Modi took no time in coming into his own on foreign policy , something he followed closely even as Gujarat CM.He sprang a surprise with his neighbourhood outreach policy inviting SAARC leaders to his swearing-in and followed it up with a successful visit to Nepal -no Indian PM had visited for 17 years. The move reinforced the primacy of neighbours in India's foreign policy like never before.
The results are showing. A deeply divided country that has for years struggled to frame a Constitution, complaining bitterly of alleged Indian interference, Nepal unanimously endorsed Modi's visit which resulted in India announcing an additional $1 billion concessional credit line. Sri Lanka freed all Indian fishermen from its jails. It's of significance to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) that almost all SAARC leaders have reassured the government they won't allow their territory to be used against India.
Rarely , if ever, has it happened that emissaries from all P5 countries have visited India within the first three months of a new government taking over. That India was chief saboteur of the WTO trade facilitation deal - in the negotiations for which MEA wasn't involved - took some sheen off the new government. But the interest in a Modi-led India isn't waning just yet.
Even before he took charge as PM, Modi made the point that India's ties with the US were too important to be led by personal whims. That he meant it became obvious when he readily accepted President Barack Obama's invite, saving both State Department and MEA the blushes.
Under Modi, MEA has been forced to think of ways to forward India's economic agenda. The decision to make states stakeholders in economic diplomacy emerged from the PM's desire that foreign policy act as a springboard for economic success.This 'state focus' was first put to use with Singapore in August, four CMs visiting the country , soon after Sushma Swaraj's visit, to explore investment possibilities.
MEA 's 100-day report card though isn't devoid of blemishes. Modi showed understanding of geopolitical realities in handling Japan and China. But his line on Pakistan seemed mercurial to many . He surprised Islamabad inviting Nawaz Sharif to his oath taking and with his saree and letter diplomacy , leading to announcement of foreign secretary-level talks. But snubbed him calling off talks over what Islamabad thought was a routine meeting with Hurriyat.
The risk now is that Modi, by not including ceasefire violations as a reason for cancelling scheduled talks, may have painted himself so much into a corner that any future dialogue resumption exercise could turn a zero-sum game for both countries.
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