The foreign policy hand

To engage a changing world, argued the late J.N. Dixit in these columns, India needs a flexible foreign policy. He went on to steer our fore...

To engage a changing world, argued the late J.N. Dixit in these columns, India needs a flexible foreign policy. He went on to steer our foreign and security policy with an unshakeable faith in India’s unrealised potential.

Last month, Yashwant Sinha, asked in Rajya Sabha: who decides foreign policy, the PMO, foreign office, home ministry or defence ministry? Not a good question, surely, from a former foreign minister who must know that in the modern age, the PM, and he alone with a team of good advisers, is the driver of foreign and national security policies. In the late national security adviser, he had someone with strategic realism and a maximalist vision and whom he implicitly trusted.

In the NDA era, there was exuberant euphoria because President Bush once led Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh by the elbow into the Oval Office. The ‘‘feel good’’ and ‘‘India shining’’ factors were at play, making South Block miss the wood for the trees.

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In the US of the Reagan era, columnist Art Buchwald had wondered as to who made US foreign policy. After a process of elimination, he concluded, ‘‘It isn’t anyone in the State Department. Not Alexander Haig — he merely interfered. George Shultz read the Washington Post to know what was happening. Yes, Caspar Weinberger was an old pal of the Prez but he was not Mr Big. Nancy? — couldn’t be her although she had the ear of the Prez. Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick? — wouldn’t it be wild if a woman was in charge of US policy!’’ He continued, ‘‘It has to be someone in the White House. Vice President George Bush? No, when did any Veep have a say in foreign policy? The kitchen cabinet? — it doesn’t exist anymore, all having returned to California after the election. Who is it then? Could Reagan himself be Mr Big? Why not, he has the authority, although he doesn’t understand foreign affairs.’’ The thought was too mind-boggling and Buchwald had left it at that.

In the Janata Party rule of the 70s, the irrepressible Vasant Sathe had summarised MEA policy by gleefully telling Parliament that ‘‘Morarjeebhai is laying down the foreign policy and Secretary Jagat Mehta is implementing it after Foreign Minister Ataljee has translated it into Hindi!’’ More recently, to use Natwar Singh’s most quotable quote, the Vajpayee-led coalition made some ‘‘energetic somersaults’’. It was accused by the Opposition of ‘‘crawling when asked to bend by Washington’’.

Those members of the Opposition now sit on the ruling benches while New Delhi is consolidating a fine-tuned policy. And, what is more, it is in consonance with our history of peaceful coexistence alongside Islam, that is already the envy of a world challenged by Muslim fundamentalists. The ship of state is set on a steady course.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

Statehood protest takes violent turn in Ladakh, BJP office set ablaze in Leh

India1 hr ago

Protests in Ladakh turned violent as students and youth organisations demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule status. Two elderly protesters fainted, prompting a shutdown call. A BJP office and security vehicle were set on fire. Activist Sonam Wangchuk urged for a peaceful approach. The demand for Sixth Schedule status is due to Ladakh's tribal-majority population and direct central administration.

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