Downplaying The External Threat

Context: While the Indian foreign policy has achieved remarkable milestones in integrating its views with the world, the outright downplaying of the Indian foreign policy is unfair.

Achievement of India’s foreign policy:

• Nuclear diplomacy: The NDA made India nuclear, initiated strategic discussions to resolve nuclear differences, leading eventually to the India-US nuclear deal under the UPA.
• Gulf diplomacy: Openings towards the conservative Gulf states created by the UPA have been remarkably broadened.
• Integrating West with the East:
  • The India-US Malabar exercises resumed under the UPA and now include Japan and Australia.
  • The Look East policy of the UPA became the Act East policy under the NDA.
  • The Indo-Pacific concept, first formulated by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on our soil in 2007, has evolved under the NDA.
• Increased attention to neighbours:
  • Attention to neighbours has greatly increased, with PM Modi making frequent visits to their capitals.
  • Maritime security in the Indian Ocean has become a priority.
  • Access to naval bases in the Gulf is now available to the Indian navy. – India’s extended neighbourhood.
  • The cultivation of relations with ASEAN has continued; its leaders were present at the Republic Day celebration in 2018 as chief guests.
• Trading with the West:
  • At the 16th India-EU Leaders Virtual Summit on May 21, where all the 27 leaders were present, a decision to resume negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement was taken.
  • Separately, an Enhanced Trade Partnership Agreement has been signed with post-Brexit UK.
• Utilising the soft power: Actively promoted India’s soft power and its cultural and religious heritage as a tool of foreign policy. In 2014, the UN declared June 21 as Yoga Day annually.
• Quiet but intensive diplomacy: India pursued quiet but intensive diplomacy, coupled with strong military measures, on the far more dangerous eastern Ladakh confrontation.
  • The Indian government stood up the Chinese expansionism in northern Bhutan, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh and South China Sea.
  • Massing 50,000 troops and occupying the Kailash Range heights.
• Active participation with the international flora: Be it the G20 meetings and those of BRICS and SCO.
  • It has built the International Solar Alliance and the Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Coalition.
  • Developed the Indo-Pacific concept, strengthened the Quad, and launched new initiatives (SAGAR) in the Indian Ocean area.
• Peaceful ambitions: While India aspires to be a leading power, there is no officially expressed ambition to be a “Vishwa Guru”, even though the West acts as a “Vishwa Guru” in spreading its values as universal.

Conclusion:

• Critics of the foreign policy should realise all governments leverage foreign policy for a variety of domestic ends, be it economic welfare, security, public expectations, popularity at home, and so on.
  • For e.g. the US war on Iraq and on terror, its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the issue of Russian interference in US elections, our neighbours using the India bogey, China using wolf warrior diplomatic defiance abroad to whip up nationalist sentiments.
• Let us not forget that our external enemies remain the same regardless of who is in power.