behalf of CSS and Prof Wu Xinbo, Executive Dean IIS, on behalf of IIS, to collaborate on academic and research cooperation and exchanges.

Delegates from China remarked that relations with India are assuming a higher priority in Chinese Foreign Policy, and the visits of Premier Li Keqiang  and President Xi Jinping to India, were both substantive initiatives. They noted that since Sino-Indian relations are fast-paced, scholars from both sides have to catch-up quickly. The participants were informed that Fudan University is one of the top universities of China, having over 15 research centres, including a strong South-Asian studies programme. Delegates fromFudan University expressed their commitment to this partnership, and the potential role that both institutions could play in reshaping the geopolitics and economic landscape in Asia.

Shri Jayant Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State (Finance), Government of India delivering the keynote address, and speaking as a director of the India Foundation, noted that there is a unique opportunity between both participating institutions to shape how Indo-Chinese relationship evolves over the next decade or so. Three key areas were outlined where collaboration between the two nations could prove mutually beneficial, namely business, Science & Technology, and geopolitical security.It was emphasized that collaboration between the two nations could be deepened in the manufacturing sectors, particularly through the Make in India program, while taking lessons from the speed and scale in which China has boosted its own manufacturing sector. Both nations were called upon to explore shared interests, particularly in the fields of climate change and maritime trade, to work towards geopolitical security. It was also highlighted that this bilateral relationship is part of India Foundation’s larger initiative of having people-to-people dialogue.

 

Session I

The first session focused on discussing contentious issues in the context of Indo-China relations. The delegates discussed issues such as Indo-China border issues, river water disputes,Economic Trade Imbalance and Sino-Pak  Nuclear and Defence Cooperation.

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DSC_0169Indian delegates noted that it was important to understand that both countries share a long cultural history, and are growing on the same planes. While Indo-China trade has been rapidly growing, there is also a need to achieve a balance of trade from both sides. The Indian delegation called upon China to support India in the Make in India campaign, particularly in the skill development sector for a more balanced trade partnership. Greater cooperation was also encouraged in sectors such as energy security, software engineering, medicines, and cost-effective research, where India can provide a comparative advantage. The Indian delegates noted that it is imperative for India and China to manage the border-issue effectively. It was suggested to take lessons from the basis on which China and Myanmar were able to address their border issues to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. The Indian delegation emphasized that though the Indian media does shape popular opinion on the Indo-China border dispute, it is the price that India has to pay for a free media, and society.

The Chinese delegation noted that strategic cooperation between India and China was reaching a new high. In this context, it was suggested to establish principles that would address the trust deficit between the two nations. The delegation noted that the Indo-China border issue must not be sensationalized, but at the same time, there should not be further delay in addressing it. Moreover, the delegation explained that the perceived border-conflict was essentially due to the two sides having differences on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which must be addressed.The delegates from China noted that the trade imbalance is a recent issue, arising primarily as a consequence of the positive and welcome increase in trade relations between the two nations.

In terms of cooperation in the North-East, and particularly on water issues related to the Yarlung Tsangpo or Brahmaputra River, the Indian delegation highlighted the need for hydrological experts from both parties to discuss a mutually beneficial arrangement. It was also noted that keeping the discussions on a technical level would also help to gradually reduce the knowledge-deficit to address the issue effectively.The delegates noted that lessons could be learnt from the Indus water treaty between India and Pakistan.The Chinese delegates welcomed the suggestions on hydrological cooperation between the two nations in the North-Eastern region, and agreed for greater transparency and accessibility to the upper reaches of the river for better understanding of the flow patterns and to allay the fears of water diversion, particularly among the local population.

The Indian delegates expressed concern over the increasing engagement of China with Pakistan particularly in the field of nuclear cooperation, since the radiological material produced could be misused by radical elements operating in Pakistan.It was emphasized that it was under the NDA government that the relations between India and China improved considerably, and China should move away from the past approach of looking at India through the prism of Pakistan. Delegates from China remarked that both India and China are peace-loving, and have similar policies particularly in the defence sector.They explained that, China is cooperating with Pakistan to support them to tide over their current problems.The delegates also reiterated that India is afar more important partner in terms of foreign policy for China, and Chinese relations with Pakistan will not come at the expense of the relations between India and Chia.

Session II

The second session focused on exploring avenues for cooperation and the way-ahead for relations between India and China.The delegates discussed economic and trade partnerships, cooperation on regional security and stability and cultural exchange.

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DSC_0169DSC_0281The delegates from China highlighted that thetrade relations between India and China have been continuously expanding and the recent trade imbalance between India and China is perhaps a result of the different economic models that the two countries follow. They suggested that increasing Chinese investments in India, in view of the Make in India campaign, could in turn help correct the trade imbalance. The Indian delegation noted that in addition to addressing economic relations between the two nations, it is also important to manage emotional and political expectations. In this context, it was emphasized that China and India both have a unique opportunity to cooperate on Investment; India would benefit from Chinese investment to boost its industry at home, while China would be able to diversify its investments by investing in India. Moreover, it was emphasized that India would be a particularly good financial investment destination for China.

In this context, it was stated that China plans to invest$20 Billion in India over the next five years. The Chinese delegation also called for greater cooperation in Maritime affairs, as both countries have common interest in smooth flow of shipping in the Indian Ocean.It was suggested that India could provide security to Chinese vessels in the Indian Ocean, if requested.  It was also suggested that in future, the Indian government must review its visa regulations for Chinese business travellers, and also for scholars traveling for conferences and other research exchanges to facilitate greater Chinese investment and better understanding. The delegation also called for channelizing greater awareness about India and its tourism among the Chinese population to increase tourist activity of Chinese in India.

The Indian delegation called for collaboration to address the transition in Afghanistan collectively, in the interest of the region’s security and stability. It was also noted that the Afghanistan issue could not be addressed without looking at it in the context of Pakistan, and its influence on the region. The Chinese delegation recognized that both the countries had a role in helping Afghanistan with the transition process, and suggested that perhaps a trilateral dialogue could be held between India, China and Afghanistan in future. Moreover, they reiterated China’s policy to help Afghanistan maintain its national defence and strategic independence, and desire to achieve it through regional and international cooperation.

In conclusion, the Indian delegation highlighted that both countries have a long civilizational links, which stems from strong influence on each other’s faith and culture. In this context, it was suggested that a greater exposure to each other’s culture and traditions through media and educational curriculum must be explored.

Discussion on “The Future of Indo-US Relationship”

India Foundation is organizing a discussion on “The Future of Indo – US Relationship” at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi on 03 January, 2015 from 04:30 PM to 06:00 PM. The Keynote Speaker will be Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, Member of the US House of Representatives. The program will bring together a number of academicians, social activists, civil servants, political leaders and foreign-relations experts to discuss and debate  the way forward for the Indo-US relations across social, political and economic dimensions. Around 150 delegates are expected to attend this discussion. 

Ms. Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and has been representing the Hawaii’s second Congressional District since 2013. She is the first Hindu member of the United State Congress and one of its first two female combat veterans. Gabbard, while serving in the Hawaii House of Representatives (2002-04), became the youngest woman to be elected in state legislature in United States. She is also presently serving as a Military Police Company Commander with the Hawaii Army National Guard.

Press Release India Ideas Conclave

<a href=”http://www.indiafoundation.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/PRESS-RELEASE-Dec-2014-with-programme-schedule.pdf”>PRESS RELEASE – Dec 2014 with programme schedule</a>

India Today + Information Technology = India Tomorrow

~ By Sudarshan Ramabadran

India Today + Information Technology = India Tomorrow, this was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2013 as Chief Minister Minister of Gujarat while addressing the Annual Google Tent Conference. True to his vision, the Government of India (GoI) has set out on a vital task to prepare India for a knowledge future, i.e., Digital India.

Armed with the vision to transform India into a connected knowledge economy offering world class services at the click of a mouse, the Digital India initiative will have Indian mobile phones, PCs and laptops as its backbone.

Imagine how convenient it would be if services of critical sectors like Health and Education is made accessible to us just through the click of a mouse?  The Digital India initiative aspires to do just that by building a digital infrastructure for providing citizens with services like digital identities, mobile phones, and bank accounts. Secondly the initiative aims to service and govern a real-time online financial transaction platform, and finally, the initiative will help digitize all documents and records of the citizens and make them available on a real-time basis.

The Digital India Dream:

  • Rural Broadband for All – Target : 2.5 lakh villages
  • Universal Mobile Access – Target : 42,300 villages
  • WiFi in Universities – Target : 400 Universities
  • Public WiFi spots in cities with over 1 million population

Take for example, Rural Broadband for all, this is a critical infrastructure for emerging economies like ours. Experts and verified reports have stated that if there is 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration, this in turn will lead to an increase of the country’s GDP by 1.4 per cent.

Now it is natural for a common man to pose a question, while all this seems fine on paper, what discernible results are going to be witnessed through ‘Digital India’?

To put it simply, the initiative has multiple benefits for our country, prominent among them being Skill Development which will ensure that the right man has the right job.

A brief case in point, the international chip maker, Intel, recently announced that they will work with GoI to empower at least five million citizens with adequate skills to compete in the global economy. Under the programme, Intel has offered digital literacy training to key resource persons in the first 1000 village panchayats under the National Optic Fiber Network (NOFN) which falls under creation of broadband spectrum for Rural India. Let’s take a step back and just imagine how beneficial this would indeed be. First and foremost it will enable access to internet for rural youth who have earlier deprived of the same, next, it offers them an opportunity to understand and learn digital literacy through their local languages, which by itself is a first and finally it will provide them with skill based employment opportunities. So, here is a classic case, of how a tie up between Intel and GoI for the Digital India initiative will have an impact on 5 million people.

The fact that an ordinary citizen continues to run from pillar to post to avail basic citizen centric services today signifies the transformation which Digital India aims to achieve, that is, to provide all basic citizen centric services under one roof for an ordinary citizen to take benefit from. Take for instance, common service centres, which is an interesting example as part of penetration of broadband facilities in villages. Basically, these common service centres will serve as critical pivots around which most goods and services will be delivered. Once connected to broadband, an entire village’s requirements of goods can be placed through these centres and people can use these facilities as one-stop shop for all their e-needs. Through Common Service Centres, the Government wants to ensure that citizens especially in rural areas are not excluded both socially and economically, which by itself is a leap towards eliminating poverty.

Like these there are countless possibilities which will result in empowering citizens digitally with the rapidly modernizing world. Initiatives like this also provide opportunities for youngsters in India to think and come up with innovative ideas and concepts which can help steer the Digital India initiative. Gone are the days when infrastructure development was just thought of building rail lines, ports, roads etc. Now is the time to think and think big, as PM Modi says, “Indians must think of how to move from High ways to Information ways.”

If any Indian citizen has thought of suggestions which could indeed help add value to the Digital India initiative, he/she must not waste any time but log on to www.mygov.in, which means My Government (Meri Sarkar), and give suggestions, feedback, and their analysis towards, empowering India Digitally.

Time is ripe to not just to sit back and read in the media about the initiatives of the Government, but to also put in collective minds to use in order to contribute and become a significant part of the Government. That is the beauty of Participative Democracy!

Sudarshan Ramabadran is a Research Associate with India Foundation. The views expressed are his own. 

India Myanmar: Together the Way Ahead

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India Foundation, an independent think tank from New Delhi, in association with Institute for Transnational Studies (ITS), Germany, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute for Asian Studies(MAKAIS), Kolkata and the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS) organised a two day conference: India Myanmar Together the Way Ahead, in Yangon, Myanmar on Nov 21 and 22, 2014.

The conference was inaugurated by Shri. Sushil Modi, Leader of Opposition, Bihar Legislative Council and Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, India, Shri. U Nyunt Maung Shein, Chairman of MISIS and Shri. Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ambassador of India to Myanmar.

Shri. U Nyunt Maung Shein, in his opening remarks at the inauguration said that the conference was a welcome step taken by the think tanks from both countries as this follows the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Myanmar.

“According to PM Modi, Look-East has now become Act-East, and India is actively involved in many cross-border projects. India and Myanmar are close neighbors, and this is the first conference for MISIS with India in 2 years since its reorganization”, he said

Shri. Sushil Modi in his address recalled the historical and cultural connections India shared with Myanmar and called for deeper engagement between both the nations.

“India is the land of Lord Buddha, and thus is an important place of pilgrimage for the people of Myanmar. Similarly Bal Gangadhar Tilak when lodged in Mandalay wrote his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.”, he said. Shri. Modi added that in Myanmar one can come across various South Indian temples as well.

Shri. Modi also cited the vital connection that Subhash Chandra Bose shared with the people of Myanmar. “Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose raised his army comprising of 40,000 soldiers from both India and Myanmar. Aung San, Burmese independence hero, was a friend of Netaji in Myanmar.” he said

Shri. Modi also advocated the idea of sourcing consumer goods from Myanmar than from far off places. “Looking North-East and towards the region around it, including Myanmar and Bangladesh will help eradicate poverty. It makes more sense to source consumer goods from Myanmar than from other far off places in India, as this region could be a “natural economic zone”. , he said

Towards closer engagement between both the countries, Shri. Modi called for setting up a large multi modal Special Economic Zone near Sittwe, a 10 year programme to share benefits of Science and Technology, modus operandi through which experiences of democratic institutions can be shared and a Memorandum of Understanding between both countries in the field of Defence Co-operation.

Ambassador Shri.Gautam Mukhopadhyay said that the new government in India has a vision that leads India to the South- East which can in turn lead towards a significant relationship between India and Myanmar in the future.

“Myanmar and India relations face a deficit in terms of trade, investment and connectivity. In the coming years, we must attempt to balance and bridge this gap. Fortunately the ASEAN master-plan and the East-West Corridor give us an opportunity to further strengthen ties.” he said

The conference then progressed to discuss issues of common interest like Overview of Political, Social and Economic Developments, Enhancing Trade and Investment, including opportunities and challenges, followed by Regional Connectivity and Linkages, and Terrorism and National Security Concerns.

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Overview of Political, Social and Economic Developments

The session focussed on speakers elucidating the current political, social and economic developments in both the countries. Shri. U Denzel Abel from MISIS in his presentation explained that Myanmar is under a reform process and the President of Myanmar is keen for a successful and a peaceful reform process.

“Over time there has been a significant change in Myanmar, this has given rise to a better understanding of internal dynamics which can pave way for her reform process”, he said.

Abel also acknowledged that Myanmar is not a unitary actor and that there are many forces at play, one among them is the armed forces.  He explained that many in Myanmar see USA and China as important bilateral partners.

“Today, Myanmar operates under three notes, USA, China and the role of the international community.” he said. Abel added that because of the triangle there is meant to be instability and thus there is an urgent need to maintain the right balance. Abel also mentioned that to contribute to the country’s peace process many countries have come forward such as Norway, Switzerland, Australia and Japan.

Shri.U Than Lwin, Deputy Chairman, KBZ Bank, Myanmar put forth perspectives on the economic reforms front which Myanmar has undergone over years. “Nationalization of banks and private businesses led to Myanmar becoming one of the poorest in Southeast Asia.”, he said. Lwin said the main challenges which Myanmar faces today is Capacity Building and Acquisition of Financial Technology. He said this can be dealt with, by enabling entry of foreign banks and significantly return of Myanmar nationals from abroad who can help with capacity building.  Lwin also hoped to see more Indian banks in Myanmar in the near future.

Shri. G Parthasarathy, Former Ambassador of India previously to countries like Myanmar, Australia and Pakistan said, India has maintained steady and good relations with everyone including the European Union and the USA, he however termed the relations with China as challenging.

Parthasarathy also reiterated that days when India kept shy of active military engagement are over. “We want to keep a balance of power, and believe in domination by no one.” he said. Parthasarathy put forth that for India’s interests, Myanmar’s unity is crucial and thus Myanmar’s co-operation was valued in the borders. He added that India is not here to make money but to support Myanmar ably.

Shri. Dattesh Parulekar, Assistant Professor, International Relations, Goa University, in his address said there are four important dimensions to India’s foreign policy, Rediscover significance in neighbourhood, Focus on extended neighbourhood, South-South cooperation and Focus on gateway to the East. He maintained that India is looking at Myanmar with a qualitative foreign policy. “Early in the 90s, we looked at Myanmar only with a security perspective, but today, building relations in the region is not a counterbalance effort, the idea is to diversify foreign policy”

Enhancing Trade and Investment: Opportunities and Challenges

The session focussed on the investment and trade opportunities prevalent in both the nations.

Shri. V.S. Seshadri, Former Ambassador of India to Myanmar in his talk called for close and cordial economic relations. “Both the Governments in India and Myanmar are focussed on Infrastructure. There is a need for investment in the field of Services, Education and Health Care in both the countries.” he said

Shri. V.S. Seshadri pointed out that Myanmar today enjoys a trade surplus of over $1 billion dollars with India and that there are moderate levels of growth in terms of bilateral trade. He also called for improving and diversifying border trade between both the countries.

Seshadri noted that think tanks have an important role to play in formalising and strengthening trade mechanisms. He also said that Indian investors need to invest in Myanmar just like how they have become significant investors in other countries.

Shri.Khin Maung Nyo, Economist and Adviser, MISIS, who spoke next, called for early action in terms of India’s Act East Policy. Khin noted that people from Myanmar prefer goods from China than India because they are cheaper compared to India and because of Myanmar’s social construct.

“The Indian Prime Minister is keen to build infrastructure to regulate the flow of goods in the region, which is a welcome sign.  Indian – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement can add great impetus to trade within the region. Moreh and Imphal in Manipur can play a significant role in the years to come when new train, road, air and internet connectivity arrives.” he said

Shri. Shakti Sinha, Former IAS Officer from New Delhi, in his address stressed on PM Modi’s 3 Cs : Culture, Connectivity and Commerce and in this context, called for trade to be seen in a big picture.

“Myanmar is India’s gateway to the ASEAN. We must keep in mind that it is always easier to become part of a larger supply chain, than to go with a single product. It is always a range of economic activities spread all across the economy that makes a difference – not just one or two big investments.” he said

Shri. Shakti noted that there is a huge potential in Myanmar for oil, gas etc and that India’s biggest export unit is by itself petrol. And in so far as Indian FDI into Myanmar, Shri. Shakti termed it as very low and that there was a long way to go for both countries to become economic partners.

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Regional Connectivity and Linkages

Speaking in this session, Shri.U Wynn Lwin of MISIS said that ASEAN and India should look at developing PPP (Private Public Partnership) models to facilitate connectivity which will enable greater momentum towards bilateral trade. Linn also stated that it was good to see India support the ASEAN master plan.

Shri. Jaideep Saikia, South Asian Security and Terrorism Analyst, reiterated Indian Government’s policy to ensure adequate and quality infrastructure in North East India and pointed out that there is a need for a sustainable development plan for the North Eastern region of India which can help benefit both Myanmar and India on the connectivity front.

Shri. U Ba Hla Aye, Joint Secretary 2, MISIS, who spoke next, mentioned that some of the constraints to ensure better connectivity between both countries include rugged terrain, weather, lack of resources, adequate security, illegal immigration, human trafficking, and legal instruments.

In conclusion, Shri. Anirban Ganguly, Director, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Foundation, New Delhi, called for greater participation of India’s study share in key universities of Myanmar and said it is imperative that India and Myanmar together uphold their civilizational partnership to envision the Asian Century.

Counter Terrorism

Prof. Daw Carole Ann Chit Tha, Member of MISIS, opened this session by stating that terrorism has become a vicious challenge for the global administration. She further explained that the last two decades has witnessed the rise of Islamic State and Extremism.

“ISIS is better than Al Qaeda in generating its own resources. The emergence of ISIS will lead to more violent groups to come up in the region.” she said

Ambassador U Hla Myint, Executive Director, MISIS,who spoke next said that religious extremism is not a recent phenomenon but a driver of terrorism, she further elaborated that India has the highest number of terror incidents in the world, all funded and managed by religious drivers.

Lt. General KT Parnaik, Former GoC- In Charge of the Northern Command, Indian Army, put forth his views by stating that  Islamic extremism came to India after the 1971 Pak-India war and that many Indian groups get support from across the border. Towards this he called for both Myanmar and India to collaborate and work together towards problems brewing across the border.

“Intelligence- based people friendly approaches, training establishments for counter-terrorist operations and fighting inside out rather than outside-inside approach is need of the hour.” he said

Finally, Alok Bansal, Director, Centre for Security and Strategy, India Foundation said that Islamic Radicalization was a common problem for both India and Myanmar and it is in this context that close co-operation between both nations is critical.

“Calibrated De-radicalization programmes are the need now, for instance Cyber media is very potent and plays a significant role in radicalization even before physical content. Thus there is a need to craft a deradicalization programme in addressing this specific issue as well. “, he said

Dr. Klaus Lange, CEO, ITS in his concluding remarks stated that Europe is interested in Myanmar – India relations because Europe is increasingly running the risk of losing its identity. “One of the ways to regain this identity is through interaction with new partners and the most ideal partners are in South Asia today.” he said

Shri. Sitaram Sharma, Chairman, MAKAIS, termed the two day conference as fruitful. “Deliberations over both the days have showed us that both public and private sectors have a role to play in bringing both the countries together. We hope that the deliberations will also pave way for a pragmatic foreign policy between both the countries in the days and years to come.” he said

Shri. Shaurya Doval, Director, India Foundation, called the two day conference which witnessed discussion surrounding a gamut of issues which are of common interest and concern to both the nations a success.

“We must make bilateral exchanges between think tanks of both countries an annual affair. We now look forward to MISIS visiting India next year and participating in a conference on similar lines in order to contribute to a long lasting relationship between both countries.” he said.

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One India, Clean India

~ By Prasanna Karthik

It has been some time since the launch of the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” and India’s streets are not sparkling clean. To many naysayers and critics, this is an irrefutable testimony attesting the colossal failure of the campaign launched by India’s Prime Minister (PM)NarendraModi. Many critics of the PM and the campaignboycotted the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as they claimed that the campaign was merely a photo-ops event driven purely by political motives.ThePM of the world’s largest democracy has tobe a politician and every act of his will be covered by the media, but  that does not mean that the PM should shut himself within the walls of his office? Secondly, when an average Indian (which includes the critics of the campaign) picks the broom and sweeps the streets, no journalist would come to takepictures and publicise it. The campaign was clearly an occasion for the average Indian to clean the nation and make a difference without posing for the shutter-bugs.

Nobody believedthat a day’s effort could remove the dirt accumulateddue to conscious negligence and wilful indulgence by a nation of 1.25 billion people over a period of 67 years. In fact, even if the whole of India were to come together and wield the broom on a single day, nothing much would change because sweeping alone is not the solution to India’s cleanliness problem; there are other issues as well such as sanitation infrastructure, garbage bins, waste management, town planning, civic training etc. However, is it advisable to wait till every requirement is in place or should a start be made with whatever is available and intelligent improvements are made as the campaign progresses? For 67 years Indians have waited, allowing theirstreets to stink and the nation to rot.

People committed to a clean India and those who heeded the PM’s call; do not believe that cleaning India is easy; they only believe that it is feasible and that needs to be done at any cost. Sweeping the streets on the 02 October was not an act of tokenism but one of symbolism – symbolising the possibilities Indiacan create if only Indians fire their moral imagination and get their act together. The critics should understand that there are bound to be short comings in the start to this long journey, but criticising is not going to improve things. Viscerally criticising the campaign trough myriad ways of intellectualisation and theorising on the issue, is only a mask to cover intentions to promote oneself at the cost of the nation. Supporters of the campaign should understand that sweeping the streets on a certain day can only be the beginning and never the end.

While politicians are criticized for politicizing issues of national and social importance,by labelling the campaign as a politically one, it is the critics of the campaign who are politicizing it; preventing politiciansfrom doing any good to the society. The dislike for a certain leader should not fester into a hardened opposition to noble tasks. Leaders come and go, however,the idea of India is eternal and the quest for a clean Indiapermanent. It is high time Indians begin to differentiate between a political move and a national movement. Sadly there are manyIndians who would want theirPM to fail, than have their nation succeed.

In India, sweeping is mainly reserved for people from certain social groups; this is inhuman and has to change. The act of coming together and wielding the broom was an opportunity for people from all social groups to challenge a discriminatory norm, by doing a job reserved for social groups that many assume are condemned by birth to take up such tasks. This was an opportunity to get into their shoes (many actually can’t afford a pair though),feel their pain, and change it. All those who criticise this campaign are in a way saying that cleaning is a job reserved for people of a certain social group only. Caste based discrimination is cruel and no social group should be earmarked for any tasks, be it the task of leading the world’s largest democracy or sweeping its streets. However, if people choose to become sweepers not out of compulsion or choice-less-ness but out of their own volition, they still need to be provided the right pay, amenities and technological supportso that their job doesn’t entail loss of human dignity. Sitting back and criticising the campaign will not help anyone move an inch in promoting cleanliness or restoring human dignity.

The campaign has several stages of progress, but its start has been effective. For the first time, the brand ambassador of a national campaign is not a cricketer or a Bollywood actor; but the PM himself and this puts a lot of pressure on the administration at every level. The PM also realises that having him alone as the brand ambassador may not be sufficient and hence he roped in nine other well-known people, cutting across political and social divide, to lead the campaign in their circuits. These nine people are news makers in their own way and can givefurther impetus to the movement by their own actions and by furthering the chain of nominations. So clearly, the campaign was launched not as an event that will peter out in a day, but as a movement which will have its own self-sustaining mechanism and momentum to reach out to every corner of the nation and remove the filth and dirt present there.

When Jacquiline Kennedy, the former First Lady of the United States visited India, the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru invited a snake charmer to his residence to show her snake charming tricks. From there, we have moved on to have a PM who is keen toshow India’s best face to the world. Unfortunately, there are many areas where India and Indians needs to change; fortunatelyIndia’sPM is willing to take charge and lead from the front. But a nation of 1.25 billion people cannot be cleaned by one Prime Minister; but if 1.25 billion people join hands in this noble mission, they can achieve what even the PM cannot achieve. On 02 October, every Indian had the chance.

Now that 02 October  is over, the real job begins. Indians need to commit themselves to keep the nation clean by not making it dirty and by not allowing others to make it dirty. Indian politicians should be held accountable in this area of work. Public must use the communication channels (www.mygov.in) introduced by the PM to share ideas that will make this campaign better. Voters must know who in the political-governance structure is responsible for which aspect of cleanliness and push them to do their respective duties. But before that, Indians need to rise beyond differences of all kinds.

Lack of cleanliness is a huge problem to be ignoredand need to be solved expeditiously.  The PM has given it a time frame of five years; India should not miss the chance.

Prasanna Karthik is a management consultant and the views expressed are his own. 

Narendra Nath to Narendra Modi

~ By Guru Prakash

India is the cradle of human race,the birthplace of human speech,the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.”   -Mark Twain

Envisioning and building a world movement has always remained one of the chief prerogatives of Indian thinkers. Armed with spirituality and a unique civilization, India has guided the searchlight towards the realization of spiritual development of the world. In the following lines, a modest attempt has been made to draw parallels between the century old historical visit of Swami Vivekananda and the recently concluded tour of the Prime Minister (PM) of India, Shri Narendra Modi, to the United States of America.

As Shri Modi touched base at the John F Kennedy Airport, United States of America, a fresh wave of optimism was palpable among the ambassadorial fraternity of the world. The strategic thinkers and the discourse builders of diplomacy were in complete awe of an individual who is a representative of over one sixth of the humanity. Not only did Shri Modi speak on behalf of his countrymen at the world collegium of leaders in the General assembly of the United Nations, but he also represented the rich and unparalleled cultural and spiritual heritage of his homeland.

The first interface between India and the United States was impervious to the considerations of realpolitik. A Sage through his wisdom formed the bedrock of synergy between the two countries. Similar ecstasy as of today prevailed on the shores of America when another Yogi illuminated the World Parliament of Religions almost a century ago. Swami Vivekananda’s address to the parliament began with ‘Brothers and Sisters of America’ that still thrills the conscience of many. Swami Ji received a standing ovation and substantially reoriented the western notion on Indic knowledge. It was a watershed moment for India that introduced its depth and spiritual prowess to the world. The speech is still regarded as a gospel for religious leaders throughout different faiths and regions. Ideas evolve but values travels through the passage of time. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi today is a representative of similar heritage. India and America have shared an identity based on democracy and development. Although the dynamics of international relations have been redefined with the evolution of prerogatives and policy landscapes, India as a nation has always stood on the unshakeable principles of pragmatic idealism, cultural uniformity and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’– (World is a family). Barring few exceptions, the two nations have ushered in harmony with a strong belief in uninterrupted growth and development of its region and people alike.

Investment opportunities, defense ties, P2P (People to People) interface, social security of workers are expected to be the priority areas of collaboration between both the countries in the days to come. The PM of India known for his tough but practical negotiating skills is certain to ensure that substantial portion of benefits reach his countrymen without a doubt. The new era of friendship under his able supervision and visionary guidance is set to take this pivotal bilateral relationship to a different level.

The world leaders at the General Assembly of the United Nations and keen followers of diplomacy were eagerly looking forward to hear the PM at UNGA (United Nations General Assembly). Through his illuminating address, he outlined a visionary roadmap for the world free from the scourge of terrorism and elucidated a deliberative forum comprising of all nations, in the name of G-All. Emphasis was rightly laid upon “Comprehensive International Convention on Terror” wherein he urged the leaders to get together and resolve the impasse on terrorism and related disruptive activities that have now become a stumbling block to peace and human development in the world. He added that a misplaced notion of Good terrorism and Bad terrorism is only a tool to mislead the fight against the ghastly act of terror. With the objective of popularizing Yoga at the global platform, he proposed the ‘International Year of Yoga’ which was hugely applauded and supported by the South Asian nations. An unusual display of statecraft was visible when the Prime Minister strongly registered his disapproval of Pakistan’s incessant approach of internationalizing the issue of Jammu & Kashmir. By avoiding a harsh tone he successfully drove home the point that no talk can occur in the shadow of terror and Pakistan should endeavor for an amicable environment to resume the dialogue on any pertinent issue. The social media was abuzz with his speech and a noticeable excitement was palpable. One of the commentators on Facebook termed it as “N.A.M to NAMO doctrine of assertion” in International relations.

After the General Assembly it was the turn of Madison Square Garden to host the PM. As expected he straightway struck an emotional chord with the Indian diaspora. Outlining the avenues of mutual exercises, he listed out three great advantages that are unique to India in the form of Democracy, Demography and Demand. In his quintessential tenor of integrating a pinch of humor to realistic issues, he enthralled the audience of over 20,000 in the garden and more viewing it on special huge screens planted at the exotic Times Square and other places. He reiterated Good Governance and Development have to be made a mass movement similar to the national struggle for independence. True to this, his address was an appeal to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and other overseas citizens to participate in the process of development of their homeland. Merging of OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) and PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) schemes was announced for the convenience and ease of travel for the Indians residing in America. Apart from removing the regulatory bottlenecks, the Prime Minister also enlightened the audience on the recently launched ‘Make in India’ campaign. India will graciously welcome everyone with red carpet. By terming 21st century as the Indian century, he enthused optimism in every one present. The PM also reinforced that, Climate Change is imperative for Sustainable Development. He outlined that home for all by 2022 and ending financial untouchability are among the important commitments of his Government. The address culminated with huge cheers and applause for the unmatchable grace of the Shri Narendra Modi.

With the requisite level of faith and hope, we are destined to rekindle the meaningful engagement with the United States of America. The fusion of age-old spiritual wisdom with modern dynamics of development can indeed do the needful. The abiding faith and consolidated resolve of the oldest and largest democracies will set an example of sustainable development and inclusive growth for the world.

Guru Prakash is a Research Scholar at University of Delhi. He has been a Research Associate at Indian Foundation.  The views expressed are his own.

PM Narendra Modi in US

~ By Ram Madhav Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to set foot on US at around 2 PM today. Hours before his arrival in the US, excitement is palpable everywhere. PM Modi is not the first Indian Prime Minister to visit this country, nor is he going to be the last. Yet his visit, maiden one after becoming the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, has generated tremendous interest and interest among not only the Indian American community but also among the US Law-makers, administration and the government.

Shri Narendra Modi is visiting US after a stupendous victory three months ago in the world’s largest democracy where an electorate bigger than the population of USA and Europe has used its democratic right of franchise to elect him as their leader. He pulled off a sort of revolution by securing majority to the BJP on its own thus forming a coalition government that is absolutely stable and strong. PM Modi’s support base includes all sections of Indian society, most importantly the youth. He represents the aspirational young population of India.

Naturally the expectations are that through this visit PM Modi will rejuvenate Indo-US ties that have slowed down in the last few years due to various domestic and international factors. During his visit to India in 2010 President Obama had called for making Indo-Us relationship “the defining partnership in the 21st Century”. The US administration certainly looks up to PM Modi’s visit for such a major leap forward.

For PM Modi this is not a bilateral visit alone. He is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday. The world leaders are keenly looking forward to his address to the UNGA and his position on various international issues. Pakistan Prime Minister’s speech, scheduled for a day early, is likely to touch upon a raw nerve or two too. Besides, PM Modi has bilateral meetings lined up with a few important heads of nations. However the bilateral part of the visit that takes place on 29-30 September is what the people in India and the US are eagerly looking forward to.

Prime Minister’s engagements include meetings with business leaders, investor companies and Indian American community. He is also scheduled to meet President Obama for a Summit Meeting followed by meetings with Vice President, Speaker etc. Thus his visit includes G2B – Government to Business and G2P – Government to People agenda besides of course G2G – Government to Government agenda.

PM Modi’s USP is his single-minded focus on India’s economic development. He has set his eyes on the goal of making every Indian rich in a few years from now. Towards that end his government is pursuing a number of economic policies that have the power of propelling inclusive economic development. As part of his drive to strengthen India’s economic basics he is also scouting for INVESTMENTS to flow into India.

He did it in Japan and with China; and he is expected to do the same here in the US. For sometime now India’s economic climate has been vitiated so much by wrong policies that the investor is scared to look at an otherwise goldmine-like MARKET in india. PM Modi’s biggest challenge is to bring back investor confidence in India. He has to reassure the global investor that there won’t be any sudden taxation regime changes.

There is considerable enthusiasm in the business community in US over his visit. They had seen him as Chief Minister of Gujarat successfully pursuing development-oriented economic policies that have benefited his people greatly. They expect him to do the same at the national level as Prime Minister. This forms his G2B engagement in US.

His G2G engagement is also crucial. As two world’s important and big democracies, India and US have many shared objectives and concerns. Besides economics India and US share a major common concern in the form of terrorism. Terrorism is an enemy of democracies. It is a global menace now. Both our countries have been working together on issues of terrorism and homeland security. Furthering this cooperation in fight against global terror is an important issue for both the governments.

There is a need for the US to review its policy with regard to addressing this global terror network. We have the epicentre of global terror in India’s neighbourhood. The US must keep in mind that a stable and strong government in Afghanistan is critical to addressing the menace of terrorism.

India and US have been cooperating in defence related sectors too. India is committed to strengthen its defence establishment in view of the regional environment it is forced to live in. There is no clash of interests for both our countries in this regard. However the US shouldn’t see India merely as an export destination for defence equipment. PM Modi is keen on making India a manufacturer not only of consumer goods but also defence equipment. His Make in India campaign includes both high-tech and low-tech industry. The US can use technology transfer route to boost India’s defence industry.

The most important factor in Indo-US relations is the more than 4 million Indians living in this country. They are greatly excited over the visit of PM Modi. He is going to address them on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. It is a basket ball stadium and the biggest available one in New York with a seating capacity of about 20,000. The stadium is already overbooked for PM Modi’s event being hosted by Indian American Community Foundation. The fact that no other world leader has ever attempted such a big event in New York goes to show the popularity of PM Modi and the enthusiasm of the Indian American community to meet and greet him. A large number of Congressmen are also expected to turn up at the event to greet Modi.

Prime Minister Modi today represents a new India of 1.2 billion self-confident Indians. The US administration and the world leaders will see a leader who is himself confidence personified. And they will learn to deal with a new India – youthful, energetic and eager to grow and progress. India’s rise is a good news for all those who care for peace, stability and prosperity in the world.

And Prime Minister Modi is the leader destined to script that growth story for India.

Ram Madhav Varanasi is the General Secretary of Bhartiya Janata Party and the Director of India Foundation. The views expressed are his own. 

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