A must read on India's diplomacy

M.R. Dua

Crafting a sturdy national foreign policy for a democratic country like India in the complex world of the 21st century is a formidable task for any grounded and consummate civil servant.
In the book under review Shyam Saran splendidly demonstrates how exquisitely he perfumed and was instrumental in framing and effectively executing India's foreign policy tied with divergent global issues vis-a-vis India. Saran functioned as India's foreign secretary and top diplomat during the crucial years, when India was being seen by the world as one of the fastest rising political powers and the fastest growing economy.
Saran, during his tenure as foreign secretary, worked keeping in view the basic foreign tenets prescribed by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The author introduces the book by defining crucial dimensions and status of today's foreign relations and narrates his varied personal contributions, some of which have survived. He focuses on the historical growth and development of India's rich and ancient culture, multidimensional traditions and grandiloquent heritage going back to the times of Ashoka and Kautilya.

Author Shyam Saran splendidly demonstrates how he was instrumental in framing and effectively executing India's foreign policy tied with divergent global issues.

Shyam Saran The book is of immense interest, specially to those deeply involved in academics as also the practice of current foreign policy dynamics. The author elaborates how he dealt with and sorted out complex foreign issues during Manmohan Singh's premiership.
Saran has dealt with many landmark issues that have shaped India's foreign policies pertaining to the nuclear deal with the US during George W. Bush's presidency.
It was during Saran's term in South Block that a highly 'visible change' occurred in India's sophisticated approach to its neighbourhood and SAARC nations. Besides, he very aptly guided the outpouring goodwill for India in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and South Asia.
It was Saran's adept advocacy that brought about a clear consensus on the hotly-contested issue of climate change. Saran's two-year term at India's embassy in Beijing enabled South Block to comprehend the Chinese manipulative manoeuvers among India's allies.
Saran stresses that India has to be friends with China. It would be extremely imperative for New Delhi to understand Chinese psyche-- its culture, causes of its current assertiveness, urge for its hunger to dictate and get respect in global affairs. The international community today is in awe and shock, 'fearfully' witnessing in full measure the masterful tricks that Beijing is tossing all over—from Myanmar to the Maldives, cozying with Nepal's new government; by heavily-financing Pakistan's OBOR project, and as of present deserting it; surreptitiously backing North Korea's Kim Jong- Un.

Doing business with Pakistan is a 'puzzle' that has put India at sixes and sevens. Pakistan is struggling to subsume its own disparate ethnicities in a shared and often passionate 'adherence to Islam.'

Saran opines that 'today there's an even more compelling reason for India to take lead in fostering South Asian cooperation.' The author opines that doing business with Pakistan is a 'puzzle' that has put India at sixes and sevens.
Pakistan is struggling to subsume its own disparate ethnicities in a shared and often passionate 'adherence to Islam.' Moreover, Pakistan's perpetual terroristic dealings are indeed as confusing as its rapidly degrading image at global levels.
The author recounts his numerous encounters with Islamabad while he deliberated political issues: Indo-Pak border and cross-LOC trade,
environment, travel and tourism, etc.However, he regrets that 'India has not been able to craft an effective strategy to deal with Pakistan's use of cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy.'He underlines the inevitable reality that since India has to live next door with Pakistan, it would be in India's interest to stay talking as Pakistan is not likely to dissipate and resolve the disputes, somehow. He recommends India adopting options of 'inflicting pain on Pakistan if India's security is threatened.'
The book diligently reveals how and why India's role will matter in sorting out some of the most crucial imbroglios that will influence and prompt India's rise as the world's fast rising power: road to the Indo-US nuclear deal,tackling energy security and climate change, running the NSG gauntlet.
The author uncovers at length how and why several emerging and enlarging conflicts–economic, diplomatic and political - between China and the US, besides hither to abounding and unparalleled aspirations, bursting expectations of several upcoming Asian, African and Latin American giants, will transform and reshape 'indices' of global power politics as also the economic equations
All in all, Saran's is an excellent companion for any foreign policy wag, budding diplomat, academic researcher and lay reader. The author's flawless language makes access to the book a memorable treat.



		EDITOR'S MAIL FROM THE EDITOR POLITICAL IRONY POLITICS OF CONFLICT UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY QUESTION PAPER LEAKS FRANKLY SPEAKING REALPOLITIK SHAME INDIA ! SHAME INDIA ! SIGNS OF THE TIMES POLITICAL SCENE EXPORT DRIVE KASHMIR WATCH KASHMIR WATCH HIMACHAL PRADESH POLITICS IN PUNJAB CHANDIGARH DIARY COMMONWEALTH GAMES HITS & MISSES INDIA'S TIBET POLICY SYRIAN CRISIS REMEMBERING S. NIHAL SINGH REMEMBERING TVR BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR YOGA IN DAILY LIFE STORY OF GURUGRAM CINEMA ART OF LIVING Issue:May' 2018 Subscribe Now	BOOK BAZAAR A must read on India's diplomacy M.R. Dua Crafting a sturdy national foreign policy for a democratic country like India in the complex world of the 21st century is a formidable task for any grounded and consummate civil servant. In the book under review Shyam Saran splendidly demonstrates how exquisitely he perfumed and was instrumental in framing and effectively executing India's foreign policy tied with divergent global issues vis-a-vis India. Saran functioned as India's foreign secretary and top diplomat during the crucial years, when India was being seen by the world as one of the fastest rising political powers and the fastest growing economy. Saran, during his tenure as foreign secretary, worked keeping in view the basic foreign tenets prescribed by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The author introduces the book by defining crucial dimensions and status of today's foreign relations and narrates his varied personal contributions, some of which have survived. He focuses on the historical growth and development of India's rich and ancient culture, multidimensional traditions and grandiloquent heritage going back to the times of Ashoka and Kautilya. Author Shyam Saran splendidly demonstrates how he was instrumental in framing and effectively executing India's foreign policy tied with divergent global issues. Shyam Saran The book is of immense interest, specially to those deeply involved in academics as also the practice of current foreign policy dynamics. The author elaborates how he dealt with and sorted out complex foreign issues during Manmohan Singh's premiership. Saran has dealt with many landmark issues that have shaped India's foreign policies pertaining to the nuclear deal with the US during George W. Bush's presidency. It was during Saran's term in South Block that a highly 'visible change' occurred in India's sophisticated approach to its neighbourhood and SAARC nations. Besides, he very aptly guided the outpouring goodwill for India in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and South Asia. It was Saran's adept advocacy that brought about a clear consensus on the hotly-contested issue of climate change. Saran's two-year term at India's embassy in Beijing enabled South Block to comprehend the Chinese manipulative manoeuvers among India's allies. Saran stresses that India has to be friends with China. It would be extremely imperative for New Delhi to understand Chinese psyche-- its culture, causes of its current assertiveness, urge for its hunger to dictate and get respect in global affairs. The international community today is in awe and shock, 'fearfully' witnessing in full measure the masterful tricks that Beijing is tossing all over—from Myanmar to the Maldives, cozying with Nepal's new government; by heavily-financing Pakistan's OBOR project, and as of present deserting it; surreptitiously backing North Korea's Kim Jong- Un. Doing business with Pakistan is a 'puzzle' that has put India at sixes and sevens. Pakistan is struggling to subsume its own disparate ethnicities in a shared and often passionate 'adherence to Islam.' Saran opines that 'today there's an even more compelling reason for India to take lead in fostering South Asian cooperation.' The author opines that doing business with Pakistan is a 'puzzle' that has put India at sixes and sevens. Pakistan is struggling to subsume its own disparate ethnicities in a shared and often passionate 'adherence to Islam.' Moreover, Pakistan's perpetual terroristic dealings are indeed as confusing as its rapidly degrading image at global levels. The author recounts his numerous encounters with Islamabad while he deliberated political issues: Indo-Pak border and cross-LOC trade, environment, travel and tourism, etc.However, he regrets that 'India has not been able to craft an effective strategy to deal with Pakistan's use of cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy.'He underlines the inevitable reality that since India has to live next door with Pakistan, it would be in India's interest to stay talking as Pakistan is not likely to dissipate and resolve the disputes, somehow. He recommends India adopting options of 'inflicting pain on Pakistan if India's security is threatened.' The book diligently reveals how and why India's role will matter in sorting out some of the most crucial imbroglios that will influence and prompt India's rise as the world's fast rising power: road to the Indo-US nuclear deal,tackling energy security and climate change, running the NSG gauntlet. The author uncovers at length how and why several emerging and enlarging conflicts–economic, diplomatic and political - between China and the US, besides hither to abounding and unparalleled aspirations, bursting expectations of several upcoming Asian, African and Latin American giants, will transform and reshape 'indices' of global power politics as also the economic equations All in all, Saran's is an excellent companion for any foreign policy wag, budding diplomat, academic researcher and lay reader. The author's flawless language makes access to the book a memorable treat.