Diplomacy

Army’s hot pursuit of rebels inside Myanmar signals tough policy on terror

- by India Writes Network

The attacks on Indians anywhere is simply not on. In a sign of India’s muscular and proactive policy to eliminate terrorists across the borders, Special Forces of the Indian Army, in coordination with Air Force, carried out surgical strikes inside Myanmar and killed nearly 20 of the insurgents responsible for attacking a convoy of 6 Dogra regiment of the Indian Army on June 4.

The attack in Manipur had killed 20 soldiers and injured 15 and was believed to be the deadliest attack on the Indian Army in over two decades.

The operation was carried out along the India-Myanmar International border. 21 Special Commandoes – a unit under Kolkata-based Eastern Command Headquarters- along with troops of Assam Rifles, handpicked by Delhi, went deep inside Myanmar and destroyed two camps of NSCN(K) and KYKL terror outfits hiding after their attacks in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh last week.

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The Great Indian Yoga Show: Projecting soft power across continents

- by Manish Chand

It promises to be a spectacular show, inviting the world to revitalize its sinews through the ancient Indian practice of yoking body, mind and spirit. With barely days to go for the first International Yoga Day, the Indian government is leaving no stone unturned to showcase the country’s greatest soft power export to a global audience, cutting across hemispheres and continents.

The UN will commemorate the inaugural edition of International Yoga Day on June 21, with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Sam Kutesa in attendance. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will represent India at the event, commemorating the first International Day of Yoga at the UN Headquarters in New York. It will be broadcast live at Times Square, the pulsating heart of Manhattan, to a global audience.

Showcasing Soft Power

In a curtain-raiser media event giving a peek into an array of events lined up to celebrate this high moment in yoga’s global journey, Sushma Swaraj eloquently described yoga as “the soft power of India” which can usher in lasting peace for a violence-wracked world.

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Modi-fied India-Bangladesh ties: Small gestures go a long way

- by India Writes Network

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plane took off for Dhaka, Sheikh Hasina’s Foreign Policy Advisor said that it was to be a “landmark visit”. Living up to the expectations, the tour was very successful- Mr Modi met the political leadership across party lines and presided over the exchange of instruments of ratification on the historic land boundary agreement. The two neighbours came out with a 65-point joint declaration, signed 22 agreements and extended a whooping 2 billion USD credit line for developmental aid (regarded by some to be a coup on Chinese chequebook diplomacy in the region). Quite understandably, the media went gaga on either side, calling the visit a watershed moment in bilateral relations.

Hype apart, small gestures go a long way in building a relationship, but often remain unnoticed. In the slow moving wheels of international diplomacy, it is necessary to not see them merely as photo ops, but as genuine steps towards winning over the hearts of people, which in the long run generate tangible benefits. These measures, which go beyond the stuffiness of formalities and protocols which shroud diplomatic interactions, show a more humane face and build on people-to-people contacts, a major focus area for Mr Modi in his foreign policy efforts. With the savvy use of technology, and a strong social media presence, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has been making it a point to highlight these aspects to build on India’s soft power.

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