Posts Tagged ‘diplomacy’
Cricket: The Game, Diplomacy and Beyond
As the attention of the Indian cricket fans moves away from Mohali to Mumbai, the India-Pakistan game earlier this week entered the Hall of Fame of Indo-Pak cricket diplomacy encounters. The unique reverence for the game in the sub-continent has been regularly used as diplomatic ice-breaker in the past. The special place accorded to cricket in India-Pakistan relations is evident from a concomitant lack of ‘nationalist’ fervor in the upcoming India-Sri Lanka World Cup Final in Mumbai on March 2. P.M. Singh has not invited his Sri Lankan counterpart or President Mahinda Rajapaksa to watch the game at Wankhede Stadium. (However, President Rajapaksa is expected to watch the game in Mumbai and he will be joined by Indian President Pratibha Patil). The game at Mohali was another occasion to witness the craze for cricket, its value in the conduct of national diplomacy and much beyond.
India Misses Critical Outreach Opportunity in Pakistan
India is geographically and historically endowed with a natural leadership role in South Asia. In practice exercise of this leadership has been problematic on two fronts. First, the neighboring South Asian states perceive (I am not going into issues of validity here) India as harboring hegemonic ambitions designed to convert South Asia into an exclusive zone of influence. Second, India’s leadership style does not conform to the traditional patterns of leadership. Indian policies reflect a supervisory leadership role rather than a more favorable participatory leadership character. Initiative which defines leadership is evaded by India in most cases. Avoidance of initiative is justified on grounds of countering fears of domination and cultivating trust in regional relations.
[Photo Courtesy: New Atlanticist Blog]
The psychological fear of the smaller neighbors and the cautionary leadership of India have valid justifications. Each side claims to have been caught in a conspiracy of geography and history. Nevertheless, such regional policies are proving self-destructive. There needs to be a conscious effort at altering the traditional postures and policies. Perception change is a time consuming process and requires proactive policies with regard to impacting sensitivities of nation states. Such policies have to go beyond the realm of political agreements and economic concessions. Since India claims regional leadership it is imperative for Indian diplomacy to undertake public outreach across state borders in South Asia. Humanitarian assistance after the tsunami to Sri Lanka and earthquake to Pakistan in 2005 are some outreach efforts undertaken by India. The recent terror attacks in Pakistan provide India with a similar opportunity; one which can also send a strong political message to the international community.
Diplomacy comes to Rescue India’s Foreign Policy: A Case of Tharoor as External Affairs Minister
I have for long held the view that India’s foreign policy lacks diplomacy. India has failed to realize that foreign policy is about protecting national interests while diplomacy is about how these interests are protected; foreign policy is more about objectives while diplomacy is about strategy. Foreign policy has a strong element of continuity; diplomacy is expected to be dynamic. So far India’s foreign policy has sought to achieve most of the traditional objectives that any nation-state aspires for – territorial integrity, augmentation of national power and prestige, carving a leadership role in international affairs. But there has been something amiss in India’s foreign policy. In my analysis what India lacks is the force of diplomacy in communicating her foreign policy objectives to the world and ensuring international support for the same. India has not been able to translate the strengths of her national democracy and economy as stimulants for generating regional and international respect and awe. India has for long aspired for a leadership role but has not been able to project itself as nation whose leadership the region and the world desires; former is the task of foreign policy, the latter of diplomacy.
Fortunately now it appears to me that diplomacy is all set to characterize the next phase of India’s foreign policy. My hope emerges partly from the recent mandate for political stability in the country but primarily from a related development. Shashi Tharoor has been elected as Member of Parliament from Thiruvanathapuram. Click to continue…
Replacing Huntington with Morgenthau in U.S. Foreign Policy
Islam has emerged as a dominant influence in U.S. domestic and foreign policy in recent years. A variety of issues ranging from Islam as an organizing principle of the socio-political systems to the nationalistic expressions of Islam; from Islam as a political force to Islam as an international threat – the U.S. and Islam have interacted in every possible way. Yet clouds of distrust have thickened and a sense of hostility marks mutual relations. Despite the positive rhetoric of President Obama not much has changed on the ground. Is there any approach that the U.S. can adopt for reconciliation with the followers (both nation-states and common people) of Islam? Click to continue…
President Obama’s Diplomatic Outreach
The U.S. has for long sought to define and relate to its allies in unambiguous terms. President Bush epitomized this approach in his famous ‘either with us or against us’ speech and through his policy of pre-emption. The Obama Presidency appears to have opened with the objective of de-categorization of countries in U.S. foreign policy. President Obama is challenging the traditional tags for casting friends, enemies, competitors or facilitators while discarding the rigid criteria of ‘either with us or against us’. President Obama’s foreign policy approach puts Lord Palmerstone’s contention into action: “We have no permanent allies, we have no permanent enemies, we have only permanent interests.” This change of policy goes beyond a simple transition from Republican to Democratic administrations; it involves a transformation of global relations. Click to continue…
The Roxana Saberi Diplomacy
The case of Roxana Saberi has dominated international news during the past week. After being arrested for purchasing a bottle of wine in January this year, Roxana Saberi has been charged for spying by Iran and sentenced for eight years imprisonment. Saberi’s fate is being viewed as determining the future course of U.S. - Iranian relations. Critics of President Obama’s goodwill policy have raised Saberi’s issue as a vindication of the previous aggressive and non-conciliatory policy vis-à-vis Iran. While President Obama is gravely concerned about the safety of Saberi, he has continued to assert the value of diplomacy in resolving the issue and the Administration has not issued any threatening statements. 
The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has personally intervened in the matter and asked the chief prosecutor to ensure that Saberi is provided with full rights to defend herself, including a fair trial. The Iranian Judiciary has been quick to respond to the President’s appeal by expressing willingness for a careful, quick and fair consideration of an appeal against the earlier court ruling. Saberi’s lawyer has twenty days to file an appeal. So the issue will dominate media headlines and official discussions in the days ahead.
Is the Saberi issue a diplomatic challenge or a diplomatic illusion? Is Saberi being used as a smokescreen by President Obama and President Ahmadinejad to initiate diplomatic measures opposed by neo-cons and hardliners in the U.S. and Iran? The unfolding of the diplomatic and political drama indicates that this contention could be possible. Click to continue…