MY INDIA - MY VOTE At a time, when foreign policy is defining the thump of a nation, it is high time to raise the debate - where India stands among the superpowers? When the turmoil is the common feature between the superpowers, will the Huntington’s prophecy of ‘clashes of civilization’ taste the reality or is it still the worn-out debate? Among all the hue and cry on the foreign policy debate, is India ready to capture the moment?
The greatest sham in Indian foreign policy is that the Indian political establishment doesn’t even want to ponder or debate on any sort of policies as such.
It is extremely a bureaucratic system, where even civil society ignores it because it doesn’t have any takers in India. But can we afford it and leave it to either in the hands of bureaucratic constitution, which still haven’t come out from the ‘Nehruvian hangover’ or a hyper sensitive media which almost project a war like situation every now and then?
One of the basic features of the foreign policy for any country is the circumstances of her home politics. But in India, the problem is very deep rooted. The growth of ‘Regional parties’ in India and activities of ‘national parties’ such as Congress and BJP with somewhat identical mannerism of regional parties has severely damaged our r foreign policy. But, it’s time we seek a change and without delay, redefine India’s Foreign Policy, only then can we someday see our country,in the list of super-powers.
The non-alignment movement won’t work at all, we need to define our stand and stick with it. Let’s come together for a cause that needs us and our voice. After all, It’s My India, My vote, it must count and It will count. We are presenting our list while, we are open to any suggestions from our readers, policy makers and experts.
TIME TO BOND WITH THY NEIGHBOR’S: We should work towards building an intra-border economic scheme. We must strive to put together Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Myanmar into the Indian economic matrix and Open up Indian markets to them that give them a stake in India's growth.
Water, can be used as a tool of linkage and hence we can build more inland waterways, cross-border water links. Pakistan's internal conditions will remain unsteady for some time so our best bet is to encourage better trading and commercial links.As we know, Better fences make better neighbors. The India-Bangladesh frontier agreement is almost done and a constitutional amendment should go through.
The India-China boundary deal requires political will for some exchange of territory. We should have a political overture ready by the time Xi Jinping visits India later this year. We should start serious border line negotiations with Pakistan. Since it will be politically difficult to exchange territory here, formalizing the LoC into a boundary can make a start.
REACH OUT TO SOUTHEAST ASIA: We must build up an Asian trilateral highway to Thai- land by 2016 as well as the Kaladan multi-modal transport corridor. We can link a new port in Chennai with Dawei in Myanmar and on to Thailand. This is vital to project ourselves as a credible balancing power to China in the Indo-Pacifc region, if we could develop the east-west connections
COMBINE FORCES WITH JAPAN: Japan, as the world knows , is the quality conscious country and we on the other hand have a good command on our defense capability. This could trigger a long lasting and mutually beneficial bond between Japan and India. Japan has the knack to renovate India's economy. It should be invited to build Indian infrastructure. India, on its part, should support Japan in its effort to rebuild its defense capabilities to tackle a resurgent China.
SIGN INVESTMENT PACT WITH UNITED STATES: India should sign a bilateral investment treaty with US as well as endorse for a place in the Trans Pacific Partnership. This will be significant in the future because the global trading system is evolving into smaller arrangements .This would definitely enhance the growth prospect of our nation.
FABRICATE ENERGY CORRIDOR: Fabricate an undersea energy corridor connecting oil terminals in western India to the oil sources in Iran, Qatar etc. We should drive Iran to let us complete the Chahbahar port and the north- south corridor. Both these links will not only open Central Asia and beyond to India, they will also allow India to help stabilize Afghanistan.
PERK UP FOREIGN OFFICE: India has one of the smallest foreign offices in the world with a bench strength of around 1,800 officials.where as, China has three times this number and the US over 20,000. Adding to India's official strength is fundamental. We also need to unearth a new way to recruit and train diplomats – right from picking them up directly from campuses to bringing experts in from various fields,or making employment flexible so people can move between academia and government.
This is the moment for India to seize the opportunity and strongly establish itself on the world dais. Currently, India is enjoying a cordial relationship with both US and Russia at the same time, which is unparalleled.We have had some success in recent past ,in removing Kashmir from the dubious list of UN and managing the ‘Kashmir issue’ as bilateral rather than any International conflicting zone.
This is the high time when New Delhi can negotiate with China for the border dispute on own terms as China is not in a position to create 1962. We must create enough stress on Pakistan for securing our future position in Kashmir. We have to play a substantial role in Afghanistan in 2014 when U.S leaves. The condition in the Arabian Sea is troubling India and we can’t afford to leave it just as internal matters.
Our trade position has to be in the first place for the future and this part has to be secured for the security reasons as well. National interest has always remained the powerful tool for any big nation’s foreign policy and for that we have to come out from the self-made cocoon of non-interference.
India is a state, where civil society is really empowering and Anna Hazare movement of 2011 was a great exemplar of that but until the political establishment doesn’t find that same platform the chaos will prevail and we can’t aspire to become a powerful nation. The intricacy of the world order, at the present point in time is such that a country like India , can become a dominant nation with greater acceptability from Atlantic to Pacific. Lets give our best shot this time in mandate 2014.
No comments:
Post a Comment