In an off-the-cuff but telling, remark at the start of his tour to Singapore and Cambodia, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee observed that ‘‘Aaj kal, leaders ka koi bharosa nahin hai, (These days, you cannot trust leaders.)’’ The PM made the remark as he entered the executive enclosure of the Air India 001 plane, where he spotted External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nirupama Rao chatting with journalists. ‘‘Aap inke saath shamil ho gaye hain? (Have you have also joined them?)’’ Vajpayee asked to which a journalist quipped, ‘‘She is like our leader,’’ prompting the PM to make the remark. At the Changi Airport, Vajpayee was received by Dr David Lin, Minister for Information and Communications. Accompanying Vajpayee on the trip are Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra, the PM’s foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya and Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie. Among the members of his entourage, it was a senior MEA official who, during an on-flight briefing on the upcoming bilaterals, came closest to admitting that the Gujarat violence had hurt India’s image abroad. ‘‘It is a fact that Gujarat has happened and its impact is bad. But we cannot give up promoting India. What happened in Gujarat is not reflective of the whole nation. We now have to work beyond it,’’ the official said. Apart from business deals to be inked in Singapore, officials said that the issue of terrorism was likely to be raised. The Singapore authorities in December had apprehended 13 members of a fundamentalist group Jemaah Islamiah, which, they maintain, had made them more appreciative of India’s anti-terrorism stand. ‘‘Singapore is another country with which we can fight terrorism unitedly. After combating terrorism for two decades, we are getting better reciprocation from them now,’’ said an MEA official. Aides to the Prime Minister also said that during the business forum meetings arranged on the eve of Vajpayee’s visit — to be attended by 800 business delegates — India will try and garner the ‘‘investable surpluses’’ with Singapore. The service sector, telecommunications and biotechnology will be the major thrust areas for future Indo-Singapore economic ties. And while in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, Vajpayee is expected to announce a major package of assistance, both in form of a transfer of technical expertise as well as fresh investments, probably in Cambodia’s fledgling information technology industry. In the past, India has sent contingents of military personnel to oversee conduct of elections in Cambodia, helped in de-mining operations and supplied humanitarian aid. While details of the fresh package were not available, officials assured it would be ‘‘substantial’’ specially since an Indian Prime Minister is visiting Phnom Penh after 48 years.
