India: Good foreign policy must work for you all

It must ensure national security, help citizens in pursuit of their aspirations and help build the country’s image abroad

by S. Jaishankar 

Let me begin by emphasising what a great pleasure it is to be back in college. It is natural that the theme of my talk should be on foreign policy. But rather than inflict another learned analysis of the state of the world, what I would like to do today is to approach that subject from a different perspective.

The writer as the Minister of External Affairs, India met  FM Badr Albusaidi of the Sultanate of Oman.

A good foreign policy must work for you all. Your everyday needs from the world must be better met. And since we are a collective as a country, our national security must be assured. As that is done, the pursuit of our aspirations must be facilitated. Foreign policy being the link to the outside, it should enable us to draw what we seek. This could be in terms of technology or capital, best practices, or even work opportunities. And obviously, we would all like to be strong; we would like to look good and we would like to feel appreciated. Any policy which ensures all these goals has a lot going for it. It does not necessarily have to sound nice; it must simply pass the smell test.

Now think for a moment as an Indian student who happened to still be in Ukraine on February 24. Concerned about your educational prospects, you have now found yourself in the middle of a serious conflict. And it is not just you; 20,000 more of your fellow nationals and millions of Ukrainians are also trying to get out of the country. This is when you really look to your government for support and extrication. And indeed, this is when the entire foreign policy apparatus swings into action as it did through Operation Ganga. It does so by facilitating transport, and this includes trains and buses. It intervenes at the highest levels in Russia and Ukraine to ensure the ceasing of fire for safe passage.

An example in public health is equally instructive. When the first wave of Covid hit India in 2020, we scrambled across the world to secure PPEs, masks and ventilators. And we did so in a seller’s market as the demand far exceeded supply. Ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry with escalating requirements were also greatly sought after. And commerce by itself was not adequate in such circumstances; in fact, contacts were needed for effective access. The second wave in 2021 saw a similar spike in demand for oxygen and specialised medicines from abroad. Locating, negotiating and contracting supplies became the priority for Indian diplomacy. And it bent its back to deliver.

Now, let me explore what foreign policy could mean for you personally. As an Indian student, for example, it may be the ease of getting visas, the ability to travel during times of Covid, and perhaps even employment after studies. If you are a businessperson, it could help with access to foreign markets, receiving information about regulations and practices, and where circumstances demand it, assistance to solve problems. For the professionals and workers, this may be visible in ensuring fair employment contracts, a stronger sense of protection and welfare measures in times of difficulty. And for a stranded tourist, a sympathetic embassy provides much-needed succour and support, and in more threatening circumstances, examples of which I gave you, even evacuation. But you do not have to be abroad to need foreign policy; it matters at home just as much.

When it comes to security, external or internal, diplomacy could be a preventive, a mitigator or a problem-solver. It can help raise awareness of a shared threat, just as it can find partners against common dangers. So, if you are a soldier guarding our frontiers or a policeman grappling with terrorism, a good foreign policy makes your life a little safer. And then there is the economy, with its search for investment, technology and best practices. In each of these sectors, foreign relationships can accelerate India’s progress. And cumulatively, they expand employment and improve your quality of life.

But also think for a moment how much the big issues of our times — pandemics, terrorism, climate change — impact your very existence. And ask yourself whether we should not have a greater say in the search for solutions. It also matters to all of us what other nations think of India, our culture and our way of life. So, should we not then shape our image and influence the narrative? These are but a sample of how in an increasingly interconnected world, the attitude, perceptions and interests of others are so relevant. If they have to be managed, if they have to be leveraged, then it is all the more necessary for a sharper realisation at home that foreign policy really matters.

The world being what it is, self-interest and convergence cannot be fully counted upon, especially with neighbours. Their ambitions and emotions are not always predictable, nor indeed their risk-taking propensity. Few would have anticipated, for example, the turn that India’s relations with China have taken in the last two years. Any prudent policy, therefore, backs its posture with capabilities and deterrence. A big responsibility of Indian diplomacy, therefore, is to create the widest set of options for such contingencies.

Increasingly, foreign policy facilitates the creation of new capacities at home. In Asia, all modernising economies have single-mindedly focused their external interactions on obtaining capital, technology and best practices from abroad. Japan was the pioneer in this regard during the Meiji era, while China after Deng Xiaoping was the most successful in terms of scale. In recent years, India too has embraced this mindset. It may be information technology or auto manufacturing, food production or food processing, metros or bullet trains, space capabilities or nuclear energy; the fruits of foreign collaboration are there today for all of us to see. Newer challenges like green growth and climate action have started to open up still more possibilities. All this happens because of our ability to identify, engage, negotiate and leverage opportunities of interest abroad across many many domains. The most effective foreign policy is one that delivers on development.

The cumulative impact of eight years of an ambitious yet practical foreign policy is now there for all of you to see. To appreciate the full extent of this change, the profound consequences of 2014 have to be understood. A different worldview propelled a comprehensive review of our foreign policy. There was a conscious effort towards a “whole of the government” approach and more effective budgeting to back that up. The oversight of initiatives and projects — it’s called Pragati within the government — has become a regular occurrence. The six broad objectives that were spelt out to the policy-makers and implementers were clear. One, we must bring about a change of thinking in the world about us. Two, the partnerships we should create should be on more equal terms, and with smaller countries, more generous. Three, the global agenda and the big issues of our times should be shaped by India as much as possible. Four, foreign relationships should be actively explored and leveraged for domestic development and progress. Five, the very conceptualisation of foreign policy should be more people-centric. And six, our culture, traditions and thoughts should percolate our own articulation as well as influence international debates and initiatives. Yoga and Ayurveda were obvious examples in this regard.

What I have presented before you today are the building blocks that are dissected in a manner that their impact on your lives is discernible. Do connect the dots and look at the picture that emerges. A stronger and more capable India — one that is truer to its roots and culture — is a key factor in the larger rebalancing that characterises our contemporary world. As we mark 75 years of independence, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, there is good cause to be confident about our prospects. But to be so, it is equally important that all of you be fully aware of the opportunities and challenges that the world currently presents. And surely, we can be so once we appreciate how much foreign policy really matters.

Edited excerpts of the inaugural St. Stephen’s- MRF Distinguished Alumni Lecture delivered by India’s External Affairs Minister at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi on March 24.