Narendra Modi at G7 Summit In France: An opportunity for India to lead

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending G7 summit this weekend in Biarritz, France as a ‘Biarritz Partner’. Representing 1.3 billion Indians and world’s 6th largest ecomy, he will be about India’s development nda and aspirations.

tone and pace of his visit were set minutes after Modi landed in France Thursday night. India and France jointly called out global terrorism. French President Emmanuel Macron and Modi asked countries to work toger to root out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure “disrupting terrorist networks and ir financing channels, and halting cross border movement of terrorists belonging to Al Qaeda, Daesh/ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahedeen, Lashkar-e-Tayabba and ir affiliates as well as terrorist groups threatening peace and security in South Asia and Sahel region.”

New Delhi and Paris said, “terrorism cant be justified on any grounds whatsoever and it should t be associated with any religion, creed, nationality and ethnicity.” Both countries will work closely on climate change, cybersecurity and defence procurement among or issues. Re here.

A few hours later on Friday morning Asia Pacific Group (APG) of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), set up by G8 in 1989, blacklisted Pakistan for failing to comply with its parameters on money laundering and terrorism financing, two main tenets of organisation. In June 2018, FATF h placed Pakistan on a grey list for slipping on its commitments. With today’s anuncement, Pakistan is between devil and deep sea, its India-blaming bluff w exposed to whole world.

I am t a fan of G7 and G20 garings that have long run out of steam. weekend meeting in France is however different, probably first complete recognition by world leers that y need India firmly on ir side. This is t flowing from any wisdom. It comes from a sense of survival against China (mainly tre) and to a lesser extent, against Russia (history). Facing crises ranging from unemployment to immigration as well as terrorism in ir cities and vills,  European Union (EU) is in a state of turmoil. It is often said that convergence of political and historical time le people, movements and governments to an inflection point. Is this India’s moment? Is India finally running with ball that says only interest in foreign policy is self -interest?

India is world’s 6th largest ecomy, a market ne can igre. A peaceful nuclear weapons state, it is wedged between two hostile nuclear powers China and Pakistan. Democracy is New Delhi’s biggest ally and its processes are recognisable and transparent. warmongering givers of lessons and condescending talkers of peace that include members of G7 kw this. As ted defence analyst and strategic thinker Brahma Chellany tweeted recently, “…India is first developing country that, from beginning, has strived to prosper through a democratic system.”

world is changing. Old alliances are falling but new ones are yet to emerge. Good diplomacy moves in peaks and troughs and present times are waves. meeting between Macron and Russian President Vlimir Putin this week is also a major gesture signalling that obduracy and diplomacy is an eye-to-eye match when it comes to ecomic interests. first one to blink loses. Russia is part of Europe and does flourishing business with countries, but currently t part of it for G7 high table. It was thrown out after it annexed Crimea. Macron said Russia could if Ukraine issue is sorted out. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have said to idea and Trump has tweeted that getting Russia back on board is t a b idea. EU fears geopolitical alliances between two major military powers in Russia and China.

Let us look at what’s happening within G7. Brexit is driving Johnson and Macron to a war of words on a daily basis. Merkel’s words have lost ir power and Italy where government collapsed this week has broken ranks with G7 and walked into Chinese embrace in Europe. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is nice and kind, but plays a secondary role when it comes to geopolitical negotiations. That leaves Trump who will tweet his way in and out of summit grandstanding about Iceland and Kashmir one minute and garlic next which travelling US press corps will zealously report.

Seen in this frame, re’s a sail in India’s winds as it navigates high seas. world saw some sterling diplomacy last week when Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Ambassor to United Nations (UN) in New York gently told reporters about Pakistan’s failed attempts to hoodwink world on Kashmir. That was just a glimpse – a lot of diplomacy is underground, a process which some garrulous and talkative media don’t comprehend. When I tell people west of Tokyo and east of Turkey, we have always been a continuously unbroken democratic country, w 1.3 billion strong, I get blank looks.

middle-east card has also been done and dusted. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has given its highest award to Modi ( Saudis did so earlier) signalling that religion and national interests can longer be weighed in same balance. Three out of ten of India’s largest tring partners are in Gulf and some two-thirds of our oil and energy imports come from se countries t to mention half of our remittances. India is t a dangerous neighbour or for that matter a dangerous country. That penny has dropped internationally.

Pragmatism is second nature for survival. Common interests are bringing countries toger. India is entering conversations at a crucial moment in geopolitical timing. “ idea of India-first has trickled down and become a national conversation…Modi is as much a product of time as he is character-defining it,” writes Gautam Chikermane, Vice President Observer Research Foundation. In a lucid essay, he argues that from indolence country has gone to an assertive role and tone. Re here.

Make mistake. tremors of an India emerging within are felt around world. Policy and media experts used to old ways will have to keep pace to remain relevant. Speed and diplomacy have an intriguing relationship – you feel wind in your face only when it hits you, t when people have been pdling underwater to achieve cruising altitude and speed.

Post this G7, re won’t be any difference between terrorism in India and elsewhere in world. Hundreds of hours of work must have been devoted to getting joint declaration with France sorted out. FATF listing completes picture. Well done, India. We keep faith.