of the world, experience of 38-39 years,
along with our experience of 20-25
years depending on the Offi cer’s career,
plus the academic background of the
Research Fellows when they combine
together, I think this juxtaposition of
the mental ability and analytical output
I think it is the best kind of milieu that
produces some outcome which normally
you can see published on the ICWA
website.
Q You have fi rst-hand experience
of the societies in Latin America and
Africa - two continents with whom
India shares age-old relations. How
do you think India should leverage
her ties with Africa – given the
increasing Chinese (and even UK’s
and Germany’s) interest in Africa as
a whole?
India’s relationship with Africa
is historical. We have been part and
parcel of the entire movement against
colonialism and also played an integral
role in the non-aligned movement.
India’s west coast and Africa’s east
coast are connected by the Arabian Sea,
and that formed the natural trade route
for us. This in turn led to a diasporic
connection,so that a lot of Indians went
down and settled in Africa. Look at
countries on the east coast of Africa,
starting from Ethopia down to Uganda,
Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and
South Africa where even Gandhi ji has
played a phenomenal role. Hence, Africa
for India is very dear. The Hon. External
Affairs Minister recently announced
that India will be opening 16-18 more
missions in Africa to cover each country
individually. That is Africa for us, it is
a relationship which is symbiotic, and
where we see lot of potential, there is a
lot of goodwill.
Q In the backdrop of the recent
elections that took place in Latin
America and the Caribbean, how do
you feel India should navigate these
waters?
Latin America is a land of vast
opportunity. There was a time when
there was a barrier of distance, language,
etc. but in the twenty fi rst century, there
is ample space, for India to play its part
- its industries, scientifi c community
and the Indian diaspora. Slowly the
Indian diaspora is spreading its wing
in these countries. Trade is picking
up too. You will be surprised to know
that trade with some of the Latin
American countries and Caribbean
countries is much more than many of
our neighbouring countries, for example
trade with Mexico is more than some
ASEAN countries. So distance today is
not a disadvantage, and I think India’s
soft power and India’s soft diplomacy
has done a lot of good: Bollywood,
Yoga, Indian System of Medicine,
India’s spiritual travels, Ayurveda etc.
is known to Latin Americans and they
come to visit India in droves.
There was a time when
there was a barrier of
distance, language, etc.
but in the twenty fi rst
century, there is ample
space, for India to play
its part - its industries,
scientifi c community and
the Indian diaspora.
Q With regard to the global scenario,
do you think India is slow in leveraging
her age old ties? Or is it because China
started investing more that India
woke up?
Let me put it the other way round;
every country has got its model, every
country has got its policies, and then
every country has got it priorities. We
are the world’s largest democracy,
we have our own institutions, and we
have always partnered with developing
countries in the spirit of South-South
co-operation and the least developed
countries. We have always shared
whatever we have been able to achieve;
and that is the primary aspect of India’s
development co-operation. We might
not be a country with too much money
to spare; but despite that, we have been
able to take out some good schemes,
lines of credit, grants, development co-
operations, scholarship programmes,
projects, etc. All this is done, always in
consultation with the countries where
we go - it is at their request, their terms
and conditions. Moreover, whatever
conditionalities or regulations are to be
implemented by the Indian side, it is
openly known to the world because it is
published on the EXIM Bank’s website.
So there are no hidden agendas. This
is the strength of Indian collaboration
and partnership with these countries.
I am very proud of this and this is the
right way to espouse collaboration and
co-operation.
Q Given your vast experience, what
more should the Indian diaspora do
to engage in building stronger bridges
between India and a particular
country?
The India diaspora is already playing
a massive role in not only projecting
India but in literally taking India to
the furthest corner - sometimes even
where our diplomatic endeavours have
not reached. They’re part and parcel
of the country where they are situated,
where they reside. Most of them today
are citizens of those countries. We have
always maintained that, ‘your loyalty
is always to the country to which you
belong, to the the passport that you
carry’. But at the same time, we expect
and it is our dream, and I am quite sure
they do it, the diaspora carries the good
will of the ‘Indian-ness’ with them and
take India to the local people there. It
acts a massive compound interest to the
diplomatic eff orts of the Government
of India. So, I am very upbeat on the
diaspora.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 10 • Oct-Nov 2018, Noida • 39