Modi made welcome in Israel

Modi’s visit to Israel assumes significance not only because it is the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister but because it reaffirms a relationship that has been less vocal and even less visible over the years

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore white with a touch of  blue during his historic visit to Israel, he sent a message of friendship, camaraderie and a new relationship with a country that no Indian Prime Minister had visited in 70 years. The outfit’s colours were deliberately chosen because the Israeli flag is white with blue. White was also appropriate because Modi visited the Yad Vashem Memorial to honour the victims of the Holocaust. Given the solemnity of the occasion, Modi appropriately wore a white himachali cap with a little bit of red. Visitors to the memorial customarily cover their heads as a sign of respect. Modi did too, ofcourse with an Indian touch. The Himachali cap is a traditional head gear. Modi’s visit to Israel assumes significance not only because it is the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister but because it reaffirms a relationship that has been less vocal and even less visible over the years. The relationship between the two countries has evolved but past governments before Modi have resisted from bringing it centrestage. The UPA government focused on agriculture more than it did on defence even though India got military aid from Israel including the Kargil war when Israel provided India with mortar ammunitions, surveillance drones and laser guided missiles along with intelligence inputs. The  UPA, it is well known,  followed a cautious policy towards Israel but Modi has turned it around to mutual benefit. He has given it more visibility by not only actually flying there but by making the right noises about a relationship that India is clearly wanting to cash in on. That his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife hosted a private dinner that carried on till well past midnight is an indication of the “unprecedented importance” being attached to Modi’s visit. The possibility of an  Israeli firm  upgrading Prime Minister Modi’s official aircraft with all-weather radars, flight refuelling probes and anti-missile counter-measures and the two Prime Ministers looking at agriculture and water to expand the relationship are important takeaways of Modi’s visit.

That Netanyahu has accepted Modi’s invitation to visit India is another indication of taking forward what till now has somewhat been a dormant relationship between the two countries. That Modi intends to give it a spark is clear from the hype and importance both the governments have attached to Modi’s visit. Significantly, Netanyahu’s cabinet  has approved measures to increase, by 25 per cent, Israel's non-diamond-related exports to India, now $1.38 billion, over the next four years as well as set up a joint innovation, research and development fund.

One cannot undermine the fact that Modi did take the initiative to shake up India-Israel relationship out of eternal slumber. One cannot also take away from Modi the fact that he is a doer and a Prime Minister who means business. Back home he is charged with globetrotting and his visits not yielding much but one cannot ignore the fact that as Prime Minister he has given that extra edge to India and countries that matter have started wooing India. Its footprint internationally has certainly widened under Modi’s leadership. He has made it a point to reach out beginning with his swearing in ceremony where he invited heads of state of SAARC countries and within hours of his assuming office opened channels with each of them.

Within a year of his taking over, Modi invited US President Barack Obama to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day.

Obama was the first U.S. president to attend the parade.  Modi’s success is in the fact that Obama accepted his invitation. In the past, India’s efforts to get the US President for the Republic Day had failed.   President Bill Clinton was also invited in 1994 but he could not accept the invitation because of domestic preoccupations. Therefore for Modi to pull this off is nothing short of a diplomatic feat. He not only took the initiative but made it happen.

This did not end with Obama’s tenure.  The first dinner US President Donald Trump hosted for a world leader in the White House within five months of his taking over was for none other than Modi. This was flagged as Trump’s personal warmth for Modi. The US administration made it known that Modi’s visit was special and there would be a red carpet roll- out. The premium placed on getting PM Modi and President Trump comfortable with one another, as it will be their first meeting in person, was significant.

The two leaders  had spoken three times since Trump assumed the US presidency but for the US President to make a call to congratulate Modi over the BJP win in a state election was going that extra mile on bonhomie. Therefore more than the agenda there was stress on “getting to know each other” kind of a feel in the Modi Trump interaction.   

Ofcourse a major gaffe was a statement where the language used raised tempers back home. US State Department  use of the term ‘Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir’ in context of listing Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist raised hackles in India. Back home this was seen as a compromise with India’s  sovereignty. Following the furore,  India’s Foreign Ministry was hard pressed to reiterate that the entire state of  Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Controversy apart, Modi succeeded in extracting a commitment on fighting  terrorism both from USA and Israel. While US and India committed to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism, India and Israel agreed to  cooperate to combat growing radicalization and terrorism. Taking the relationship to a different level, Netanyahu said "This is a marriage made in heaven but we are implementing it here on earth,", a tribute and importance that Israel gives to India and Modi’s visit.

Making terrorism the central theme and getting other nations on board is something Modi can easily take credit for. But the task will remain incomplete if he fails to set his own house in order. In this context, he needs to take sure and stern steps domestically to ensure that Pakistan cannot take India’s tolerance and maturity for granted. It is true that a troubled Kashmir is not of Modi’s making. It is a painful legacy he has inherited and however hard he may try he cannot change the picture overnight. There are inherent problems and ofcourse those that Pakistan is fanning. The first will take its course but on the second, that is Pakistan, patience is running out. The Modi aggression, the way it had unfolded when he was campaigning and eyeing the top job, is on the wane. The people of India had then found in him a leader who would teach  Pakistan a lesson. Modi’s own anti Pak rhetoric was enough to back that up. Once Modi got elected and took over as Prime Minister, hopes were high on Pakistan being on the run. But on this Modi has been found wanting. There is tough talk as also surgical strikes but the situation in Kashmir is getting from bad to worse and Pakistan is getting bolder by the minute. There is no letup and whatever Modi’s achievements on paper outside India may be, on the ground Pakistan remains an irritant that keeps resurfacing to disturb and disrupt India’s peace and often threatening its security. Therefore it is an evil that cannot be wished away and it is imperative that Modi takes the bull by its horns and does what it takes to tell Pakistan that it is this far and no further. Unless he does that international commitments, though important and significant, will remain only one part of the story.  The other needs Modi’s grit and determination and is waiting to be scripted.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])

 

Modi made welcome in Israel

Modis visit to Israel assumes significance not only because it is the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister but because it reaffirms a relationship that has been less vocal and even less visible over the years

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore white with a touch of blue during his historic visit to Israel, he sent a message of friendship, camaraderie and a new relationship with a country that no Indian Prime Minister had visited in 70 years. The outfits colours were deliberately chosen because the Israeli flag is white with blue. White was also appropriate because Modi visited the Yad Vashem Memorial to honour the victims of the Holocaust. Given the solemnity of the occasion, Modi appropriately wore a white himachali cap with a little bit of red. Visitors to the memorial customarily cover their heads as a sign of respect. Modi did too, ofcourse with an Indian touch. The Himachali cap is a traditional head gear. Modis visit to Israel assumes significance not only because it is the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister but because it reaffirms a relationship that has been less vocal and even less visible over the years. The relationship between the two countries has evolved but past governments before Modi have resisted from bringing it centrestage. The UPA government focused on agriculture more than it did on defence even though India got military aid from Israel including the Kargil war when Israel provided India with mortar ammunitions, surveillance drones and laser guided missiles along with intelligence inputs. The UPA, it is well known, followed a cautious policy towards Israel but Modi has turned it around to mutual benefit. He has given it more visibility by not only actually flying there but by making the right noises about a relationship that India is clearly wanting to cash in on. That his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife hosted a private dinner that carried on till well past midnight is an indication of the unprecedented importance being attached to Modis visit. The possibility of an Israeli firm upgrading Prime Minister Modis official aircraft with all-weather radars, flight refuelling probes and anti-missile counter-measures and the two Prime Ministers looking at agriculture and water to expand the relationship are important takeaways of Modis visit. That Netanyahu has accepted Modis invitation to visit India is another indication of taking forward what till now has somewhat been a dormant relationship between the two countries. That Modi intends to give it a spark is clear from the hype and importance both the governments have attached to Modis visit. Significantly, Netanyahus cabinet has approved measures to increase, by 25 per cent, Israels non-diamond-related exports to India, now $1.38 billion, over the next four years as well as set up a joint innovation, research and development fund. One cannot undermine the fact that Modi did take the initiative to shake up India-Israel relationship out of eternal slumber. One cannot also take away from Modi the fact that he is a doer and a Prime Minister who means business. Back home he is charged with globetrotting and his visits not yielding much but one cannot ignore the fact that as Prime Minister he has given that extra edge to India and countries that matter have started wooing India. Its footprint internationally has certainly widened under Modis leadership. He has made it a point to reach out beginning with his swearing in ceremony where he invited heads of state of SAARC countries and within hours of his assuming office opened channels with each of them. Within a year of his taking over, Modi invited US President Barack Obama to be the chief guest at Indias Republic Day. Obama was the first U.S. president to attend the parade. Modis success is in the fact that Obama accepted his invitation. In the past, Indias efforts to get the US President for the Republic Day had failed. President Bill Clinton was also invited in 1994 but he could not accept the invitation because of domestic preoccupations. Therefore for Modi to pull this off is nothing short of a diplomatic feat. He not only took the initiative but made it happen. This did not end with Obamas tenure. The first dinner US President Donald Trump hosted for a world leader in the White House within five months of his taking over was for none other than Modi. This was flagged as Trumps personal warmth for Modi. The US administration made it known that Modis visit was special and there would be a red carpet roll- out. The premium placed on getting PM Modi and President Trump comfortable with one another, as it will be their first meeting in person, was significant. The two leaders had spoken three times since Trump assumed the US presidency but for the US President to make a call to congratulate Modi over the BJP win in a state election was going that extra mile on bonhomie. Therefore more than the agenda there was stress on getting to know each other kind of a feel in the Modi Trump interaction. Ofcourse a major gaffe was a statement where the language used raised tempers back home. US State Department use of the term Indian-administered Jammu Kashmir in context of listing Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist raised hackles in India. Back home this was seen as a compromise with Indias sovereignty. Following the furore, Indias Foreign Ministry was hard pressed to reiterate that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Controversy apart, Modi succeeded in extracting a commitment on fighting terrorism both from USA and Israel. While US and India committed to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism, India and Israel agreed to cooperate to combat growing radicalization and terrorism. Taking the relationship to a different level, Netanyahu said This is a marriage made in heaven but we are implementing it here on earth,, a tribute and importance that Israel gives to India and Modis visit. Making terrorism the central theme and getting other nations on board is something Modi can easily take credit for. But the task will remain incomplete if he fails to set his own house in order. In this context, he needs to take sure and stern steps domestically to ensure that Pakistan cannot take Indias tolerance and maturity for granted. It is true that a troubled Kashmir is not of Modis making. It is a painful legacy he has inherited and however hard he may try he cannot change the picture overnight. There are inherent problems and ofcourse those that Pakistan is fanning. The first will take its course but on the second, that is Pakistan, patience is running out. The Modi aggression, the way it had unfolded when he was campaigning and eyeing the top job, is on the wane. The people of India had then found in him a leader who would teach Pakistan a lesson. Modis own anti Pak rhetoric was enough to back that up. Once Modi got elected and took over as Prime Minister, hopes were high on Pakistan being on the run. But on this Modi has been found wanting. There is tough talk as also surgical strikes but the situation in Kashmir is getting from bad to worse and Pakistan is getting bolder by the minute. There is no letup and whatever Modis achievements on paper outside India may be, on the ground Pakistan remains an irritant that keeps resurfacing to disturb and disrupt Indias peace and often threatening its security. Therefore it is an evil that cannot be wished away and it is imperative that Modi takes the bull by its horns and does what it takes to tell Pakistan that it is this far and no further. Unless he does that international commitments, though important and significant, will remain only one part of the story. The other needs Modis grit and determination and is waiting to be scripted. The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])