Foreign policy woes

The issue of whether or not there was a genocide of Tamils in Lanka has been in the news for several days now. On one hand, you have inflamed passions baying for blood to avenge the murder of Tamils in Lanka, On the other, you have supposedly saner voices advocating caution and pragmatism to handle the situation to ensure that justice gets delivered in Lanka. Between the two, is caught our Central government, tottering from one crisis to another, with no vision and maimed by indecision.

The problem  with a hetereogenous nation like ours is that ethnic groups inevitably spill across political borders. There is no difference between a Hindu Bengali in Bangladesh and a Hindu Bengali in PoschimBongo, similarly, there is no difference between a Lankan Tamil and an Indian Tamil. But the stand taken by the government historically has been that India's citizens are her own. Citizens of neighbours, irrespective of their cultural or religious affiliations are not necessarily India's concern. The only exeption to this was when India championed the cause of  Independent Bangladesh- that might have also been guided by other strategic reasons. Had India bothered to take care of the minorities of its neighbours (Neighbours' minorities inevitably make up India's major communities), Hindu population in Pakistan and Bangladesh would not have been decimated to its current levels.

In the absence of a possibility of a population exchange (similar to the one done between Turkey & Greece in the 30s), It is best that India continues to follow the principle of no meddling in neighbour's affairs. It will do us good to guide and encourage neighbours, using our soft power to get the results that we want. Strong diplomatic actions, e.g. boycotting Lanka might only prove counter-productive by pushing Lanka into China's arms. India must use all the diplomacy at its disposal to put pressure on Lanka to implement a just and lasting solution to alleviate the sufferings of its Tamils. 

But why only talk of Lanka to understand the precarious state of affairs of our Foreign policy? On one hand, you have an incensed nation demanding strong action against Pakistan for beheading an Indian soldier in Indian territory and on the other hand, you have the Foreign Minister of India hosting the visiting Pak PM for lunch. In Maldives too, India just barely managed to get away with a diplomatic crisis, when an erstwhile PM sought refuge in the Indian embassy in Male. Look at Nepal, once a dedicated ally, now resting in China's secure arms. Glance towards Bangladesh, where PM's visit and India's image was dented by Mamta Di's refusal to accept a Central government proposal on Teesta water sharing.

Foreign policy of a regional and aspiring global power like India cannot be an instrument of domestic politics. Foreign policy must be guided by the our strategic objectives and not by narrow political interests. India's weight in International politics can not be squandered away to cater to votebank politics. India must emulate the example of China and use its power and influence to meet strategic aims and win allies. India deserves a government that can build a coherent and pragmatic foreign policy that will do us good!