Tracking transition 2014: The year of modi - The Indian Express

Speaking at the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the India he had just won.

August 15, 2014

Speaking at the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the India he had just won, calling for a pact between citizen and government, and promising to rule by ‘sahmati’, not mere ‘bahumat’. He spoke of female foeticide, the need for toilets in girls’ schools, and asked mothers to question sons just as they questioned daughters. In 2015, he will be expected to walk this talk.

[Diplomacy]

The year of loving thy neighbour

By: SHUBHAJIT ROY

The year 2014 will be remembered for proactive diplomacy from a new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a focus on the neighbourhood and an aggressive engagement with both major and emerging world powers. In a departure from the past, the new government defined its foreign policy through various public events and outreach exercises.

If the year began with Japan PM Shinzo Abe’s visit to India for Republic Day celebrations, it is ending with preparations for US President Barack Obama’s visit for the same reason in 2015. This will be the first time a US President is the chief guest on Republic Day.

Delhi’s diplomacy push gathered momentum in May this year — within five days of the Modi-led government coming to power — with his gambit to invite leaders from SAARC countries to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif

With all leaders, including Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, responding positively, Modi’s move — a first for any PM in independent India — paid off. The neighbourhood remained high on priority, with Modi making Bhutan his first international stop. He went to Nepal twice this year — the second time to attend the SAARC summit in November — and declared Delhi’s readiness to play a leading role in the region.

The engagement with the P-5 countries — the acronym used for permanent members in the UN Security Council — was evident as they came calling, starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Then followed French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, British Foreign Secretary William Hague, Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin and US Secretary of State John Kerry — all within the first eight weeks of the new government assuming charge.

By year-end, Modi had met Obama thrice, including during a visit to the US when the two pledged for a vision document.

With China, the border dispute took centre stage as incursions on the Ladakh border overshadowed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit in September. Interestingly, this happened soon after Modi’s visit to Japan.

Then, Russian President Vladimir Putin, battling sanctions from Western countries, committed to building at least 12 nuclear reactors during his trip to India.

Modi’s engagement with major economies was on display continued…