Much Ado About Nothing

In a new world order, dominated by a multi-polar world, India needs to establish herself strongly along with the uS, Russia, Eurozone, China, and Japan. Modi’s personalised diplomacy is a huge attempt to achieve this objective. his endeavour is to leverage India’s status as an economic power to achieve political and diplomatic clout. Naturally, the spectacular extravaganza at Houston has been hailed by many as a shining feather in Narendra Modi’s cap. but as the show was watched by millions, Modi’s blatant endorsement of Trump’s candidature – ab ki baar Trump sarkar – left diplomats and bureaucrats baffled. diplomacy has always been a behind the scenes activity – nuanced and sensitive – and not a roll of the drums. as Prime Minister of India, Modi represents over a billion Indians and yes, he was voted back to power with a resounding majority to lead India. No, he was probably not given the mandate to support Trump. Now, diplomats and analysts the world over are keeping a close watch on his fast-paced diplomatic marathon. Implicitly, the question that begs an answer is whether India has a stake in Trump’s re-election. Can any country have a stake in another’s politics? Let us recall the noise over Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 American elections. So what if Modi was on a stage and loud and clear – the implied effect is the same. after all the Indian diaspora in the US is over 3 million and represent a sizeable vote bank. This at a time when Trump is fighting to extricate himself from possible impeachment, not to mention the various alleged scandals that have clouded his four-year-term. Modi’s hurrah for Trump is sure to have a cascading effect and whether it is positive or negative in nature only time will tell. Seema Guha explores Modi’s diplomatic forays and analyses whether India has gained any leverage so far.

- Seema Guha

NARENDRA Modi’s style of diplomacy was again showcased in Houston. It is audacious to replicate a personalised political rally in foreign soil, and few world leaders have the gumption to try it. however, the Indian prime minister revels in, and has perfected, this distinctive and new kind of diplomacy. Not that the entire credit should go to him. Some of the success was due to the work put in by the RSS since the Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s days to take the Hindutva message to the Indian diaspora in US and the UK. That the American-Indians could be used effectively by governments is well understood. leading members of the Indian community had lobbied hard for the India-US civil nuclear agreement earlier.

More than 50,000 adoring NRIs packed a football stadium and feted the Indian Prime Minister. Chants of Modi, Modi, Modi rent the air, much like in a political rally in India. Saffron, the BJP colour, was evident everywhere, so was the Indian tri-colour and the US flag. The US President Donald Trump, who accepted Modi’s request to attend the event, was clearly dazzled by the spectacle. So was Britain’s David Cameron when Modi organised a similar do at the Wembeley Stadium in 2015 during his first visit as the PM to the UK. More than 18,000 British- Indians greeted him like a rock star. his first attempt to do it in the US was in 2014, at the New York’s Madison Square Garden. While the Indian diaspora can be effectively used, it can sometimes boomerang.