India and the World

Modi’s Speed Diplomacy: UN declares June 21 as International Yoga Day

- by Manish Chand

India’s soft power got a defining global endorsement, with the United Nations declaring June 21 as the World Yoga Day. It’s also a diplomatic triumph for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had formally proposed declaring an International Day for Yoga during his maiden speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 27.
The 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly December 11 adopted by acclamation draft Resolution, A/69/L.17 with a record number of 175 countries co-sponsoring it.

It’s literally fast-track diplomacy for India as the UN declared the Yoga Day barely 80 days after the pioneering idea was mooted by the yoga-practising 64-year-old Indian leader. The declaration has triggered jubilation in India and all over the world, where the ancient discipline of yoga – a union of mind and body – has found a growing number of ardent practitioners and devotees.
In his address at the UNGA on September 27, Mr Modi had made a robust pitch for yoga as the world’s answer to sustainable development and healthy lifestyle that harmonises the mind and the spirit. “Yoga is an invaluable gift of our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day,” Mr Modi had argued.

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India, Russia galvanise economic and strategic ties, sign 20 pacts

- by India Writes Network

Unveiling a decade-long vision of their strategic ties, India and Russia have pitchforked their relations onto a higher trajectory by signing a clutch of pacts in areas ranging from nuclear energy, defence, hydrocarbons, culture and public health.
The two strategic partners also signalled a major upswing in their economic ties with corporate entities of the two sides signing over a dozen agreements that includes co-investment through a joint fund, exploration of oil fields and the development of nuclear power.
The first annual summit meeting between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi December 11 has culminated in an all-encompassing joint statement entitled “Druzhba-Dosti: A Vision for strengthening the Indian-Russian Partnership over the next decade.”

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India & Russia: Arc of Friendship, in Changing Times

- by Manish Chand

From frontier areas of science and technology, space, defence and nuclear power to hydrocarbons, trade and investment and cultural synergy, the relations between the two countries are truly all-encompassing and comprehensive. And in the forthcoming presidential visit, the two countries will be heralding a new phase in their multifarious ties through a compelling joint vision statement.
What makes the India-Russia relations special and privileged? And will they retain their unique lustre amid cunning calculations of shifting geopolitics? On this count, the answer is a resounding yes, despite some recent developments like Russia’s contentious decision to sign a defence pact with Pakistan. But the overall picture remains overwhelmingly positive. For what imparts the India-Russia relations its enduring relevance and strength is the sheer range of collaboration in strategic sectors and an identity of perspectives on leading regional and global issues, underpinned by a common belief in mutipolarity and an inclusive world order.

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Russia’s military pact with Pakistan in long-term interest of India, assures Putin

- by Manish Chand

Russia’s military pact with Pakistan has triggered a wave of anxiety among India’s diplomatic-strategic establishment about the future of the much-touted special and privileged partnership between the two strategic partners. But Moscow feels such concerns are a gross-misreading, with President Vladimir Putin assuring that the pact with Pakistan was mainly aimed at counter-terrorism and underlined that it will only serve the long-term interests of India and Russia.

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Banking reforms: How to cure KYC headache?

- by India Writes Network

A far-reaching reform would be to use the PAN database for giving KYC clearances for banking and investment services as well. Do we really need three separate and parallel systems for customer data for tax, banks and mutual funds? Merging the KYC process of the banking and investment services into the PAN system of the Tax department would greatly improve efficiency all around. Indian citizens and thousands of NRI/PIOs and foreigners would be spared the nuisance of doing the KYC process which simply reuses the same data and does not add any value.
Prime Minister Modi is to be lauded for pushing against bureaucratic resistance in giving millions of Indians access to the banking system through the Jan Dhan Yojana. When reforms are proposed there is opposition from the establishment. But where a decision is made, the bureaucracy will find a way to implement it. Now the prime minister has the chance to simplify and streamlining the outdated, repetitive and inefficient KYC process by basing it on a single database of the PAN system. This will save an enormous amount of time and money for customers, bank employees, and be more effective in tracking down tax evaders and criminals. He will be thanked for this service by millions of users.

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Putin power for India-Russia ties: New vision, with diamond sparkle

- by Manish Chand

The intricate machinery of time-tested India-Russia relationship is set to hum with a new decadal vision of this crucial partnership and get an added diamond sparkle in economic ties when Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his first annual summit meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi December 11. Ahead of the visit, India has struck an upbeat note on the future trajectory of the relationship and hoped that President Putin’s visit will be “a landmark event” and is “expected to provide a fresh impetus to the existing excellent bilateral relations between our two countries.”
Diamonds are forever, and will cast their radiance on the forthcoming presidential visit as Mr Putin is set to attend a diamond conference in New Delhi, with the larger plan of making India into a major global diamond hub.
President Putin’s first visit to India under the new dispensation in New Delhi is, therefore, poised to be substantive and all-encompassing, reaffirming the pivotal place both countries occupy in each other’s strategic calculus amid the vagaries of international politics. The messaging from both sides is distinctly upbeat.

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Is China’s dealings with the world set to change?

- by India Writes Network

Change seems to be afoot in China’s dealings with the world. At a major conference on foreign affairs in Beijing on November 28-29, President Xi Jinping called on his colleagues to create a “more enabling environment” for China’s development. Xi’s remarks are nuanced and balanced and seek to distance China from its brash and assertive posture which has generated considerable unease in the regions neighbouring China.
At another level, China is signalling that it is a big power and wants to be seen in a more benign light as one, rather than being feared and distrusted , as it is at present.
At a third level, it also reflects a Chinese understanding that despite its impressive capabilities, it is still a relatively passive power as is evident from the Chinese absence in dealing with any of the serious global crises like Ukraine, Syria or Afghanistan.

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