India was and continues to be perceived through a foreign lens. With Indians unquestioningly subscribing to this vision, the Western definition of India dominated the worldview. Outlining the metamorphosis of India's foreign policy stratagem, former diplomat and India’s external affairs minister Dr Subramanyam Jaishankar in his first work, “The India Way: Strategies For An Uncertain World” expertly laid out India’s approach to tackle the global turbulences. His latest book, “Why Bharat Matters”, presents a strategic overview of India’s perspective on contemporary global challenges. Unabashedly crediting the Indian values, beliefs and the role of ethos in shaping India’s foreign policy, the book swiftly segues into the importance of foreign policy and its impact on our daily lives.
With over five
decades of experience as a career diplomat and now leading the role the
implementing foreign policy, the ideation of Jaishankar, a distillate of wisdom
dissects the global vulnerabilities clinically. Adeptly integrating the role of
domestic growth with the bigger picture he presents the larger canvas of the
international scenario with an Indian perspective. While his first work dotted
on the strategic acumen at play in Mahabharata, his current work competently
extracts relevant episodes of Ramayana to interpret the foreign policy
perspective. To a world, accustomed to generously drawing from Iliad’s Homer
epithets, Jaishankar narrates about diplomatic geniuses like Hanuman, Angad and
Tara of Ramayana in his book.
In the
context of the need to cultivate awareness about competitors, Jaishankar draws
from Rama’s encounters with various demons and the display of his capabilities
in confrontation with Parashurama. Delving into the jostling of rising powers,
he aptly refers to the competition between Sage Vasistha and King Kaushika
(Vishwamitra) where the drive to push ahead is spurred by humiliation even
though the former was at peace with himself. These ‘value-additions’ definitely
sets the books apart in establishing a quick connection with Indic
proclivities.
Comprising
eleven engaging essays, the book encapsulates national interests, articulates
India’s position and attempts to find solutions. Elucidating the five phenomena
that have dominated the last couple of decades- globalisation, rebalancing,
multipolarity, the impact of technology and games that nations play, Jaishankar
also reminds rising powers like India of the tasks at hand. He underscores the
importance of balancing amid the North-South divide and East-West dissensions
and the importance of diplomacy.
Diplomacy,
he calls is the “natural partner of defense as military confrontations end
at conference table”. He says, “foreign policies and defense policies
are joined at the hip” and advocates building capabilities and deterrence
through multiple acquisitions from different countries. “Diplomacy supports,
empowers and facilitates national security efforts”, he says and warns
about the “separatism, violence, fundamentalism propagated from far-off
destinations”. Implicitly hitting out at countries that downplay preaching
of violence against others as not at odds with democratic rights, he favoured
firmer diplomatic measures.
Lucidity,
the hallmark of his oration is characteristically reflected in his writing
style. The choice of words and crisp sentences evocatively sustain the import
of his messaging. At the helm of the affairs, Jaishankar has lent a distinct
sharpness to Indian foreign policy. His straight talk is mirrored in the book
where he indicates, “Diplomacy has a responsibility of both shield and sword
of polity”. Reinforcing the importance of effective foreign policy, he
narrates how modern economies like Japan, Korea and China have used it to
create new capacities at home through wide-ranging external interactions in
obtaining technology, resources and best practices.
Under Modi,
Jaishankar argues that India has embraced a mindset of using foreign policy as
an instrument to accelerate national development, and modernisation by
effectively wooing the world for best practices. Expounding that economic
security and national security are deeply intertwined, the strategic clarity of
the present government on various aspects has helped India to tide through the
worst cataclysmic event of the millennium- Covid. Lauding India’s generous
“Vaccine Maitri” which reached out to 150 organisations and 100 partner
countries, he noted how the crisis has exposed countries like China and the
West.
Contemplating
the basics of diplomacy and its preeminence in a country’s destination, he
recalls Nehruvian times when ideology took precedence. Reminding of the
quixotic non-western solidarity and the price paid for the utopian “Asian
togetherness” and “Asia for Asiatics”, Jaishankar reiterates the
need for a confident leadership capable of incorporating systematic changes.
Recalling
the fallouts of the complacent diplomacy and excessive trusting, Jaishankar
alludes to threats from India’s adversaries- Pakistan and China. Lambasting the
“ChiIndia” lobby that advocates for deepening ties with China,
Jaishankar calls for a downgrade of the strategic partnership with China that fails
to uphold mutuality- “mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, mutual interests”.
While India and China subscribe to a multipolar world, there should be
acceptance of multipolar Asia. China’s refusal to accept India’s rise, her
priorities and interests has complicated the issue. Relations between countries
should be reciprocal in nature, China’s inability to accommodate India and its
inconsistencies has complicated the relationship.
Globalisation
and technological revolution which erased distances creating interdependence
and interpenetration have engendered unprecedented security challenges.
Cautioning about these vulnerabilities, he believed that a nation like India
must be vigilant given its potency of being wielded as “war by other means”
through “radicalisation, violent extremism or even terrorism”. In the
same breath, Jaishankar hits out at this burgeoning impact of “borderless
politics” in “shaping narratives and argumentation, it seeks to
legitimise and de-legitimise” and the willingness of external interests in aligning
with the local elites in using “toolbox of influence and capability”.
The only way to counter this bias given “free-pass from fact-checking”
and replete with “selectivity of judgement” is to create our own
narratives. Indicating, “sections of the world have their views, but we
should not be intimidated from having a view on those views” and moans, “Swimming
upstream is the karma of all rising powers”.
Discretely
identifying the challenges, Jaishankar extols the leadership of Prime Minister
Modi for conceptual clarity supplemented with strategic communication,
determination, vision and perseverance to enhance global standing. Any
leadership is judged based on the government’s response to the crisis and ensuring
delivery. He credits Modi for pursuing national interests with responsibility
for collective good and for giving primacy to national security.
Instead of restricting
to a silo of foreign policy, Jaishankar presents an overview of the strategic
course adopted by the Modi government including the integration of economic
security with technological security. He showcases the achievements of Modi’s
innovative diplomacy and its unfaltering commitment to seeking strength from
Indian Civilisational values. Clearly,
the rationale of “Building Bharat is not a matter of falling back on our
past, it is primarily about reimaging our future”.
The book has
been vocal in constantly alerting the policymakers of the tendency to slip back
into default complacency. Skirting away from casual implementation or downright
neglect, he calls for an integrated governance process to bolster national
security. Learning from the past, India must stop downplaying issues like
cross-border terrorism and competitive geopolitics for it forestalls us to turn
away from hard choices. As a scathing reminder of idealism-driven diplomacy,
that came back to bite us hard even now, he derides the desire for acceptance,
particularly from competitors.
Harping on
the moot issue of why India’s rise matters- aside from India’s commitment to
rule-based order, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), India is emerging
as a consensus building in this highly fractured world. Home to one-sixth of
humanity with 32 million diaspora spanning the world, India’s developmental
partnership, a conscious policy of responding to the priorities and needs of
partner countries is making a cognisable difference. As a democracy capable of
delivering, India is refurbishing her credentials as a leading power in the
making.
India, a
civilisational state transitioning into a modern nation-state is “uniquely
positioned to bridge modernity and tradition”. He contends, “It will be
more impactful by embracing its heritage, not by diminishing it. A combination
of cultural beliefs and modernising agenda helps address many current dilemmas.
Its historical characteristics are a source of strength once they are
approached with confidence…. Similarly, stronger nationalism at home exists
traditionally with enthusiastic internationalism abroad. Rising India wants to
engage the world more, not less. India matters when it is more authentically
India”.
The depth of
understanding and the realism of the foreign policy expounded in the book make it
an endearing read for any person who is passionate about India’s rise. The book
brilliantly turns the spotlight on the external interests, internal challenges,
opportunities and anxieties associated with globalisation, the unremitting
powerplay of competitors. This complex geopolitical web presents a narrow
latitude of opportunity for a confident leadership to seize it and innovatively
use it to pursue national interests.
“A more
assured India is more expressive”. India matters because of its distinct
characteristics. Above all, he concludes by saying- “With each passing day,
it is becoming clearer that India matters because it is Bharat”.
Pages: 237
Publisher:
Rupa Publications India
@ Copyrights reserved.
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