In the first diplomatic visit after winning the trust vote in Parliament, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday left for Iran on a two-day visit. While the official context of the visit is to attend the Non Aligned Movement’s (NAM) ministerial conference, Mukherjee also has the objective to re-emphasise the country’s independent foreign policy.While Mukherjee, during his visit between July 29 and 30, will push the $ 7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, his presence will also indicate India’s commitment to NAM and its strong and vocal position stand any military action against Iran. All these put together sends out a signal to the international as well as the domestic audience that India’s foreign policy remains independent even as it pursues the all-important Indo-US nuclear deal.Mukherjee will also use this opportunity to present India’s case for global nuclear cooperation with some NAM countries that are also members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries. Mukherjee will meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Petroleum Minister Gholamhossein Nozari to discuss a range of bilateral, regional and global issues. He is also likely to meet Saeed Jalili, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator and chief secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.This is Mukherjee’s first visit after the Government decided to fast-track the n-deal that could bring the two countries in closer economic and strategic embrace. The visit will be closely watched in Washington, which wants to isolate Tehran over its suspected atomic weapon programme, and resents India’s attempts to forge ties with Iran. The pipeline that aspires to bring Iranian gas to India via Pakistan will figure high in the talks with Iran keen on resolving gas pricing and security issues with New Delhi. During his visit to India on April 29, Ahmedinejad had set a 45-day deadline to sort out issues over the proposed pipeline, but there has been little progress since. The visit will also reaffirm India’s commitment to the ideals of non-alignment, which Washington views with resevation. “As one of the founders of NAM, India remains committed to its purposes and principles, and will continue its active and constructive engagement within it. India will work to further strengthen solidarity and cooperation among the member states of NAM which continues to play a crucial role in international affairs,” the MEA spokesperson said in New Delhi.
