The Hindu : Jaswant moves out after a good innings at South Block

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 02, 2002

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National

Jaswant moves out after a good innings at South Block

By C. Raja Mohan

NEW DELHI JULY 1. As the South Block welcomes the new External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and the Minister of State, Digvijay Singh, there is a tinge of regret at the departure of the man who steered Indian diplomacy at a critical juncture — Jaswant Singh.

As Mr. Jaswant Singh heads across the Rajpath to the North Block that houses the Finance Ministry, he leaves behind a strong imprint on Indian foreign policy after a productive stint at the helm lasting nearly three-and-a-half years.

The moment, it is said, produces the man. The decision to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 opened the doors for a creative phase in India's diplomacy, and Mr. Singh rose to the challenge with political aplomb and personal dignity. He brought to office a Realist vision of world affairs, defined India's strategic interests as expansively as Lord Curzon did for British India at the dawn of the 20th century, and pursued them with a boldness that had eluded India for decades.

Few Foreign Ministers in recent years, with the sole exception of Inder Kumar Gujral who had strong ideas of his own, have had the good fortune of putting their individual stamp over Indian diplomacy. With external relations always being the preserve of Indian Prime Ministers, few occupants of the South Block over the last five decades have had either a tenure long enough, or the freedom necessary to shape diplomacy to the extent that Mr. Singh has.

Even before he took charge of the Foreign Office in December 1998, Mr. Singh was called on to handle the most sensitive foreign policy assignment after Pokharan II — to mollify the Americans who were outraged and imposed sweeping nuclear sanctions against India.

At that time Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr. Singh began the most intensive security dialogue ever with the United States.

Together with his interlocutor, the then U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Strobe Talbott, he created the basis for transforming Indo-U.S. relations.

The cooperative relationship with Washington, that is taken for granted today, was neither universally desired in New Delhi nor easy to accomplish, given the real hurdles that stood in the way of a greater understanding between India and the U.S. Altering the template of the Indo-U.S. relations during the Clinton era and giving it a strategic content during the Bush administration will go down as the single biggest contribution of Mr. Singh.

Equally significant was his success in mobilising the U.S. and the international community in India's favour during the Kargil war and the current military confrontation with Pakistan after the December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament House. For the first time since Independence, the Western world, led by the Anglo-American powers, is backing India today on the framework for negotiations with Pakistan on Kashmir. The Anglo-Americans have also put relentless pressure on the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, to end cross-border terrorism against India, a development unimaginable even a few months ago.

Mr. Singh's success would not have been possible without consistent support from the Prime Minister's Office. Despite rumours of an occasional difference with the National Security Advisor, Brajesh Mishra, the two turned India's foreign policy on its head in the last few years.

In trying to secure India's interests, Mr. Singh was willing to take calculated risks such as the immediate support to the U.S. President, George Bush's controversial plans for missile defence and the quick offer of military support to Washington after September 11.

While his gamble on America paid off handsomely, Mr. Singh has never chosen to speak on another — the flight to Kandahar in December 1999. What went into his decision to personally accompany the terrorists released after the hijack of the Indian Airlines, IC 814, is a mystery that Mr. Singh takes with him.

With an impressive presence and articulation of India's interests, Mr. Singh made himself a force to reckon with in the exclusive club of world's top leaders and diplomatists of our time.

Mr. Sinha inherits a robust foreign policy from Mr. Singh who helped craft a favourable external environment for the resolution of the nation's longstanding security challenges and the purposeful pursuit of the national interests. He has the opportunity to build higher on the foundations laid by Mr. Singh.

Mr. Sinha will be assisted by the Samata Party's Mr. Digvijay Singh, who is not new to the Foreign Office. He served as a Deputy Minister during the Prime Ministership of Chandrasekhar. He replaces Omar Abdullah of the National Conference.

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