New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday said that today the winds of change are most apparent in the Indo-Pacific. It is there that the diplomatic creativity which Prime Minister Vajpayee inspires should be most strongly applied.
In his opening remarks at the 2nd Atal Bihari Vajpayee memorial lecture organised by the Ministry of External Affairs to mark the birth anniversary of Vajpayee on December 25, Jaishankar said, "Today, the winds of change are most apparent in the Indo-Pacific. It is there that the diplomatic creativity which Prime Minister Vajpayee inspires should be most strongly applied.
"We are looking at a complex set of transformations that are simultaneously underway. The Indo-Pacific is witnessing both multipolarity and rebalancing. It is seeing great power competition as well as ‘middle power plus’ activities", he said.
He further noted that the Orthodox politics including territorial differences are in sharper play, side-by-side with currencies of power like connectivity and technology. No other landscape illustrates better the widening of our definition of national security.
Recalling the contribution made by former PM Vajpayee, he said that where Indians and indeed the rest of the world is concerned, the leadership that Prime Minister Vajpayee provided needs with a little reminder.
The objective of this Memorial Lecture, however, is to focus on his particular contributions to foreign policy. And that he made over many decades – as a parliamentarian, as a Foreign Minister and of course, as Prime Minister, he reiterated.
Jaishankar said that there is much that can be related in terms of specific policies and particular events in that regard. But if we are to look at the essence of his approach to international relations, it is evident that this focuses on responding effectively to global changes.
Not surprisingly, that is exactly what he sought to do in respect of key relationships and issues. And this is important to recognize and appreciate because foreign policy debates often tend to become dogmatic and cliché rode, he added.
"Where the United States was concerned, Prime Minister Vajpayee introduced policy corrections that reflected the end of the Cold War and the new global balance. At the same time, he kept India’s course steady vis-à-vis Russia despite the turbulence of that era", Jaishankar pointed out.
He said that with China, whether as Foreign Minister or as Prime Minister, he sought a modus vivendi that was based as much on mutual respect as on mutual interest. "With Pakistan, he strenuously tried to dissuade them from their path of sponsoring cross-border terrorism", added Jaishankar.
"All this, of course, was underpinned by his belief that India must develop deeper strengths at home. This found expression in the exercise of the nuclear option as it did in the economic modernization that he presided over", External Affairs Minister said.
The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Lecture was delivered by Dr Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of Lowy Institute of Australia and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla presided over the event.
