Narendra Modi is the perfect amalgam of Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya. How the ongoing visit of Narendra Modi to USA, where he took USA by storm, starkly contrasts the visit of Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister of India, where she was disdainfully dismissed as a ‘ witch’ by Nixon, the then President of USA.
Vivekanand Jha Ranchi: In his famous memoir, American dilemma, Henry Kissinger, the then Secretary of State, had dwelt at length the stark and irreconcilable differences which set Indira Gandhi apart from President Nixon, the then President of USA. Apparently, Indira Gandhi had paid an official visit to White House, for enlisting the support of Nixon administration against genocide unleashed by Pakistan against the then East Pakistan, today’s Bangladesh. Nixon, inordinately antagonistic towards Indira Gandhi, viscerally hating her presence in the White House, disdainfully dismissed her by labeling ‘ witch’, while condescendingly acquiescing to meet her perfunctorily, least taking cognizance of her aspirational wish to ensure the emancipation of millions of East Pakistanis bedeviled by the persecution of Pakistani army and ISI. Unequivocally, the slight given to Indira by Nixon, had boomeranged upon him when the Watergate scam broke out, taking its heavy toll on Nixon, forcing him to resign. Significantly, USA for decades, had condescended India as the nation of mendicants, half- naked saints and snake charmers, whose heads of state was thronging White House for seeking alms for its survival. Unequivocally then, the trend of India finding a peripheral attention in USA, when its newspapers inconspicuously depicted the visits of the heads of Indian state in few lines and, that too, in some corner of the middle pages of newspapers. Ostensibly, it was Narsimha Rao who, albeit for the first time, sincerely felt the need and necessity of India’s conspicuous presence in the policy making of USA for the world affairs. Ironically, Narsimha Rao felt, the far greater presence of Pakistan in the policy making of USA than India. This assymetry, Rao sought to balance, by investing in cultivating the Indian caucus in USA, which could engender a greater influence for India among the members of Congress. Moreover, the situation of bipolarity of the world, where USSR vied with USA, as another cogent axis for anti- America mobilisation. India, as it was self- manifest, had chosen to stand behind USSR, found increasingly being cold- shouldered by USA. However, with USSR being dismantled under Gorbachev, the emergence of USA as the lone superpower, India too needed to do its course correction in a fire fighting mode. And this fact was sincerely realised by PV Narsimha Rao.
Notwithstanding India cultivating its own caucus in Washington, America, having achieved the status of superpower, had none to envy in this metamorphosed scenario which transpired in the wake of the disintegration of USSR. China, another big country, was still miles behind USA, was in the process of developing wings to fly, in the vast open space of world firmament. Den Xiaoping, the then ruler of China, who was gradually persevering to open Chinese economy, suddenly had to halt the process of his amalgamating economic reforms, in the wake of Perestroika and Glasnost approach of USSR, proving to be the pivot for the disintegration of USSR, China under Den Xiaoping, had to adopt the far greater caution to tread its path as it enormously feared the duplication of USSR in the geo politics of Chinese mainland. Little wonder then, China remained in the background, with USA dominating the global affair, as the superboss of the world. Hence against this evolving new global order, India desperately sought mending fence with USA. Unequivocally, the imposition of the sanction on India, in the wake of nuclear test in Pokhran, where Jaswant Sigh, the then external affair minister of India, had to go for several rounds serious negotiations with Strobe Talbott, the Deputy Secretary of State, for convincing him to remove sanctions, was the vindication of USA’s hegemonic status in the world affair. Better still, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s master stroke in writing a letter to President Clinton, seeking to justify India’s nuclear test in Pokhran, for its self- defence, was a strategic manoeuvre to give a new direction and template to India’s foreign policy. Thus Vajpayee was the architect of orchestrating a new dynamic shift in India’s foreign policy template by strangling India’s hitherto fixation with Pakistan, while giving it a new thrust to its China oriented fixation.
With the dawn of the rule of Xi Jinping, the current President and Commander in chief of PLA, the dynamics of world geo politics has undergone a tangible makeover: China is no more satisfied with its hitherto self- centred approach; it, in fact, sought a far greater slice of world resources for itself. In other words, the ascendancy of China under Jinping, synchronised with the depleting role of USA in the strategic world affairs. Unequivocally, China coordinated with Russia and like minded countries with anti-USA mindset, to join the chorus of making the world a multilateral forum, where USA’s influence must be banished from Asia and Africa. Small wonder then, whereas China, striving to sew an alliance with anti- USA forces, India too had to seek the greater proximity with USA. And rise of Narendra Modi as a Bismarck of twenty first century, had his task cut out for him: he had to build up a strategic partnership with USA, while keeping Russia on his side too, for India, on account of bitter experiences with China, cannot ever trust the latter. Moreover, Chinese interest can never converge with that of India as the former has been strategically involved in weakening India as its latest endeavours in the affairs of Bangladesh is the vindication of the same. Besides, the ever increasing jingoism of China in Indian Ocean, where the former is seeking to dominate, poses the daunting challenge to India.Thus the coming into existence of Quad, where USA and Australia are the partners of India, invariably proves the fact that how USA too has taken the ever increasing belligerence of China in the international affairs. Also, Chinese domination in South China Sea where it has been flexing its muscle, posing the direct challenge to Indonesia, Phillipines, Japan, Vietnam and other countries, tantamounts to Chinese rise as a counterweight to USA in the global affairs. Moreover, the war going on between Russia and Ukraine, for last three years, had seen the strength of Russia too showing the sign of an obvious depletion, with tens of thousands of death of Russian soldiers. Apparently, this has given the leverage to China to boost its own military prowess, while equally focussing on its economic domination.
Significantly, against this backdrop of world geo politics, where America is a diminished power, with ever assertive China, snarling at the throat of USA, the entry of Donald Trump to the White House, could never have been more timely. Thus the very vision of Trump to ‘ Make America great again’, found its immediate expression in Trump going great guns, in the immediate wake of his swearing in as the 47th President of USA. His warning to seize Panama Canal, had an instant impact: the overwhelming domination of China over Panama Canal, has become the thing of the past: Panama has agreed to follow the US diktat, and it has already stopped the Chinese infrastructure building in Panama. This aside, Trump’s ultimatum to Hamas to hand over the hostages to Israel, by this Saturday, if not implemented, USA will destry Gaja, while resettling Palestinians in Egypt and Jordan, has already spread panic among the Arabian countries. Such a measure, if implemented, will give a greater fillip to the aspiration of greater Israel of Benjamin Netanyahu. Further, Trump’s increasing of tariff on imports, including India, along with his crackdown on illegal immigration, had caused furore in different parts of the world, including India– the deportation of Indian immigrants to India, with their handcuffs, already engendered a heated debate in parliament.
Apparently, Trump’s claiming to bring cessation of Russia – Ukraine war in twenty four hours of his swearing in, has begun showing some sign of genuine initiative in the given direction. Trump’s good equation with President Putin of Russia, is a clever stratagem to foil any future alliance between Russia and China. Also, his direct warning to Iran to roll back its nuclear ambition, is to reassert US’ supremacy in Arab world.
Hence against this backdrop, Narendra Modi’s visit to France and then, to USA, assumes an overwhelming global attention. Interestingly, after having charmed Macron, the French President, who went to receive Modi at the airport, and to see him off, is an unprecedented saga in the history of Asia, especially the South Asia. This is the growing vindication of the rising global stature of India’s money power. Indubitably, India has come a long way from its erstwhile days of being designated as ‘ the nation of Snake charmers and half- naked saints’, for the mad rush of Europeans to the ongoing Kumbh Mela, is the living testimony of India’s spiritual showcasing as well as its growing economic prowess. Nonetheless, India’s disturbed neighbourhood, especially Bangladesh, which has fallen casualty to Pakistan’s malicious influence, aided and abetted by China, simply cannot be good omen for India. The deposition of Sheikh Hasina, along with the installation of Yunus to head the interim government, which is apparently hostile towards India’s strategic interest, cannot augur well for the national interest. No wonder, the ongoing visits of Narendra Modi to White House, where he already had a very constructive meeting with President Donald Trump, apart from meeting Elon Musk, for inviting him to manufacture the electric cars in India, and others, which were very constructive, assumes historic significance. Indubitably, Modi’s Bismarckian vision to sell ” Buddh” not ” Yuddh” to Donald Trump, when the latter too, is seeking to bring the ongoing war in Ukraine to a decisive end, could never have been more timely. Thus Modi, with his ongoing political manoeuvrings, has proven to be a Bismarck of this new world order where he is seeking a strategic partnership with Trump, yet sews up a trustworthy relations with President Putin, while having NATO too, in his side. In fact, India under Modi, is seeking to find its own place under the sun, which is unprecedented development in India’s foreign policy trajectory. India, when it deals with President Trump, only is concerned with its strategic interest, and when it deals with Putin, India too was guided by its own national interest. Unequivocally, when Modi had a very cordial meeting with President Trump, last night, ie Friday in White House, it was in the capacity of an equal strategic partner of USA. Better still, Modi’s ongoing visit to White House, no longer languishes on the periphery of the national newspapers, but are prominently exhibited, for the head of the state of India, no longer goes to beg from USA, but goes to offer him a deal on platter. This is the glory of India of twenty first century under the Bismarckian vision of Narendra Modi. In short, Modi is the perfect amalgam of shrewd strategic thinking mind of Chanakya on the one hand, and the leadership confidence of Chandragupta Maurya, on the other. Thus India’s foreign policy template never had such a gala time as it has it today. Modi as a Bismarck of twenty first century of the global world, the sobriquet conferred upon him by this author, stands cemented as never before.
Vivekanand Jha, an Author, Academician and a Public Intellectual.
