India and the World

Akbar-nama: Art of truth-telling, spinning and much else

- by Manish Chand

You have only one life to live, and one question to ask. One question, one person. And don’t weave multiple questions into one, like the Matryoshka doll. And as any seasoned journalist covering India’s foreign office, better known as MEA, knows by this time that they can speculate endlessly, but he does not respond to speculation. Only hard facts, truth-telling, albeit with a bit of spinning that goes with his job.
Syed Akbaruddin’s pointed one-liners, witticisms and sharp ripostes are now part of folklore in the universe the voraciously inquisitive and intrusive media inhabits. And rightly so, for Akbar, as he is being fondly called by his colleagues in the ministry and journalists covering the MEA beat, set new benchmarks for communicating and batting for the government, regardless of the dispensation in power.
Akbar, the spokesperson of India’s external affairs ministry who makes way for his successor Vikas Swarup on April 18, will be sorely missed by his countless admirers as he moves into his next position, this time around as Chief Coordinator for the Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III), to be held in New Delhi in October. The new interim position, till he gets a coveted ambassadorial posting, reflects the high standing he enjoys with the powers-that-be as the Narendra Modi government was looking exactly for someone like Akbar to be the face of India’s diplomatic outreach to Africa.
With his proven skills in communication and public diplomacy which he helmed for India for over three years, the government can safely bank on the suave and articulate Akbar to pull off a successful summit and the larger project of building bridges with the vibrant African continent that is set to loom large on India’s diplomatic horizons in months to come.

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Artistic freedom fine, but don’t abuse national icons: Supreme Court

- by India Writes Network

There is a thin line between artistic freedom and abusive outpourings. Lampoon or mock, by all means, but do not lapse into demeaning language against nationally and historically venerated figures like Mahatma Gandhi. This is the message from India’s Supreme Court, a sobering note amid a raging debate in the country over limits of the poetic license.
While allowing for the freedom to ideate, the country’s top court pointed out: “You cannot use abusive words for historical figures under the garb of artistic freedom. There is a complete freedom for ideas but the freedom of speech and expression is not absolute. The Constitution provides restrictions and it is a regulated freedom.”
In recent judgment, a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant, underlined that it was no offence to criticise, mock, lampoon and make parodies of the country’s iconic figures, but the freedom of expression cannot be stretched to demeaning them (by the use of abusive language). The same is an offence under Section 292 of Indian Penal Code, attracting a maximum jail term of two years.
The court’s directive was in response to a petition filed by a publisher who had published a poem on Mahatma Gandhi in 1984. The poem, ‘Gandhi Mala Bhetla Hota’ (I met Gandhi), written by Vasant Dattatray Gurjar, a Marathi poet, depicts the Mahatma as the narrator who uses obscene language in the poem. The bench agreed that the boundaries of freedom of speech has been expanding, but should not mean using abusive words against Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, under Article 19(1) of the Constitution guaranteeing free speech.

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Time 100: Obama calls Modi’s life symbolic of India’s rise

- by India Writes Network

This seems to be Barack-to-Narendra straight from the heart piece. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has launched a host of path-breaking reforms and has launched a massive global outreach in his mission of remaking India, figures in Time’s coveted 100 most influential people list, and his laudatory profile has been authored by none other than US President Barack Obama.
In his article on Mr Modi, Mr Obama refers to Mr Modi by his first name and lavishes rich praise on the Indian leader’s rise from a tea seller to the prime minister of the world’s largest democracy and holds up Narendra Modi’s life story as inspirational and symbolic of the dynamism and potential of India’s rise.
“As a boy, Narendra Modi helped his father sell tea to support their family. Today, he’s the leader of the world’s largest democracy, and his life story – from poverty to Prime Minister—reflects the dynamism and potential of India’s rise,” writes Mr Obama.
“Determined to help more Indians follow in his path, he’s laid out an ambitious vision to reduce extreme poverty, improve education, empower women and girls and unleash India’s true economic potential while confronting climate change. Like India, he transcends the ancient and the modern – a devotee of yoga who connects with Indian citizens on Twitter and imagines a ‘digital India’.”

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India, Canada launch a new era with uranium deal

- by India Writes Network

Infusing a fresh burst of energy into bilateral ties, India and Canada signed a path-breaking deal which envisages the supply of over seven million pounds of uranium concentrate over the next five years.

The agreement was inked in the presence of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper, with Mr Modi describing it as the launch of “a new era” in bilateral relations.

“The agreement on procurement of uranium from Canada for our civilian nuclear power plants launches a new era of bilateral cooperation and a new level of mutual trust and confidence,” said Mr Modi at a joint media appearance with Mr Harper.

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Rock star-like welcome for Modi in Canada: Envoy Nadir Patel

- by India Writes Network

Home to one of the world’s largest populations of overseas Indians, 1.2 million strong Indian diaspora in Canada keep their adopted country humming with their energy, enterprise and ideas. In fact, India and Indians are omnipresent in this North American country. And they are with you right from the time you leave the airport and take a taxi driven by a Sikh chauffeur, visit bustling markets, or have an appointment with one of the business chambers. The Indian community is now moving up the ladder in parliament and the government. There are eight Indo-Canadian MPs in the House of Commons and one in the Senate. Two PIO MPs are Ministers of State in the Federal Government and one PIO MP is Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Minister.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to connect with this vibrant Indian community at Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum on April 16. It promises to be a blockbuster spectacle as Mr Modi does an encore of his famous Madison Square address in New York in September last year.
In this wide-ranging conversation with Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India Writes Network (www.iniawrites.org), Canada’s High commissioner to India Nadir Patel, the first Canadian envoy of Indian origin posted in New Delhi, outlines multifarious role of the Indian diaspora in Canada and predicts that Modi can expect a rock star welcome in Canada. The envoy also raises the bar for the dynamic India-Canada relations and speaks about the future trajectory of this win-win relationship.

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Modi visit will map out future of Indo-Canada relations: Canada envoy

- by India Writes Network

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 14-16 to Canada is bristling with possibilities and could be historic in opening new avenues for India-Canada relations. Canada’s High commissioner to India Nadir Patel spoke to Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India Writes Network (www.iniawrites.org) on Ottawa’s expectations from Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Canada, the prospects of a uranium deal between the two countries, the upswing in economic relationship and myriad ways in which Canada and Canadian companies can contribute to the success of the Make in India project.

(Excerpts from the interview)

Q) This is the first standalone bilateral prime ministerial visit by an Indian Prime minister in over four decades. How is Canada looking at this visit and what are your broad expectations?A) Canada is extremely excited about hosting Prime Minister Modi. I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to further advance and build on the strong Canada-India relationship. Our expectations are high for this relationship and they are high of the Modi government, in terms of the number of initiatives that are underway now. We look forward to this visit and hope it will be very productive and a fruitful one, in setting the stage for the future.

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Make in India Lion finds willing partner in the German Eagle

- by India Writes Network

India’s Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have firmed up a roadmap for a new accelerated phase in India-Germany strategic partnership across the spectrum.
The joint statement at the end of the talks in Berlin underlined that the common objective was to “encourage greater synergies between German engineering, experience in sustainable development, innovation and skills, and the new opportunities available in India and through ‘Make in India’, ‘Clean India’, ‘Digital India’ and other initiatives towards achieving economic growth and sustainable development”.
The visit saw Mr Modi pitch hard for German cooperation in reviving Indian manufacturing and stressing that India’s need for technology, skill upgradation, investment and innovation were a solid business opportunity for German firms to make lucrative investments. Both sides vowed to foster stronger ties between business and industry on both sides in order to support India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative by utilizing the momentum generated by India’s participation in the Hannover Messe.
The talks held in Berlin covered a wide range of issues, and collaborations across manufacturing, green energy, urban development, river cleaning and rejuvenation, railways upgradation, education, R&D, and scientific and technical cooperation, were sought to make the Strategic Partnership enter a “new and intensive” phase.

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Indian Lion and German Eagle make strong partners: Modi

- by India Writes Network

t the close of his two day visit to Germany, Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement highlighting the issues discussed and the way forward for bilateral relations. The thrust of the visit was on expanding economic relations which would aid in Modi’s plans of poverty elimination and revival of manufacturing back home.

In his remarks to the media in Germany, Mr Modi expressed his gratitude to Ms Merkel for having given the India the opportunity to become a partner country at Hannover Messe, the world’s biggest trade fair, and for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during their stay.

The Prime Minister made a hard sell for German cooperation in boosting the Indian economy. Given that technology, skill upgradation, investment and innovation were key to this enterprise, and Germany was a global leader in these fields, Mr Modi said that the Indian lion and German Eagle would make for a very productive pair. While praising Germany’s expertise in these fields, he noted that India’s need could be a solid business opportunity for German firms to make lucrative investments.

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Modi in Germany: India is a changed place, can’t be stopped

- by Manish Chand

The colours of India are splashed all over the Hannover Messe. And the lions are on the prowl, roaring the promise of a rising India, a roar that has acquired a powerful resonance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of a changed India where businesses thrive and the spirit of enterprise and innovation prevails.
The message that India is a changed place and can’t be stopped — like the lion, the symbol of Make in India which is ubiquitous in this German city — rang clear and loud as Mr Modi jointly inaugurated the India Pavilion at the world’s greatest show of industry and technology, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 12. There was much singing and chanting, with folk dancers donning colourful Rajasthani attire enlivening the industry show.
“The symbol of lion for Make in India has been chosen very carefully. We know that our biggest need today is to create jobs for our 65% population which is young. Hence, Make in India is the need,” the prime minister said, with Chancellor Merkel cheering on.
“Hence, the lion. Because a lion can’t be stopped. We are confident that our journey to make India a global manufacturing hub cannot be stopped that too by our own rules and regulations. We must, and we will make corrections wherever required.”
It was a grand futuristic vision of a resurgent India determined to remake its destiny that Mr Modi unveiled in Hannover. Cohering India’s ‘Act East’ with ‘Link West’ policy, the prime minister underscored that India has the potential of becoming the middle ground for East and West as a manufacturing hub that serves both our vast domestic market and becomes a base for global exports and general well-being”.
If Modi continues to tread on the reform path and backs his lion’s roar with all-too-visible actions on the ground, India will indeed be a changed place. And then world will be watching closely, and hoping to partake of India’s ongoing resurgence.

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