Foreign Hand

Such is Shyam Saran8217;s formidable reputation as he commits the Himalayas to memory and arrives in the hot, hot plains of New Delhi. The highest point here, geographically at least is Raisina Hill, on top of which sits South Block. Down the corridor from the Foreign Secretary8217;s office is the Prime Minister8217;s Office8212;where Manmohan Singh really sits. Surrounded by the other power centres, over the next two years and two months, Saran has the opportunity to run India8217;s foreign policy like nobody else since J N Dixit did just under a decade ago.

As a 1970 batch officer, Saran, 58, supercedes six officers in the IFS 8212; another bloodless coup. He cut his teeth in the diplomatic service in China and learnt to speak fluent Mandarin 8212; a considerable asset in the highly stylised world of Chinese pomp and power. Interestingly, the 8216;8216;Chinese mafia8217;8217; has nicely run the Foreign Office these last few years: Brajesh Mishra was a China hand remember the time Mao smiled at him?, so is Natwar Singh. J N Dixit, the current National Security Advisor, also inherits the mantle of the Special Representative on the boundary issue with Beijing. Saran understands the Chinese that will be spoken at these meetings, he doesn8217;t really need an interpreter.

Interestingly, Saran confirms the recent trend in Foreign Secretaries in New Delhi, of not really being a Pakistan hand. For a start, he has never served in Islamabad. Neither did Kanwal Sibal and it never stopped him. Instead, Saran has served in other key assignments such as Myanmar apart from starting a magnificent collection of Buddhas, Saran enabled Maung Aye, a top general in the Myanmarese military government to end the Indian isolation and visit New Delhi, Mauritius and Indonesia. He served in Geneva, where he was responsible for disarmament issues. He is one of the few Foreign Secretaries who is knowledgeable about multi-lateral issues. In a world dominated by the single hyperpower, Saran8217;s perceptions of the role of the UN, for example, will substantially define India8217;s own policy in the coming years.

Significantly, Saran8217;s choice as Foreign Secretary cuts across the ideological and political spectrum. The BJP wanted him and he was asked to come to Delhi to serve as a Secretary-level officer, in the promise that he would one day be made FS. There was so much to do in Nepal, though. Saran not only set about rebuilding the political relationship with Kathmandu 8212; severely tried during the palace massacre three years ago 8212; but also the economic one. India was given a second consulate in Birganj. He persuaded New Delhi to extend the rail and road network from Bihar into the Terai, so that the fruits of economic development in India could also benefit Nepal.

In Kathmandu last week, as Nepalese and Indian journalists waited to meet the newly reinstated prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, it was a good time to swap gossip. One Nepalese talked about how Saran, having returned from a recent trip to New Delhi, came home from the airport, rested awhile and then drove straight to Deuba8217;s house. It showed, the Nepalese journalist said, among other things, how well Shyam Saran was clued into Nepal.