Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Modi

Does Indias new prime minister actually have a foreign

policy?
BY
DHRUVA JAISHANKAR-MAY 19, 2014
Narendra Modi is set to be India's next prime minister after an
election won conclusively by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP! "he combative chief
minister of the western state of #u$arat% he has often been written off as a novice on
forei&n affairs! 'ommentators in India and abroad have dismissed him as havin& (little
forei&n policy experience%( and consider him unli)ely to chan&e the (broad contours of
Indian forei&n policy( -- which have traditionally involved steady% balanced relations
with several partners! *thers paint him as a (hardliner%( &iven his ri&ht-win& base% or
have &enerously over-interpreted portions of his party's election manifesto that have
implied chan&es to India's nuclear posture!
+et few actually listen to what Modi himself has said about his forei&n policy! ,e has
delivered at least three speeches dedicated to international affairs and security since
havin& been anointed his party's prime ministerial candidate in -eptember% and
discussed the sub$ect in several interviews! But this has been lar&ely i&nored by New
.elhi's co&noscenti! (/or his part% Modi dismissed much of the speculation about his
forei&n policy as anuman, or con$ecture!
-o what has Modi actually said0
He has repeatedly stated that foreign policy begins at home. National
security% he said in his first speech in -eptember as the BJP's official prime ministerial
candidate% re1uires a (stron&% patriotic &overnment in .elhi%( while instability arises
from (a lac) of our capacity to understand and accept the viewpoint of the other!( ,e
has described (sta&nancy( as the bi&&est problem facin& the country! (I believe a
stron& economy is the driver of an effective forei&n policy!!!we have to put our own
house in order so that the world is attracted to us%( he said in a speech on India and
the world in *ctober! ("he current dysfunction in .elhi has prevented even much-
needed military moderni2ation and 3the4 up&radation 3sic4 of India's defense
infrastructure!(
But far from resortin& to isolationism% Modi ac)nowled&es the realities of a &lobali2ed
world! (5e are not livin& in 67th or 68th century! 5e are livin& in the 96st century%( he
said in an intervie% addin& that commercial interests now are important shapers of
India's forei&n policy! *n several occasions% both in prepared remar)s and in off-the-
cuff responses% Modi has used the -ans)rit phrase vasudaiva kutumbakam((the world
is a family(% and has stated that (India can offer a lot to the world!( In particular% he
has referred to India's historical ability to create (institutions and intellectual
property%( recallin& ancient centers of learnin& such as Nalanda and "a)shashila!
"he considerations of a &lobali2in& world -- rather than any personal animosity he may
feel about the :!-! &overnment's controversial revocation of his visa under an
obscure law on reli&ious freedom -- have informed his recent public statements%
includin& those concernin& relations with 5ashin&ton! (5hat happened with Modi
does not affect the policies of the country%( he said in an ;pril interview! ,e has also%
rather remar)ably% refrained from spea)in& ne&atively about :!-! surveillance
activities% even when &iven the opportunity to do so recently by an interviewer! More
si&nificantly% he has critici2ed some of the previous Indian &overnment's economic
policies that have adversely influenced relations with 5ashin&ton% and described as a
(breach of trust( New .elhi's retroactive tax on <odafone! (It's not as if people from
other countries don't li)e India% that they don't want to invest here%( he said in ;pril!
But if (the constant policy chan&es by the &overnment( could be stabili2ed% he said%
that would increase confidence!
"he twin ob$ectives of national security and deeper commercial lin)s are reflected in
Modi's recent statements on Pa)istan and 'hina% two countries with which India has
lon&standin& territorial disputes! *n Pa)istan% Modi has said that it is (better to )eep
&ood relations%( whileadding that to hold tal)s with Islamabad% (the blasts and &unfire
first have to stop!( In 9=6>% he called on India% Pa)istan% and Ban&ladesh to wa&e war
on (poverty% illiteracy% and superstition%( and ur&ed Pa)istan to (abandon its anti-India
politics and become a friendly country!(
-imilarly% while much has been made of Modi's willin&ness to do b!siness ith
"hina% he has stressed that there should (not be any compromise on India's interest!(
?eferencin& a recent boo# by his collea&ue ;run -hourie% Modi said that (India is
ma)in& a moc)ery of itself with its limited and timid approach( to 'hina! ;nd spea)in&
in /ebruary in Ar!nachal $radesh -- a state that Bei$in& claims -- Modi said that
('hina should &ive up its expansionist attitude and adopt a developmental mindset!(
?e&ardin& both Pa)istan and 'hina% Modi has spo)en hi&hly of former Prime Minister
;tal Bihari <a$payee's ability to balance shakti and shanti (stren&th and peace!
"wo other countries have featured prominently in Modi's actions in #u$arat% althou&h
less in his public statements since he be&an campai&nin& for prime minister! *ne is
Japan% a rare bri&ht spot in India's forei&n relations over the past couple of years! Modi
met with Japan's current prime minister% -hin2o ;be% on visits to "o)yo in 9==@ --
durin& ;be's previous prime ministerial tenure -- and a&ain in 9=69% when ;be was in
the opposition! ,e has spo)en of trying to em!late Japan's hi&h-speed rail networ)
so as to brin& India's enormous railway system into the 96st century% and Japanese
companies are amon& the lar&est investors in #u$arat!
In addition% Modi has expressed his admiration for Israel% a state no sittin& Indian
prime minister has ever been to% but which he visited in 9==A for a bilateral summit
on a&ricultural cooperation! Modi often spea)s of India learnin& from Israeli best
practices in moderni2in& its massive a&ricultural sector! ,e has
also disc!ssed cooperation with Israeli diplomats on areas includin& renewable
ener&y% pharmaceuticals% and water use% amon& others!
But Modi's views have not been restricted to trade and investment% technolo&ical
cooperation% and border security! -ince nuclear weapons have traditionally proved a
litmus test of every Indian prime minister's national security credentials% Modi's views
on this matter carry wei&ht! Inhis %ctober speech% he praised <a$payee's decision to
&reen li&ht India's nuclear tests despite international pressure% but also lauded the
former prime minister's commitment to a (no first use( nuclear doctrine! ;fter rumors
swirled that a BJP &overnment might revisit that tenet% Modireiterated in ;pril that
(Bno first use' is a very &ood initiative of 3<a$payee4 and there is no compromise on this!
5e are very clear on this!( Nuclear proliferation is not the only multilateral issue on
which he has opined! ,e has proposed% for example% the creation of a #7C#9=-type
&roupin& to cooperate on solar ener&y technolo&ies in order to address the (bi&
challen&e( of &lobal warmin&!
;s in any democratic process% statements made durin& what Modi hasdescribed as
the (fever( of an election campai&n may not translate directly into policy! .espite an
impressive mandate% he will have to wor) with an established bureaucracy and political
partners in India and abroad! But India's next leader certainly has spelled out how he
wants to pro$ect himself as a &lobal leader! 5ith his overwhelmin& electoral victory%
the world would do well to ta)e notice!