Unsustainable Chinese Policies Indian Navy’s Plan

Disappointed Congress in Gujarat Wake Up Call For Political Class

and many more ….

Published By: Vivekananda International Foundation 3, San Martin Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021, [email protected], www.vifindia.org

Contents

ARTICLES - The Undisputed Vote Ka Saudagar! Indian Foreign Policy Challenges - A Surya Prakash 51 3 - Kanwal Sibal

GMR Contract Termination And President Putin In India India - Maldives Relations 58 18 - PP Shukla - Dr N Manoharan

103 Safeguarding India's Maritime Interests Need To Expedite The Creation Of An Indian Cyber Command - Nitin Gokhale 23 62 107 - Radhakrishna Rao Obama's Visit To Myanmar: Implications For India Acquiring The Heritage Tag – Is It 28 Enough? 70 - Vinod Anand - Dr. Anirban Ganguly We, The Living! Need To revise Land Use Polices 34 Politics of Corruption In Bangladesh

- Dr M N Buch - Neha Mehta 78

Hounding Businesses In Good For Stocks

42 - Dr. Anantha Nageswaran

Rape, Rage, Reality Check EVENTS - Sushant Screen 46 Interaction With “CIISS On Political Change Over In China” 84

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 2

Indian Foreign Policy Challenges - Kanwal Sibal

ndian foreign policy already the US and its impact on its faces many challenges. These international role was not I challenges have not been met predicted by observers either, and will continue to confront us in though many were warning that the future. An understanding of the US was living beyond its what they are will help to devise means. future approaches. We must therefore identify what the So soon after the collapse of one existing challenges are. There is a superpower, the Soviet Union, we caveat. “Future” covers an are talking about the decline of indefinite time span. Are we another, United States. looking at the near future, mid- term future or the long term Many alarm bells are being rung perspective? Many exercises of that the Chinese policies are identifying issues and challenges unsustainable and that China is in the 20 and 30-year horizons are heading for a crisis. Many may being done by governments and wish that to happen so that the non-governmental institutions. muscle-flexing China is cut down They are useful in indicating to size and its neighbours feel trends. But it is impossible to more comfortable. But no one can predict the unpredictable.No one predict with certainty what lies could predict the collapse of the ahead. Soviet Union when it occurred, The element of innovation and though many wished for it. technology that can change global The rapidity of China’s rise at the scenarios is unpredictable too. pace at which it has occurred and There is a line of thinking that its impact on global affairs was not many of the future challenges that predicted with assurance. are linked to energy and food security, for instance, could be met The nature and timing of the with technological breakthroughs. financial crisis that has afflicted Even the success of nations in

* Kanwal Sibal - Member Advisory Board, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 3 meeting a variety of challenges controversial ones are made. will be measured, it is believed, by Vietnam, Iraq and unleashing their technological innovativeness. Islamic fundamentalism against the Soviets are examples in the The nature of conflicts may change American case. India made an with technological innovation, error of judgment, for instance, at especially in cyberspace. Simla in 1972.

With all these caveats and In reality, countries do not always uncertainties let me delve into the act in their national interest. It is subject of this talk. no country’s interest, for example, to have difficult A big challenge for relations with India is to In reality, countries do not neighbours, but maintain coherence always act in their national many countries do, and balance in its interest. It is no country’s either because they foreign policy. It is interest, for example, to have want to dominate axiomatic that difficult relations with them or are protecting and neighbours, but many insensitive to their advancing the countries do, either because concerns. Smaller country’s national they want to dominate them or countries too interest is the goal are insensitive to their overplay their hand of its foreign policy. concerns. Smaller countries too and provoke their This is all right as overplay their hand and bigger and stronger an enunciation of a provoke their bigger and neighbours. general principle; stronger neighbours. the problem lies in The enlightened the practical interest of any implementation of such principles. country is undermined by tensions and conflict. Yet, many countries Defining national interest is not as willfully pursue policies that easy as it might seem. National threaten peace. polls are not conducted to define a country’s national interest. A If pride makes individuals broad consensus can be built over obstinate and unwilling to years on the essential parameters compromise, nations too suffer of such interest. But situations from the “loss of face” syndrome. change and judgments have to be made. Often wrong and highly

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Is the form of government relevant sovereignty has been pooled in in properly defining what would be some key areas. best in a country’s national interest? In other words, do National interest is a fluid and democratic systems with public uncertain concept. A big challenge debate on policies enable leaders for India is therefore to be able to to form a better view of national define its national interest with interest, rather than dictatorial or discernment, realism, objectivity authoritative systems where policy and foresight. formulation is personalized and can be whimsical? This is not easy as the backdrop against which analysis and choices But we see that even the most are made keeps changing. A broad democratic countries make huge national consensus on what mistakes in foreign policy choices constitutes the national interest is and impose costs on themselves important. and others. I had earlier spoken of coherence There is the issue of national and balance in foreign policy as a power and national interest. A continuing challenge. powerful country will expand the scope of its national interest in The international scene has tune with its ambitions and the changed a great deal in the last reach of its power. A weaker two decades or so. India has country will interpret its national needed to adjust its foreign policy interest more narrowly so as to accordingly. During the Cold War, avoid unnecessary problems. India considered the Soviet Union a reliable strategic partner, even Globalization and interdependence though the term strategic partner has also changed the notions of was not used then. national interest because countries know they do not have a With a world divided into two free hand and have to give and blocs, India’s compass was take much more than before. nonalignment, with its political empathies more with the eastern In some cases, like the European bloc whose rhetoric was friendlier Union, national interest has been towards the third world. submerged in many ways within a larger community interest. Even

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India‘s relations with the western weak Russia is not good for the bloc were problematic because of global system. In fact, the space the west’s non-proliferation vacated by Russia has been filled injunctions, pro-Pakistani policies by China. US political lobbies still and economic philosophy. see Russia as a geopolitical threat, as Romney’s statements during The nature of our relations with the US presidential election the US has been altered in the last showed. few years. Our policies have become convergent in many ways. India can do little to boost Russia, Improved relations except by with the US have maintaining the given India more The nature of our relations regularity of room to manoeuvre with the US has been altered summit meetings, regionally and in the last few years. Our nurturing the internationally. policies have become traditionally close Strategically, we convergent in many ways. defence ties that are being pulled Improved relations with the assure non- towards the US. US have given India more disruption of This means that room to manoeuvre regionally supplies at critical our relations with and internationally. moments as well as the US allies have Strategically, we are being access to sensitive become better too, pulled towards the US. This technologies, and means that our relations with as, for example, partnering it in the US allies have become with Japan, South political groupings better too, as, for example, Korea and such as the Russia- with Japan, South Korea and Australia. India-China Australia. dialogue and the Simultaneously, BRICS where the our relations with Russia have lost west is absent. the centrality of the past. Even as India’s economic growth is The challenge for us is to expand changing its global profile, our our economic ties with Russia. economic ties with Russia have Energy cooperation provides an relatively shrunk. opportunity so far insufficiently exploited. Yet Russia is important for the balance of our foreign policy. A

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India and Russia share the agenda political chess boards and optimize of multipolarity, respect for what it can extract from others for sovereignty, non-interference in its own development. This means the internal affairs of countries, India should preserve it geo-political abuse of the human independence of judgment and rights issues, regime change action as much as possible even as policies, the proclivity to use it conducts itself as a good and military means to find solutions to reliable partner where the highly complex issues. partnerships have been formed.

This agenda puts India at cross The US rhetoric about its purposes with many policies of the relationship with India being a west. The challenge for India is to defining one in the 21st century is maintain the basics of its position heady. India-US relations have but avoid a direct clash with the certainly achieved a degree of west over these issues. balance and maturity, with rapid expansion of bilateral and Yet, in terms of markets, multilateral engagement. investment needs - especially to Contentious issues between them develop our poor infrastructure, have receded into the background. access to modern technologies in health, energy, agriculture, The US robustly affirms its industry, building a knowledge strategic partnership with India, economy, participating in global presenting India with the supply chains, etc., the Indian challenge of leveraging its new needs are much better served by strategic ties with that country, the west. Our people to people while maintaining its strategic relations with the west are strong. autonomy.

In fact, the needs of the growing It has to be borne in mind, Indian economy are such that we however, that in maintaining its cannot avoid doing business even global supremacy, but with with an adversary like China. Not declining means, the US needs to surprisingly, China has therefore co-opt partners outside the Euro- emerged as India’s biggest trade Atlantic bloc, and India stands out partner in goods. as an obvious one because of its size, human resources, expanding The challenge for India is to successfully play on all geo-

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 7 economic base, reasonable military relationships to mutual strength and democratic polity. advantage, create trust and avoid any policy that hurts the Even with regard to its new policy legitimate interests of the other of rebalancing towards Asia, partner. intended without being openly stated to put constraints on The US has interests spread all China’s ambitions, the US sees over the world by virtue of it being India as a lynchpin. The a global power. It cannot expect assumption is that India alone is India to support its policies big enough in Asia to counter everywhere. The US would want China and that India has concerns to fit India in the global about China’s rise for its own architecture of its policies. India security, given outstanding border has no such global architecture in differences and Chinese policies in which it wants to fit the US. It India’s neighbourhood. cannot easily fit the US even into the regional architecture of its Some political elements in the US policies, whether this relates to find India’s ambivalence towards Pakistan, China’s territorial the west and its unwillingness to claims on India, the post Dalai endorse western policies as the Lama phase in Tibet, Iran, etc. lingering malaise of nonalignment. They see India’s desire to preserve The challenge for India’s foreign its strategic autonomy as a policy in the years ahead is to be smokescreen for its nostalgia for courted by all and to succumb to nonalignment. no one. Even if India cannot lead, it must not be led. This is, to my mind, a misreading of reality. By strategic autonomy India has, in fact, shown great India means friendly ties and resilience, despite its economic mutually beneficial relations with and military weakness, to try and all countries, with its own stand on its own feet strategically legitimate- not purely selfish- in international affairs. Even big interests primarily in mind. European powers, which have in the past ruled many parts of the It is in this spirit that India has world, do not have strategic strategic partnerships with a autonomy today despite the variety of countries. The idea is to collapse of the Soviet Union and develop the basis of long term

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 8 communism as an ideology. They has not been able to shed, which willingly subordinate themselves drives its efforts to shape the to the US. world according to its values which it considers universal. By choosing strategic self-reliance, India has to cope with challenges India’s challenge is not to be largely on its own. This requires simply co-opted into the existing that India avoids getting into international order that is situations it cannot handle, in the controlled by the west. It must main, on its own. It does not have find its due place in it in its own allies to shore up its positions. right and be in a position to change the rules rather than The west has never supported simply adhere to the existing ones. India so far on issues of core concern to it, whether political, Reform of the international military or technological. It has institutions is, therefore, very now removed certain technological important and India’s discourse on disabilities on India but far from this is legitimate. India should fully. have a greater say in these institutions. Getting a permanent The developing countries haven’t seat in the Security Council will supported India either on remain a challenge as resistance Pakistan, China or nuclear related to this will not go away soon. issues. Self-esteem and confidence are This explains why the Indian reflected in India’s claim to a foreign policy tends to be cautious permanent seat. India is not and reticent in taking partisan begging; it is claiming. India positions on highly divisive issues. should pursue this quest, if only to remind that the existing There are pressures on India to be international institutions that more forthright, not sit on the uphold the present world order are fence, be willing to incur costs in no longer representative of the upholding the international order international community. and not be a free-loader. India will have to resist such pressures in We have to carefully weigh the the years ahead, because many of China factor in seeking these arise from the aggressive, redistribution of power at the dominating habits that the west global level. The gap between

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India and China has grown so big The US and its democratic allies that in any re-ordering of the have muscled foreign policies too, world order China can gain more. as they are using their force in With China’s world view, its sense many parts of the world at great of itself, its historical grievances human cost. Political and moral and its territorially expansionist justification for military action can policies, India, which has serious always be found, with globally differences with China, cannot be powerful media helping to comfortable with a more powerful rationalize such action. China within the international system. Democracy is no insurance against the use of military means to China has become achieve national too powerful Unfortunately, China has ends. economically and made it clear that it does not financially and too intend to solve the border issue Nationalism can be integrated with the with India; it says it wants it a powerful driver global economy to to remain dormant and leave it in foreign policy. A be contained in the to the next generation to more democratic resolve it. But then, as we have but nationalist way the Soviet seen in the latest maps on China will not be Union was and the Chinese passports, China is way Russia is still establishing its claims in any less of a being pressured by insidious ways. These actions problem for others. the west. The US reveal the longer-term strategy pivot towards Asia China has in mind. Unfortunately, is not intended to China has made it actively confront China; it is to clear that it does caution it against any not intend to solve the border adventurism. issue with India; it says it wants it to remain dormant and leave it to The US-China relationship is the next generation to resolve it. much more intensive than the US- But then, as we have seen in the India relationship. We should not latest maps on Chinese passports, pay much attention to the China is establishing its claims in democracy rhetoric. China insidious ways. These actions becoming more democratic is no reveal the longer-term strategy guarantee against a more muscled China has in mind. Chinese foreign policy.

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It is clear that Tibet has not maintenance of friendly ties with reconciled with China’s rule. Dalai its neighbours. India, it is claimed, Lama’s succession can revive cannot rise to its potential if it is tensions between India and China. embroiled in conflicts or tensions India has to make sure that with its neighbours. India has Bhutan does not yield to China’s supposedly failed in this regard. blandishments. China’s rising profile in Sri Lanka and Nepal is a Having good relations with cause of concern. The China- neighbours is not a unilateral Pakistan axis remains a grave exercise; it is a reciprocal one. If problem. India should have good relations with its neighbours, then it is India has to equally incumbent develop its India should, of course, try to on the neighbours do its best to win over the economic and neighbours, but if the to have good military muscle to neighbours see it in their relations with counter the China interest to balance a much India. No one can threat. There is no larger India by drawing in argue that India’s other way. This is a external powers, and prevent conduct alone is big challenge for us their national identities from deficient. being overwhelmed by India’s ahead, even as we civilisational and cultural pull India should, of engage China as by emphasing differences with others do. India and stoking anti-Indian course, try to do its national sentiments, there is best to win over the India cannot risk a little India can do. This neighbours, but if confrontation with challenge will not go away. the neighbours see China; its strategy it in their interest should be to dissuade China from to balance a much larger India by taking the risk of confronting drawing in external powers, and India with visible and independent prevent their national identities strategic strength. from being overwhelmed by India’s civilisational and cultural pull by India has to find the right balance emphasing differences with India between engaging China and and stoking anti-Indian national hedging against it. sentiments, there is little India can do. This challenge will not go Some would say that a critical away. foreign policy challenge confronting India is the

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The argument that India, as the the reason why these demons exist bigger country, should be more in the first place. Unless Pakistan generous with its neighbours is radically changes its attitude to fallacious. Big countries like China India, ceases to whip up religious and the US do not believe in the sentiments against us that feed merits of this approach. Vietnam the jihadi groups, the problem of and Cuba come to mind. radicalism in Pakistan cannot be successfully controlled. India’s economic growth will be of key importance for tying our India should continue to neighbours economically to the encourage more economic and Indian market. It will be people to people ties with important to give stakes to a cross Pakistan, but should also be clear- section of people in our sighted about the serious obstacles neighbouring countries in the in normalizing relations with that various sectors of our economy. In country. this context, the strengthening of SAARC should be a priority. We should shed the belief that concessions will make Pakistan Our improved relations with the more amenable. US have excluded one external factor that in the past complicated India does not need to re-assure our relations with our neighbours. Pakistan about its intentions or China, however, remains a make Pakistan trust us. The problem in this regard. reverse is needed: it is Pakistan that needs to make the requisite Pakistan remains a perennial effort to convince India that it has problem. While some aspects of abandoned the use of terrorism as our relations with that country are a state policy. improving, as for example, in the trade area, larger questions about Do we have a stake in Pakistan’s the rise of Islamic radicalism there survival as a united country, or and fears that Pakistan could should we encourage the break-up become a failing state are being of the country? As long as debated. Pakistan is adversarial, we have no stakes in Pakistan’s territorial There is little that India can do to integrity. It would be ironical for help Pakistan fight its own India to be supportive of internal demons. India is, in fact, Pakistan’s geographical health

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 12 when it wants to slice away a part acquire sharper contours post of the Indian territory. 2014.

We should not, however, actively The west is looking for a seek to de-stabilize Pakistan, as compromise with the Taliban, managing a fragmented Pakistan believing it can live with an would raise its own problems. Islamized Afghanistan so long as it is not anti-west. The backing On the other hand, a broken up which the Muslim Brotherhood is Pakistan loses value for the receiving from the west in the Chinese. Even a chronically Arab world would indicate that unstable Pakistan loses value. It is practical, realpolitik deals can be unlikely that the Chinese will made with Islamic radicalism and want to rescue Pakistan with rationalized. Such a scenario is not economic largesse. In that context, in our interest, but the means we disarray in Pakistan is not have to forestall this are limited. unhelpful to us. We have, therefore, a multifold Obversely, we cannot have a challenge in Afghanistan, of viable Central Asia and even retaining our presence and Afghan policy if Pakistan remains influence in that country, creating unstable. If this whole region is to internal support for us there that be integrated economically, with can be used to counter the Taliban energy and trade connectivity, the and the revival of the radical geo-political key is in Pakistan’s forces there that can threaten our hands. security directly with Pakistani support. The US is backing the project to link Central Asia with South Asia, Lack of direct access to with TAPI symbolizing this vision, Afghanistan exposes the lack of a but the US’s ability today to bend credible Indian policy towards Pakistan to its will has suffered Central Asia. We have to erosion. galvanize Iran to cooperate with us for an alternative access to Stability in Afghanistan and Afghanistan trough Chabahar. containment of the Taliban threat there in a regional context is The Iranian nuclear issue has another challenge that will serious implications for India should there be recourse by the

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 13 west to take military action dominant status as a littoral state against that country. The de- as much as possible, knowing, stabilization of the Gulf region however, that at some stage which will occur as a result would Chinese presence in these waters be very costly for India, as India will increase, as is portended by has huge energy, manpower and China’s active search for port financial interests in the region. facilities in this area. India would have to steer clear of the rising Shia- India’s declared Sunni conflict in India has concerns about the openness on the Muslim freedom of passage through the cooperation with world. international waters, but China on maritime otherwise India’s priorities and issues should be concerns are in the Indian India’s Look East Ocean area. However, for geo- based on the policy is now political reasons, India would legitimacy of not facing new need to come closer to those only China’s challenges with countries targeted by Chinese presence in the the erstwhile claims, though without getting Indian Ocean but equation between directly embroiled in the also India’s maritime territorial disputes. China and East presence close to and Southeast China’s shores. Asia disturbed by China’s muscle- flexing in the South China Sea. India would need to give priority to its relations with Myanmar, India has concerns about the now that the latter wants to loosen freedom of passage through the the Chinese grip over the country. international waters, but Myanmar is of key importance to otherwise India’s priorities and create east-west connectivity in concerns are in the Indian Ocean this region from which India can area. However, for geo-political benefit greatly. Our challenge is to reasons, India would need to come implement our infrastructure closer to those countries targeted projects in Myanmar without by Chinese claims, though without inordinate delays. getting directly embroiled in the territorial disputes. As a part of our Look East policy, keeping the Chinese dimension in In the Indian Ocean area, India view and bilateral benefits that should try to maintain its can accrue to us, India would need

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 14 to boost its relations with Japan, Climate change issues, in which including mobilizing Japan’s clout energy use and environmental in the ADB to finance the east- concerns intersect with issues of west corridors in Asia. Our competitivity and market openings increasing strategic engagement for western technologies will with Japan is a welcome move. become a source of increasing external pressure on India in the Beyond all these challenges, there years ahead. are those of energy, food security and of climate change. The water issue in South Asia- Tibet region looms ahead. Apart The energy issue is not one of from countering Pakistan’s cynical foreign policy alone, but it has a manipulation of the water issue to strong external dimension for us sustain its negative postures because of our huge towards India, dependence on The water issue in South Asia- Tibet region looms ahead. securing Chinese energy imports. Apart from countering cooperation in Pakistan’s cynical transparent Our diplomacy will manipulation of the water handling of the need to facilitate issue to sustain its negative Tibetan dimension investment in postures towards India, will be a challenge. hydrocarbon fields securing Chinese cooperation abroad as a part of in transparent handling of the Tibetan dimension will be a In the competition our energy security challenge. for access to drive, besides natural resources, working on avoidance of conflict in China is already far ahead of India areas which are our biggest source because of greater financial of oil and gas. We have a shared resources at its disposal and its interest with the US in this, but ability to organize a coordinated the US policies in the Gulf region, national effort to that end which driven by the Israeli and the our system does not permit. Iranian factors, are not in line with our interests as they keep the A new Indian approach that goes area on the boil. beyond relying on the private sector to make economically Energy, of course, is one area rational decisions from their where technology can achieve such perspective would be needed, but breakthroughs as can change the global energy scenario.

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 15 that implies a different way of transferred nuclear and missile economic governance. technology to Pakistan to neutralize India strategically. At the end of it all, the internal and the external cannot be Both have claims on India compartmentalized in any territory. India is the only country country. Success or failure at of magnitude and importance in home will mean success or failure the world whose borders are abroad. contested, with a Line of Control in J&K with Pakistan and the The economy is the building block Line of Actual Control with China. of a successful foreign policy, as This is an unstable situation required resources then become inherently whatever the agreed available to erect defenses at home CBMs. and to pursue interests abroad. The challenge for India is to While it may not be a foreign engage with both constructively policy issue per se, the and yet be prepared to confront establishment of an indigenous them if necessary. India needs to defence manufacturing base is avoid a two-front situation but it vital for acting independently on cannot make any undue the world stage. No country that concessions to either adversary. cannot independently defend itself can reach big power status. India cannot expect backing from external powers on its border Our external dependence on arms differences with China and and technology supplies limits the Pakistan. In fact, the US is options available to our foreign responsible for drawing the LOC policy. in J&K from NJ9842 to the Karakoram Pass arbitrarily. We In conclusion, it can be said that should demand redress and a India faces unique geo-political return to legality on this issue challenges that will continue to from the US. exist in the years ahead. The US supports China’s It has two strategically hostile territorial integrity but has not neighbours, China and Pakistan. extended such support to India’s Both are strategic partners territorial integrity. We should against India. China has

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 16 engage the US on this point as a The disturbance of the existing strategic partner. balance between Shias and Sunnis in our neighbourhood can have India gets better understanding on negative repercussions for us, even the terrorism issue it is faced with, internally. We have to remain but the west is unable and watchful of these developments in unwilling to sanction Pakistan the years ahead. adequately because it needs Pakistan for ensuring an orderly Upgrading the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, infrastructure in the north quickly besides the need to engage and accelerating our naval Pakistan as a major Islamic and strength in the Indian Ocean are nuclear-armed country. the challenges ahead.

This explains why despite the The priority of priorities is to west’s willingness to use military improve governance at home means to combat proliferation because the strength of our elsewhere, Pakistan’s rapidly external limbs depends on the expanding nuclear arsenal is being strength and depth of our roots in countenanced, adding to threats to the ground. India’s security. The signs of revival of the agenda to limit Finally, if there is any truth in the proliferation in South Asia, dictum that more things change excluding the Chinese factor, have the more they remain the same, to be scotched by us. then it would seem that the future foreign policy challenges for India The political turmoil in the Arab will remain the same in a different world, with the Muslim form: protection of our Brotherhood gaining political independence and sovereignty, power in many countries, is friendship with all and enmity steering the Islamic world away with none and a peaceful from secularism. The growth of environment in which we can influence of Saudi Arabia and economically grow and meet our Qatar as well as an increasingly internal challenges. Islamized Turkey is not likely to encourage more liberal and Back to Contents modernist thinking in our neighbourhood in the mid-term.

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 17

President Putin In India

- Prabhat P Shukla

he thirteenth Indo-Russian membership of the UN Security Summit was a fleeting affair, Council, which we take for granted T with President Putin from a country like Russia. spending less than twenty-four There are also problematic issues hours in Delhi. It came as the that need to be addressed, and stakes in the extended were discussed in some detail. neighbourhood are growing higher Apart from the issues of our – Afghanistan, Iran, and the defence cooperation, there were broader West Asian region are all the nuclear liability question, and in a state of flux that has serious that of the 2G license for the implications for both India and Sistema-majority owned SSTL. On Russia. Similar stakes are in play these, there is nothing in the in the East, and once more, as public domain, but the Russian India seeks to step up its press commentaries have engagement in the Asia-Pacific suggested that the nuclear Region, there are implications for liability issue could be resolved by our interface with Russia here too. raising the cost of the projects, The bilaterals are reasonably well- thus building in some element of known, and there are serious protection in the event that the attempts ongoing at all levels to supplier has to pay compensation. find ways to deepen the On the Sistema issue, there does engagement, and to find solutions not seem to have been much to issues that have dominated the progress. discourse over the past few years – the Vikramaditya, the nuclear Where there was welcome liability, the low levels of trade progress, it was on the purchase of and investment, etc. So, too, are LNG from Russia. This is an issue the benefits of the cooperation, that has long been discussed, whether it is INS Chakra, or including at the highest levels. Brahmos, or diplomatic support on However, while there had been no key issues like permanent progress so far, we seem to have

* PP Shukla, Joint Director, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 18 made the breakthrough. Of course, pursued. Now that Russia has there is a better way to take this formed the Customs Union with forward to higher levels: this Belarus and Kazakhstan, it is a would involve a four-way swap good time to launch another such arrangement, involving the examination. Hopefully, this can Persian Gulf suppliers, and their provide answers to the current buyers in East Asia [South Korea, slow growth of economic relations Japan], India and Russia. The between India and Russia. swap arrangement would involve the Gulf suppliers diverting their However, there is insufficient supplies to East attention being Asia to India; in However, there is insufficient paid to the regional return, Russia attention being paid to the issues that affect would make good regional issues that affect both both India and the diverted India and Russia, and on Russia, and on deliveries and which there is not enough which there is not dialogue at the official level, supply to East Asia. and which do not get sufficient enough dialogue at All four parties attention among the official level, would gain from commentators. And it is and which do not reduced important to understand these get sufficient transportation issues from the Russian attention among costs, and that perspective. That way, we shall commentators. And not face any surprises in what would be welcome our friends in Moscow do, and it is important to in these times, they, in turn, will understand understand these when all major how we in New Delhi are issues from the economies are looking at things and deciding Russian facing difficult on policy choices. perspective. That challenges. way, we shall not face any surprises in what our Another noteworthy outcome of friends in Moscow do, and they, in the visit was the reference to the turn, will understand how we in discussions between India and the New Delhi are looking at things Eurasian Economic Commission and deciding on policy choices. on a possible Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. Without doubt, the most There has been one such study important is Afghanistan and the done between India and Russia in impending pull-out/thinning out of 2007, but that was never seriously the ISAF in 2014. From our

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 19 perspective, things do not look between ourselves and Iran – the very reassuring: recent reports of other country that might be the activities of the High Peace expected to share our concerns Council suggest that a serious over the plans for post-2014 effort is in hand to pave the way Afghanistan. This remains true, for the Taliban to return to at notwithstanding the high-level least some share in power in bilateral contacts we have Kabul, with Pakistan being maintained with Iran over the accepted as the major arbiter. The years. accepted view is that the US is agreeable to such a dispensation, The second issue of concern flows as is NATO. China, of course, will from the Iran situation, and the back Pakistan. Alone among the related one of Syria’s future. major powers, then, Russia could During the Putin visit, the two be expected to show some sides found agreement on Iran’s understanding of the Indian fears right to peaceful uses of, and over such a plan. research in, nuclear energy, while calling for all issues to be settled Regrettably, we are not seeing by peaceful means only. On Syria, enough engagement between India too, there is common ground in and Russia on this issue, even terms of the UN Resolutions and a though both countries share call to all sides to seek a peaceful similar approaches. Indeed, we settlement. But, of course, there had collaborated in the 1990’s – a will be no peaceful settlement, time when Russia under Yeltsin that is the one thing all sides are had not fully recovered from the agreed upon. But, more important, trauma of the destruction of the shorn of this kind of fudge, there USSR – in order to blunt the are clear differences between India Taliban offensive inside and Russia on how to approach Afghanistan. Today, what we are both Iran and Syria. It is seeing is Pakistani service chiefs instructive to compare what we visiting Russia, the DG ISI in have said in the current Joint Moscow, and the Pakistan Statement, and what the Russians President offering Russia access to said with the Chinese when Putin the warm waters on his own visit. visited Beijing in June 2012. The There is a real risk of our being Russian-Chinese statement isolated, all the more so because contained a more forthright we are also seeking to put distance expression of support for Syrian

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 20 independence and territorial last year. These transport and integrity; it also spoke bluntly other linkages have been much in against foreign interference and contention ever since the break-up said that the two countries were of the Soviet Union, and are “resolutely opposed the attempt to invested with heavy geo-strategic resolve the Syrian crisis by way of significance. Both India and foreign armed intervention and Russia will need to tread carefully, imposition of ‘regime change’”. and be willing to engage each other in an open and honest This would suggest that the dialogue to remove any potential Russian position on Syria did not for misunderstanding in any of get the full endorsement from these projects. India that it got from the Chinese. The last There is also the substantive issue This would suggest that the emerging situation relating to the Russian position on Syria did in the Asia-Pacific not get the full endorsement immediate from India that it got from the Region. America neighbourhood is Chinese. and some of the that of the so-called other key members New Silk Road The last substantive issue in the region have strategy for South relating to the immediate been promoting the and Central Asia. neighbourhood is that of the idea of a Concert of The Russians have so-called New Silk Road Democracies to their own approach strategy for South and Central stabilise future to the region, and Asia. developments in they are the area. Much of themselves keen to develop ties this is driven by concerns over how between the two regions. They call China will evolve as it grows both it CASA, and are keen to begin by economically and militarily. Here, selling surplus electricity from Russia is not considered a major Tajikistan to Pakistan. They have actor by any of the other leading a quadrilateral of their own – actors; neither is it a potential themselves, Afghanistan, Pakistan partner, nor is it seen as being in and Tajikistan – which has been the Chinese camp. However, India pushing this project for several is very much in the reckoning of years now. It was under this almost all the drivers of such a rubric that President Putin was to policy. However, we need to visit Pakistan earlier in October recognise that Russia sees China –

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 21 at least in the short term – as an are willing for a substantive important partner in the conversation, they are not; China difficulties it is facing with the is an example. On the contrary, West in general and America in where they seek a frank dialogue, particular. It will therefore not be we tend to hold back; Afghanistan sympathetic to any combined is an illustration. And yet, it is the effort that will have China as its interests of both sides to keep up a objective. Equally, if it has serious regular conversation. Both India frictions with any country in the and Russia face the problem of region, it is Japan; and Japan is isolation; we have a tradition of obviously an essential component friendship and trust that few of any strategy involving the other major powers have, and it democracies of the region. needs to be maintained and nurtured. All of this argues for an open and candid dialogue with Russia, so that each side understands the other’s concerns, and red lines. Back to Contents This has not been happening so far, and the truth is that where we

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 22

Safeguarding India’s Maritime Interests

- Nitin Gokhale

n July, days before he retired, the South China Sea - is also being the then Navy Chief, Admiral strengthened. Nirmal Verma, commissioned I That the Indian Navy was a Naval Air Station at Campbell strengthening its Eastern Fleet Bay on Great Nicobar Island, and was looking to expand its christening it INS ‘Baaz’, thereby cooperation with key countries in signaling India's intentions to East and South East Asia like keep a close watch on the new Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, developments unfolding in East Philippines and Indonesia, is well known. But no Navy Chief or for and South East Asia. On 3rd that matter any senior December, 24 hours before government official in recent celebrating Navy Day, Admiral memory had spelt out India's Verma's successor, Admiral DK plans to counter China in the Joshi announced that the Indian South China Sea, in such a clear Navy is practicing to operate in manner. the South China Sea to protect its The declaration that the Indian economic assets. Naval ships could be deployed in the South China Sea if need be Speaking to reporters in New comes days after the Chinese state Delhi, Admiral Joshi told media announced that the reporters that, "Where our southern Hainan province, which country's interests are involved, administers the South China Sea, we will protect them and we will approved laws giving its police the intervene." right to search vessels that pass through the waters. Also, the The Eastern Naval Command - Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and which looks at India's eastern sea India protested against a map on board and is likely to play a key the new Chinese passport that role when the Navy is deployed in depicts disputed areas as * Nitin Gokhale – Visiting Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 23 belonging to China. The He had added: “They also sit Philippines also issued a astride some of the busiest statement saying it wants Beijing shipping lanes of the Indian to "clarify its reported plans to Ocean, most carrying strategic interdict ships that enter what it cargo for the East Asian considers its territory in the South economies”. China Sea." Emphasizing upon the strategic Admiral D K Joshi said that location of INS Baaz, Admiral India's Oil and Natural Gas Verma had reminded those Corporation (ONGC) has 4 oil gathered that “INS Baaz overlooks exploration blocks off the coast of the Strait of Malacca, while also Vietnam. "If required we will dominating the six-degree intervene to protect (them)," he channel”. said and added that it is the navy's duty to protect India's Since July 2012, India has clearly sovereign assets. India, the signaled its intention to increase Admiral said, had two basic its involvement East of the concerns- "freedom of navigation Malacca Straits by deploying in international waters and frontline warships as a part of protection of our internal assets." India's 'Look East' Policy. The four Indian Navy ships, Rana, It is in this context that INS Baaz, Shivalik, Karmukh and Shakti, the southernmost air station of the under the command of Rear Indian armed forces, becomes an Admiral P Ajit Kumar, Flag important springboard for India's Officer Commanding Eastern forays further east. Fleet were on an operational deployment to the South China In July, Admiral Nirmal Verma Sea and the North West Pacific. had said: "The archipelago, Earlier in the deployment, the separated as it is by more than first bi-lateral maritime exercise 650 nm from our mainland, offers between India and Japan 'JIMEX a vital geostrategic advantage to 12' (Japan India Maritime India. Not only do they provide the Exercise) was conducted, Nation with a commanding coinciding with the presence in the Bay of Bengal, the commemoration of 60 years of Islands also serve as our window diplomatic relations between India into East and South East Asia”. and Japan.

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The Navy's long-term Maritime expeditionary operations to Capabilities Perspective Plan in achieve desired power fact has identified a mix of two projection force levels, major roles for the force: One, the influence events ashore, and traditional blue water operational undertake Military capability and two, a plan to Operations Other Than War. effectively counter threats closer  Induct assets and develop to the coast. suitable infrastructure to augment forces available for According to the report of the Low Intensity Maritime Standing Committee on Defence, Operations (LIMO), tabled in Parliament in the last protection of off- shore assets week of April, the Navy's short- and Coastal Security term plan has the following framework. objectives:  Induct force The Navy's long-term Maritime multipliers like  Augment Capabilities Perspective Plan satellite based airborne in fact has identified a mix of global maritime two major roles for the force: communications, surveillance, One, the traditional blue water reconnaissance and strike, anti- operational capability and two, network enabled submarine a plan to effectively counter platforms to warfare and threats closer to the coast. achieve Battle- air defence Space dominance capability capability and through induction of shore- perform network centric based aircraft, integral operations. helicopters, carrier based  Induct state-of-the-art aircraft, space based AIS and equipment and specialised UAVs, along with suitable platforms for Special Forces weapons and sensors. to enhance niche capabilities  Develop ASW (anti- to conduct Maritime submarine warfare) Intervention Operations and capability through induction other envisaged roles. of suitable platforms,  Develop support weapons and sensors. infrastructure in island  Build adequate standoff territories to support the capability for sea lift and planned force levels as well

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 25

as support infrastructure for fleet until late 2013, one more ships/submarines/aircrafts at carrier being built indigenously is ports and airbases. way behind its original schedule.

Given the extensive plans Currently, India operates a lone presented to the Parliament, it is Aircraft Carrier, INS Viraat, a evident now that the Indian Navy British-built 1960s vintage ship is in the middle of its most that is on an extended lease of life ambitious expansion plan in the thanks to the Navy's innovative past three decades. Senior officers engineers and planners. point out that the Indian Navy's perspective-planning in terms of Vikramaditya, once – when -- 'force-levels' is now driven by a inducted, will give India the much conceptual shift needed edge in its maritime from 'numbers' of capabilities since it Defence Minister AK Antony in will come with the platforms - that is, fact told the Naval from the old 'bean- Commanders conference latest MiG-29 K counting' earlier in 2012 that: "India's series of aircraft. philosophy - to one strategic location in the Indian Indian Naval that concentrates Ocean and the professional Aviators are capability of our Navy bestows on 'capabilities'. already hard at upon us a natural ability to work training play a leading role in ensuring According to its peace and stability in the themselves on the near-term plans, Indian Ocean Region." planes but away the Indian Navy from the ship. has plans to become a three Battle

Carrier Groups force by 2020. But Defence Minister AK Antony in given the delay and cost overruns fact told the Naval Commanders in both the aircraft carrier conference earlier in 2012 that: building programmes, the Navy "India's strategic location in the may find itself operating the 1960s Indian Ocean and the professional vintage INS Viraat. capability of our Navy bestows upon us a natural ability to play a While it's most prestigious leading role in ensuring peace and acquisition-Russian Aircraft stability in the Indian Ocean Carrier Admiral Gorshkov, to be Region." renamed INS Vikramaditya - is unlikely to be inducted into the Little wonder that the US wants India and especially the Indian

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 26

Navy to play a major role in its maritime rivalry in Asia. How will quest to form new and lasting Beijing react? regional alliances in Asia. By clearly signaling India's intention to boldly deploy in South China Sea, India may have added a new Back to Contents dimension to the emerging

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 27

Obama's Visit To Myanmar: Implications

For India - Vinod Anand

resident Barack Obama’s Political Gains visit to Myanmar last P month was recognition of From the political perspective the measures taken by the current visit has had a significant impact. regime towards opening up of Firstly, this has reinforced the Myanmar. The visit has largely commitment of President Thein been viewed as a part of the Asia Sein and the reformers who are Pacific ‘pivot’ announced by the flagging the benefits that have US President in November, 2011. been received post opening up of Further, the US was also aware of the polity and economy. The significant inroads being made by government was quick to release the European countries another set of political activists particularly Germany, UK and prior to the visit; such tools may France in Myanmar and therefore, be used again for greater did not want to be left behind, concessions from the US and the especially in the era of economic West. downturn Secondly, the separate meetings The visit took place despite the that President Obama had with fact that there was a lack of President Thein Sein, Aung Suu consensus in Washington on the Kyi, as well as the parliament Myanmar policy with resistance speaker U Swe Mann is indicative from human rights groups as well of the broad based approach that as from the nuclear non the US is following to support the proliferation lobby given the reforms. revelations of North Korea supplying some missile related A major advantage gained in material to Myanmar. Myanmar was for civil rights groups, political activists and human rights agencies given that

* Vinod Anand – Senior Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 28 the space for information and Due to China’s imposing presence activism has considerably opened and its exploitation of Myanmar’s up by the Obama visit. resources against the popular will, there has been considerable public From the Indian perspective, there opposition to the Chinese projects. is a hope that the course of Last year, construction of reforms would be progressive even Myitstone dam was suspended by though they may occur at a the President, Thein Sein. The relatively gradual pace. There is a opposition against the project general belief that the core of brought together conservationists, resistance from the military is environmentalists, Kachin likely to continue and they need to activists and the political be pushed by the international opposition. Popular opinion has community in the right direction. been building up against some of India has continued with a broad the other Chinese sponsored based and balanced relationship projects in Myanmar. Recently, with the political leadership as there have been protests against a was evident from the highly copper mining project in Monywa, successful visit of Aung Suu Kyi to Sagaing Division, jointly the country in November 2012. undertaken by China and a The military in Myanmar was also military sponsored local company. engaged through the visit of the An enquiry commission headed by Chairman Chiefs of Staff Suu Kyi has been appointed to Committee, Air Chief Marshal investigate the issue. Norman Browne to Myanmar in the same month. China’s larger interests are likely to be certainly affected, but to Moderating the Chinese Influence what degree and extent is not clear so far. Firstly, China may Myanmar’s recent political and lose its sole beneficiary and economic reforms seem to have benefactor relationship, but only been driven by Naypyidaw’s desire to become the most preferred to reduce its overdependence on partner. Subsequent developments China. would also be dictated by what stand the next governing duo in With the U.S. and the Western China, Xi and Li take to ensure nations engaging Myanmar, the primacy in Myanmar. strong influence of China in Myanmar is likely to be impacted.

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Meanwhile, Myanmar’s leadership In addition, the US offer to the has been attempting to balance its Myanmar army to participate in emerging relationship with the the Cobra Gold Joint exercises in U.S. and China. President Thein Thailand in 2013 is also being Sein visited a trade fair in China seen with much wariness in in September 2012 and Soe Win, Beijing. These exercises have now the Deputy Commander of the expanded from a bilateral U.S.- Burmese army headed a military Thai format to a multilateral one delegation to Beijing for with many American allies such as strengthening military and South Korea participating in the cultural ties before the Obama same. visit. On the whole, however, Beijing is Secondly, the links likely to remain between Yunnan Meanwhile, Myanmar’s wary of the US province of China leadership has been attempting to make and Myanmar are attempting to balance its an imprint in its well established emerging relationship with the backyard and in U.S. and China. President and are thus likely Thein Sein visited a trade fair other parts of to be sustained. in China in September 2012 South East Asia. and Soe Win, the Deputy Additionally, Thirdly, the U.S. Commander of the Burmese increased has not lifted army headed a military engagement with sanctions on trade delegation to Beijing for the U.S. and the in jade and related strengthening military and cultural ties before the Obama West could also be items, a crucial visit. useful to Myanmar component of trade to extract more with China; thus developmental and economic aid trade relations with as well as trade and economic Yunnan/China are not likely to be concessions from China. Beijing impacted. would have to tread cautiously to keep Myanmar in its sphere of Fourthly, entry of major global influence by adjusting its policies energy players in Myanmar may to suit the new circumstances. be a setback for Chinese companies as increased Security Concerns competition would prevent greater off-takes for Beijing.

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From the security point of view, helicopters and so on, as well as Indian concerns are mainly expand training and capacity related to, firstly, the influence of building. the PLA through military largesse to the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Balancing the Chinese influence armed forces) and sanctuaries off the Myanmar seaboard with offered to the North East militant the entry of the U.S. is also likely groups in Myanmar and the and could be seen to be beneficial ongoing conflict in Kachin areas. from the perspective of maritime The U.S. President was non interests of the country. However, prescriptive during his visit on the this will continue to be a contested ethnic issues and only highlighted zone in the long term as China is challenges faced by unlikely to give a free run to others in the area, the country. India Balancing the Chinese needs to further influence off the Myanmar which it sees as strengthen its own seaboard with the entry of the critical to its equation with the U.S. is also likely and could be energy security. Myanmar seen to be beneficial from the government in perspective of maritime Opening of the interests of the country. order to curtail Myanmar economy However, this will continue to presents a good anti-India be a contested zone in the long opportunity for activities by some term as China is unlikely to of the Myanmar give a free run to others in the India to strengthen based rebel groups. area, which it sees as critical to its trade and its energy security. economic relations In the military besides increasing field, India is ramping up venues for Indian investments in cooperation with high level visits resource rich Myanmar. Hopefully, by the Defence Minister, Mr A K Myanmar’s engagement with the Antony, in January, 2013 and the west would lead to some Chairman Chiefs of Staff progressive reforms in governance Committee and Chief of the Air supported by the US and the Staff, ACM Norman Browne who Western institutions including the visited Myanmar inin November non government sector, aid 2012. The Myanmar army is agencies and business groups. looking for hardware and there is Entry of international agencies some scope for India to provide such as the World Bank, IMF, items such as transport aircraft, ADB and others is likely to lead to

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 31 expansion of the economy, including the railway and road particularly in terms of effective network, ports and transportation regulations for investment and is seen to be beneficial for the LEP conduct of business. Moreover, the and the prospects are likely to be unlocking of Myanmar’s resources enhanced. In this, it is India’s own particularly oil and gas could be inefficiencies in project seen as beneficial to India given implementation that is of concern its dependence on West Asia so for New Delhi and how it will be far. These factors indicate that able to get its act together remains support to transformation by Mr. to be seen. Obama during the visit may provide an indirect impetus to There is a need to explore the Indian plans of scope for joint economic India China engagement with There is a need to explore the infrastructure Myanmar, scope for joint India China projects in particularly to infrastructure projects in Myanmar to boost bilateral Myanmar to include oil and include oil and gas, trade planned to gas, transportation both road transportation both and rail and construction of increase from the road and rail and dams. Indian and Chinese paltry USD construction of companies are presently 1070.88 million in dams. Indian and engaged in the Shwe gas and 2010-11 to over Chinese companies pipeline projects which may USD 5 billion by are presently provide a model for the future. 2015. engaged in the Shwe gas and Impact on India's Look East Policy pipeline projects which may provide a model for the future. Myanmar being the land route to GAIL and ONGC Videsh Ltd. own South East Asia is the lynchpin of a 30% share in the A1 fields and India’s Look East Policy (LEP). In intend to acquire a share in the A addition, the Chennai-Dawei sea 2 fields which could be jointly corridor is seen as another growth exploited along with other majors highway for the LEP. With the such as Daewoo Corporation. opening of Myanmar’s economy, the LEP is likely to get a boost. India also has a large number of This apart, the overall projects in the pipeline in development of infrastructures Myanmar, many of which are

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 32 languishing due to lack of impetus Commerce and Industry and of tardy implementation. (UMFCCI). Indo-US/EU Business These include upgradation and Councils and similar organizations resurfacing of Tamu-Kalewa- may act as a catalyst for this Kalemyo road; construction and purpose. A joint initiative will pay upgradation of the Rhi-Tiddim rich dividends in this direction. Road; Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project and high speed Further, with Myanmar slated to data link in 32 Myanmar cities. chair the ASEAN Summit of 2014, ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL), GAIL it would also make efforts to move and ESSAR are also working in positively on the path of the energy sector in Myanmar. M/s democracy and further political RITES is developing the rail and economic reforms. transportation system and is supplying railway coaches and Finally, the domestic reform in locos. Tamanthi and Shwezaye Myanmar and its reconciliation Hydro-Electric Power projects are with the U.S. and the West is also in the pipeline. expected to open up many economic and strategic How much progress can be opportunities for Myanmar. India achieved in this direction will is well positioned to cement its depend on the trust that each growing economic and strategic country, India and China, can engagement with Myanmar both repose on the other and a on bilateral and multilateral basis. favourable equation that can be Myanmar’s steps in balancing its worked out by the enterprises in relationship with China need to be what the Chinese term as, “win- supported. For India, Myanmar win,” agreements. will remain a strategic land bridge for engagement of South East India-West joint projects also have Asian nations. Improving regional major prospects in the fields connectivity and integration of indicated above. Some initiative regional economies would serve will have to be taken by the Indian the interests of both Myanmar and industry as well as such bodies as India well. the CII which has a programme of cooperation Union of Myanmar Back to Contents Federation of Chambers of

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 33

We, The Living! Need To Revise Land Use Policies - Dr. M N Buch

In Delhi along the Yamuna River brick and mortar, by assignment a stretch of 371 hectares, that is, of land or by any other means that approximately 927 acres, has come this nation chooses. No one else, under cremation ground, samadhi, not even Jawaharlal Nehru, comes etc., of people perceived as the anywhere near the stature of leaders of the nation. These Mahatma Gandhi. The irony, of include Mahatma Gandhi, course, is that this ascetic, this Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur man who genuinely lived and died Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv for India and who had no desire Gandhi and now IK Gujral. All for anything material, is still these seemed to merit cremation honoured not by our practicing at new sites, reserved individually what he has taught us but rather for each, instead of at Nigambodh by creating monuments in his Ghat, also on the Yamuna River memory. He who did not own a but meant for ordinary mortals square inch of land when he was whom Yamaraj has taken away alive now virtually finds himself from the world. Over 900 acres of the owner of a huge chunk of land land, therefore, now stands in Delhi. assigned to people who are no longer living and who do not have Morarji Desai, Rajendra Prasad, any use for the land. A samadhi Vallabhbhai Patel and Gulzarilal for Mahatma Gandhi one can Nanda fortunately decided to die understand because he was truly otherwise than in Delhi and it is to unique as not only the person who the credit of these leaders, their launched our movement for followers and the cities in which independence but also as one who they cast aside their mortal coil united this nation as has never that they have not transferred been done before. The whole of land to them in death which they India is his, whether or not we did not aspire for in life. Of course, commemorate his memory through we have a contrast in Tamil Nadu

* Dr. M N Buch – Visiting Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 34 where, first, the Annadorai technological method of quickly Memorial swallowed up a reducing the body to ashes, with substantial portion of the Marina minimum pollution. Whether it is Beach in Madras, to be followed by the funeral pyre or the electric the M.G. Ramachandran crematorium, cremation does not Memorial and no doubt with call for much space and the same advance reservation for the platform on which the pyre is lit present leaders in that State. The can be re-used after the remains only parallel one can think of is are removed. In terms of use of the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt land there is nothing more who, when they died, were buried economic than cremation. The in what are virtual underground second method is burial, because cities in which the dead both Christians and Muslims bury symbolically still live. These cities their dead. I suppose this is of the dead, these necropolises, are because the followers of both covered by pyramids, themselves religions believe in the Day of built by slave labour, many of Judgment for which purpose the whom died in building monuments body is resurrected, which would to the dead. Of course no one not be possible if it had been honoured them with a pyramid. cremated and reduced to ash. Are we in modern India trying to Even here there is an anomaly emulate the ancient Egyptians in because whilst the Christian assigning large areas of land to invocation at burial is “ashes to the dead, not because they may ashes and dust to dust”, meaning come alive but because we cannot that the body will go back to its think of any other, more sensible constituent elements, in Islam the method of perpetuating their invocation is “Supurd-e-khak”. memory? This means that you are consigned to the earth, to the dust from In India we have two methods of which you have been created. If disposing of the dead. The vast you are reduced to dust, or to ash majority of the population being by burial do you have a better Hindu, cremation is the preferred chance of resurrection than if you method. Normally, the funeral are reduced to ashes through pyre is used, though besides the cremation? If the Almighty can pyre we also see the emergence of reconstitute a person’s body from electric crematoria which provide dust, why not from the ashes of an advanced, scientific and cremation? In Islam a burial

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 35 ground as such has no sanctity by a moment the day of forgetting. and, for example, in Saudi Arabia What we need, therefore, is to it is considered legitimate after a celebrate not the memory but the certain period, say twenty years, forgetting of the person in to recycle the burial ground. question because that is the Christians, however, consider a reality of the “kaal chakra”. cemetery to be hallowed ground, which means that burial is final We do not stop at building a city of and the land cannot be recycled. the dead at the spot of cremation. Christian cemeteries are well We go much further and we maintained but they are by no reserve the houses once occupied means a necropolis of the by these celebrities as monuments Pharaonic variety. to be preserved, but Our politicians are like the not used by those Hindus seem to thousands of princes and kings who are living and revel in whose memory is obliterated are entitled to a by time. None of them will be a perpetuating the Siddhartha and, therefore, the house of this memory of necropolis built for them on the category. The departed powerful Yamuna River front will not house at Tees politicians by delay by a moment the day of January Marg, monuments which forgetting. What we need, known as Birla are no less than the therefore, is to celebrate not House, is where the the memory but the forgetting samadhis of saints. of the person in question Mahatma was This seems to be a because that is the reality of assassinated. He complete waste of the “kaal chakra”. never wanted a time and money monument to because it takes a himself but we Prince Siddhartha to live on as the have converted Birla House into a Buddha, or the Enlightened One. monument in memory of the No monument can enhance his Mahatma’s martyrdom. I have glory, nor lack of monument already said that Mahatma retract from it. Our politicians are Gandhi is unique and, therefore, a like the thousands of princes and monument to him does not really kings whose memory is obliterated call for any comment. Teen Murti by time. None of them will be a House, once the residence of the Siddhartha and, therefore, the British Commander-in-Chief of necropolis built for them on the India, the second most powerful Yamuna River front will not delay person in British India, was

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 36 rightly taken over as the residence whole complex of houses has not of the Prime Minister, the most been converted into his memorial. powerful man in India, by Perhaps this is because he was not Jawaharlal Nehru. After his death in power when he died, nor was his successor did not occupy the the Congress Party. All these house, in sharp contrast with the houses have been built with practice in Britain where 10, exchequer funds, duly voted upon Downing Street is the official as part of a grant of the Central residence of the Prime Minister. Public Works Department. When The incumbent Prime Minister the grants are discussed, the vacates the house prior to the new government has to give Prime Minister being sworn in so justification for every item that his successor comes straight included in the budget and I am from Buckingham Palace to 10, absolutely certain that when these Downing Street and begins his bungalows were built in British tenancy. Teen Murti House days the construction must have became the Nehru Memorial, a been justified as being necessary library and a major centre for for housing senior officers and academic studies and, therefore, Members of the Council, the one can perhaps overlook its no British equivalents of our longer being the official residence ministers. Therefore, when these of the Prime Minister. But look at bungalows are converted into what has followed. Indira Gandhi monuments, the purpose for which was shot at the boundary between they were erected is defeated, 1, Safdarjang Road and 1, Akbar which means that in a way the Road and both houses have now approval of the Parliament for been pulled out of the official pool their construction is bypassed and and have become a monument to perverted. This is a clear misuse of the memory of Indira Gandhi. This public funds and the legitimacy of has happened to the house on their conversion becomes highly Janpath occupied by Lal Bahadur suspect and open to objection. Shastri as Prime Minister. Babu Jagjivan Ram’s official residence is Why do we indulge in such futile also reserved in his memory. 7, exercises? If the answer were to be Race Course Road is the Prime in only one word, it would be Minister’s residence and I am “sycophancy”. Because those close amazed that on the death of Rajiv to the departed person or related Gandhi at Sriperumbudur that to him are in power or are likely to

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 37 come to power, flatterers and ritual ultimately replaces the sycophants hasten to gain favour divinity of God by the artificial by commemorating the memory of sanctity of idols. When the idol the departed in such a way that achieves an identity of its own we the heirs and successors feel become idol worshippers and, pleased and, in this state of being therefore, slaves of empty ritual, pleased, they might throw a crumb which overtakes that which is or two to the flatterers. The sacred. This calamity seems to Sanatan Dharma in its purest have overtaken us as a people. The form is not idolatrous or true worth of our leaders is polytheistic and there is belief in forgotten, invoking their name has one God, by whatever name He is become a ritual, being sycophantic known. The ultimate goal of every to them has become worship and human being of the the balance that Sanatan faith is to The Sanatan Dharma in its should exist in achieve a state in purest form is not idolatrous or society is which one can be polytheistic and there is belief disturbed. If ritual absorbed in one God, by whatever name becomes more permanently into He is known. The ultimate goal important than the God-head or of every human being of the religion, then we Brahmatma. Sanatan faith is to achieve a shall certainly However, because state in which one can be believe that the the Sanatan absorbed permanently into the idol of Ganesh Dharam gives the God-head or Brahmatma. drinks milk and, freedom of choice to therefore, we insist select one’s own on feeding milk to path to salvation, this has an idol. Our cupidity is fed by manifested itself in sects in which unscrupulous priests who convince the Lord is worshipped in many us that the idol is actually forms, including devis and devtas, drinking the milk. That piece of who are symbolised by idols. In stone then become more important the course of practice, the basic than Ganesh himself. That is tenet of there being only one God precisely what is happening to us is forgotten, the symbolism of as a people when we build cities of different forms of God is lost sight the dead for departed leaders, a of, and ritual becomes all few of whom have been nation important and, therefore, the builders but the rest of whom have artificial discipline imposed by only been powerful politicians, a

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 38 few being good in government and under the sun to retain the the rest being no better than foothold that they have Pindaris. Regardless of this we established in the city and still build monuments, reserve potential crooks because every huge stretches of land for their theft in the city is attributed to remains and convert houses for slum dwellers. The authorities, the living into mausoleums for the the middle class, the affluent all dead. I find this absolutely look upon squatters as people who sickening. have no right to shelter and for whose eviction the bulldozer was Let us come to the living. About created. forty percent of the population of every city in India consists of the very poor who have come in search These squatters are the very of a job and who cannot find people who provide the city almost shelter for themselves. These are its entire unskilled work force, its the squatters or encroachers who, construction workers, on the failure of administrators maintenance personnel who keep and planners to accommodate the buildings and services in good them, have used their native repair, most of its craftsmen, intelligence to build some sort of shelter on unoccupied pieces of almost all the domestic servants land. In Bombay and Calcutta and without whom the city would they have converted whole simply not function. These are pavements into shanty towns and living people who keep the cities the self built homes of the poor functioning and yet they are have gifted to Bombay what it denied the very thing that we touts to be the largest slum in Asia at Dharavi. Anything lavish on the dead, that is, a right between thirty to forty percent of to living space and shelter. This is every major town is either a completely skewed approach to squatter colonies or unauthorised city planning and development. colonies. These people are looked The dead who have no need upon as criminals because they become masters of acres of land have encroached on government and the living, who need it the land, dirty as they live in slums which have no services, intriguers most, do not have access even to because they try every tactic that much piece of land on which

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 39 we can put the point of a needle. affront to the Constitution and The Constitution mandates justice directly aimed at the common and equality, equal protection of man. Shivaji Park at Dadar in Bombay is meant for the citizens laws and a social order which of Dadar, Matunga and perhaps a promotes welfare. Under Article part of Mahim. This is a place for 39, the State is directed to secure recreation, for future Sachin that the ownership and control of Tendulkars to fine hone their the material resources of the cricket skills, for the elderly to community are so distributed as walk morning and evening and for best to sub-serve the common the citizens of the area to give their lungs a chance to breathe in good. It also mandates that this open space. Not an inch of it is operation of the meant for economic system A system which concentrates memorials. If the must not result in land and housing in the dead Shiv Sena is so the concentration to the detriment of the living concerned about of wealth and can hardly promote welfare. Maharashtrians means of The very act of setting aside in and Bombay, it perpetuity large parcels of land should come production to the for memorials for a few people forward and common detriment. hits both at the principle of remove whatever A system which equality and promotion of has been erected concentrates land welfare. there in the name and housing in the of Bal Thackeray dead to the detriment of the living and gift the park back to the citizens of Bombay, can hardly promote welfare. The free of all encumbrances. But then very act of setting aside in we should remember that our perpetuity large parcels of land for priority is monuments to the dead memorials for a few people hits and not land for the citizens. It both at the principle of equality has been argued that the Yamuna and promotion of welfare. River front has been saved by reserving 927 acres as a monument to the dead, but it is The reservation of 927 acres of not a monument to all the dead. It land along the Yamuna River is a monument to certain leaders front, including Rajghat, is an only and though it is claimed that

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 40 the Yamuna River front has been housing along the Yamuna River beautified thereby, the fact front but just to give you an idea of remains that this is not a public the scale of this stretch of land, we park open to every citizen of Delhi. could have accommodated It is very much a closed and approximately 50,000 houses on regulated monument to the dead, this much land and accommodated a new necropolis with restricted a population of about two and a access. The lawns of the Central half lakh people. In the scales Vista along Rajpath are meant for justice we have half a dozen the living because people leaders who have now deceased, congregate there in the evening occupying this much of land, on and during the holidays. Rajghat the other side would be two and a and its surroundings is not a place half lakh people, none of whom is for normal public access and, given legal access to even one inch therefore, it can only be defined as of land. In whose favour is the a necropolis. Therefore, the title of balance tilted? That is our real this paper: ‘We, the Living!’ Do we tragedy!! not have some rights? I am not for a minute suggesting that we build Back to Contents

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 41

Hounding Businesses Is Good For Stocks

- Dr. V Anantha Nageswaran

rom the United States in measuring this sentiment plunged North America to Pakistan from two in October to -35 in F in South Asia, the great November. The Chief Economist of ‘disconnect’ between financial the NFIB writes that it is unlikely markets and the macro economy is to be a merry Christmas for many back with a vengeance. It was the small businesses. The Federal case in 2007 and five years later, Reserve Bank of Chicago publishes we are precisely in the same an index of national activity. That situation. Investors have displayed index is heading towards recession a myopic streak that is levels. Third, orders for durable extraordinary and beyond any goods (capital goods) in the US are attempt at rational explanations. no longer growing but contracting. US stock investors cannot be In the US, the National bothered nor are investment Federation of Independent banks that are back to egging on Businesses (NFIB) reported one of investors to buy stocks at these the biggest slumps in confidence levels painting a rosier 2013. among small businesses in November. This was despite the This situation is not peculiar to NFIB excluding the effect of the United States. It is a global hurricane Sandy. The survey phenomenon. The reason for that respondents – several thousands too is the United States monetary of them – have collectively policy. The world operates on a de concluded that the outlook for facto US dollar standard. The US their businesses in the next six sets monetary and exchange rate months is dismal. The sub-index policies for the rest of the world.

* Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran – Visiting Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 42

On 12 December 2012, the Federal German economy is flirting with Reserve decided to purchase 45 recession and industrial billion dollars of longer dated US production is down 5% year-on- Treasuries every month on top of year. The situation is worse in the 40 billion dollars of agency and Italy and France. Finland and the mortgage backed securities it is Netherlands are officially in already buying. The rationale for recession. Yet, all European stock pumping so much cash directly markets are up more than 20%. In into the economy is elusive except the UK, inflation expectations are to Mr. Bernanke and his dovish rising. Bank of England survey colleagues. The yield on the US puts the inflation expectations at ten year Treasury Note is already 3.5% in the next twelve months. quite low at 1.1%. The most Industrial production has not recently available data on the recovered after the crisis, despite annual rise in consumer prices the massive depreciation of the (mistakenly referred to as British currency in the last four inflation by most of us) is for years. An extreme example is that October and that is 2.2%. In real of Greece where the economy is in terms, it is already negative. depression with the rate of American corporations are flush unemployment at 50% and the with cash and they do not need Athens stock market index is up lower interest rates. What it 28% year-to-date. Investors, it achieves, however, is the adoption appears, are not only myopic but of beggar-thy-neighbour monetary also heartless. policies around the world. The result is easier monetary At this stage, readers can be conditions worldwide than excused for posing a counter- warranted. That is what leads to argument: should stocks reflect asset prices decoupling from macro-economic and political fundamentals. fundamentals or should they reflect corporate fundamentals? In Europe, the German DAX index Well, that is a fair question but is near 5-year highs although the not a difficult one. In the United

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 43

States, the corporate sector is ‘ex-gratia’ tax payment from flush with cash simply because the Starbucks coffee. India pursuing public sector has not yet tax claims against Vodafone is retrenched. One is the mirror regressive but Britain hounding image of the other. Without the Starbucks is fair game. That is US government running high anti-business as it can get. fiscal deficit, the corporate sector Investors have simply brushed it will not be generating those aside. FTSE 250 stock index is up surpluses. In other 26.0% year-to-date. Further, in Europe, even that words, the so-called fig leaf is missing. Both healthy balance- financial and non-financial In India, there was sheet of S&P 500 corporate sectors are not in the hilarious companies is not a great shape. Further, recently, response in reflection of the the UK government has banking stocks to underlying managed to extract an the much-discussed vigorous economic additional ‘ex-gratia’ tax move on the part of payment from Starbucks activity but public coffee. India pursuing tax the government to sector profligacy. claims against Vodafone is issue new banking Now, it is easy to regressive but Britain licenses. Bank answer the hounding Starbucks is fair stocks rallied. question of game. That is anti-business as Competition is not it can get. Investors have whether investors good for simply brushed it aside. FTSE are right in 250 stock index is up 26.0% shareholders but ignoring macro- year-to-date. good for consumers. economic Existing stocks fundamentals. should have declined. Indian economic growth Further, in Europe, even that fig rate is down some 80% from the leaf is missing. Both financial and peak whereas the stock market is non-financial corporate sectors are down only 8% from the peak in not in great shape. Further, 2010. recently, the UK government has managed to extract an additional

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 44

The year 2008 closed the gap fundamentals. We are likely to see between asset prices and economic history repeating itself in 2013.

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VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 45

Rape, Rage, Reality Check

- Sushant Sareen

he massive outpouring of elections or prefer to stay at home outrage on the streets, not on election day – the political class T just in Delhi but also many simply ignored them. In turn, other urban centres around the these people, constantly cribbing, country, by the ‘mango people’ complaining and cursing the over the bestial gang-rape in the system, made their own capital city has left the political arrangements: private schools, class completely nonplussed. Until private security in gated colonies, a few years ago, the only private transport, private sources demonstrations in Delhi that used of electricity (inverters and to shake the ruling class out of generators to get around power their somnolence were shows of cuts), and what have you. force, either by political parties or by farmers groups. But since the But now things seem to be coming Jessica Lal murder case, a new full circle. The non-voting class is phenomenon is being witnessed: staking its own claim and the demonstration of street power displaying street power to demand by ordinary, middle-class people action and accountability from the demanding justice from an political class on a range of issues. insensitive, uncaring, callous and In this sense, the demand for venal political system. justice for the gang-rape victim and the clamour for stronger laws This was a class of people which and stringent punishment against was increasingly seen as a selfish perpetrators of crimes against and self-serving bunch which had women is a continuum of the steadily distanced, if not divorced, anger that was witnessed during itself from the workings of the the anti-corruption agitation last political system. Since they largely year, and before that in the also comprised the non-voting protests following the 26/11 class – most would take off for a attacks where a Mumbaikar held long weekend holiday during aloft a poster which summed up

* Sushant Sareen – Senior Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 46 the national mood: A Nation of criminals, and most of all their Lions led by Donkeys! bestiality that brought the people on to the streets. The ruling establishment – politicians and babus – of course This is precisely why, even though have responded to this the public activism needs to be demonstration of people power in celebrated and cherished because their own typical, and tired and it inspires hope of change and tried manner, which in a word can hope of a better and safer future, a be described as meaningless reality check also needs to be symbolism. Basically, this means sounded. Equally important is the make some empty gesture to need for some introspection among defuse the public sentiment. No lawmakers, media and ‘mango surprise then that we have bizarre, people’, not the least of which is even stupid, suggestions coming that had the six accused been sons from the political class which only of powerful politicians or some rich highlight the sheer bankruptcy in businessmen who could twist the their thinking, if not also the total system, hire the best lawyers, and absence of any sense of proportion. generally stall the wheels of An unseemly competition is on for justice, would they not have who can come up with a more escaped punishment? How do we idiotic recommendation. A demand ensure that rich and politically for awarding the victim with well-connected people don’t get Ashok Chakra was matched by a away with such crimes? After all, demand for either naming a law running over six pavement after her or making a monument dwellers is not a small crime – in her honour. Someone wanted a remember the supposedly open- state funeral for her only to be and-shut BMW case? And had the countered by some other luminary media and public activism not who came up with some even more raised hell, wouldn’t a certain bizarre suggestion. Manu Sharma, Santosh Singh and other such low-life characters also True, the poor victim showed have escaped justice? Obviously, it remarkable grit and bravery and isn’t always going to be the case her spirit to survive was that there will be public commendable. But apart from the demonstrations on every rape or fight she put up, it was the horror murder. Therefore, the system has of the crime, the brazenness of the to be reformed in way that fear of

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 47 and respect for law is firmly instrument for vengeance and established. harassment.

Harsher laws and stricter The media played a sterling role in punishment, including death highlighting the crime and giving sentence, for rape and other voice to the agitating crowds. But criminal and sexual assaults the media also needs to ensure against women are certainly that it doesn’t give the oxygen of required, but they form only one airtime or print-space to part of the reform agenda. There is misogynist politicians. If anything, also a case to be made for shifting these characters need to be named the burden of proof in such cases and shamed and campaigns need on the accused. In addition, severe to be carried out against them, penalties need to including in their be imposed on Harsher laws and stricter constituencies. officials who are punishment, including death Such sustained guilty of either not sentence, for rape and other targeting will registering the criminal and sexual assaults ensure much better cases in time or against women are certainly and more gender carrying out required, but they form only sensitive behaviour shoddy one part of the reform agenda. from the politicians. investigation in There is also a case to be made these cases in order for shifting the burden of proof Police officers also to let the accused in such cases on the accused. need to be held go scot free. Speedy accountable for any trials, water tight crimes against definition of what constitutes women in their jurisdiction. They crimes of rape and sexual assault, also need to be made to changed processes and procedures understand that if on their watch for dealing with such crimes are they turn a blind eye to such all welcome. At the same time, crimes, then similar crimes could care needs to be taken to ensure happen to their loved ones under that these laws and procedures someone else’s watch. The are not misused as in the case of example of the police sub-inspector anti-dowry laws or the SC/ST act. who was shot dead by a low-life Without adequate safeguards, politician in Amritsar because he these tougher laws will become an protested against the harassment of his daughter is just one example.

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Another example is that of the reality of India – a vocal and daughter of a senior IPS official assertive middle-class which until who was molested in Lucknow by now had been ignored. It is no the sons of some powerful longer good enough to wash hands politicians. Moral of the story: you of a lawmaker accused of serious don’t stand up for someone else’s crime by saying that he hasn’t wife, daughter, and sister, no one been convicted by a court and is will stand up for your wife, innocent until proven guilty. Nor daughter or sister. is it any longer acceptable to ignore the comments of people like For the ‘mango people’ the simple Sanjay Nirupam, Botsa lesson is that scrupulously Satyanarayan or Abhijeet following traffic Mukherjee, not to laws is the basic mention the building block of The political class needs to collection of good law and order. wake up to the new and obnoxious Today you flout emerging reality of India – a characters in the traffic laws – jump vocal and assertive middle- Haryana cabinet. red lights, go on class which until now had been Political parties the wrong ignored. It is no longer good must demonstrate carriageway to take enough to wash hands of a their seriousness a short cut, drive lawmaker accused of serious and sincerity on drunk, etc. – and crime by saying that he hasn’t the issue of crimes been convicted by a court and think that you can against women by is innocent until proven guilty. bribe your way out taking action and generally treat against, and the law as an ass and the police- expelling, these people. officer as a buyable commodity who should be treated with Finally, it remains to be seen how contempt, then tomorrow a Ram this phenomenon of public Singh will not just get the same activism will translate in the idea but even think he can get political sphere. Unless this away with rape and murder. outpouring of outrage can be Bottom-line: get the basics right, channelized politically, the change other things will follow. that many of us hanker for will not come. The crowds might be The political class needs to wake politically alive, but they are not up to the new and emerging politically aligned or active. The

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 49 real challenge for the political disturbing sign of the deepening class will be how they can disconnect between the state and convincingly articulate, assuage society. and address the sentiments of the people, something that it has until now singularly failed in doing. Back to Contents More than anything else, this is a

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 50

The Undisputed Vote Ka Saudagar!

- A Surya Prakash he resounding victory of the many states in recent years on the Bharatiya Janata Party triple issues of Bijli, Sadak and T (BJP) in the recent Gujarat Pani (Electricity, Roads and Assembly election has once again Water), can easily discern why the reinforced the argument that with Chief Minister secured a renewed good governance and a strong mandate in such a convincing development-oriented agenda, it is manner. The Modi government’s possible to buck the anti commitment to ensure power incumbency trend in state supply to every home in the state, elections. While the party has has improved the quality of life of romped home for the fifth the people in many ways. Every consecutive time since 1995, the homemaker in the state says that Chief Minister, Mr. Narendra assured power supply has brought Modi has secured a renewed in three advantages: It is a boon mandate for the third time. for school and college-going Interestingly, the Chief Minister children in the family. They are has secured a fresh approval from able to devote more time to their the people with by and large the studies at home; it has helped same proportion of votes and seats many homemakers augment their as in the past. family income with some cottage- While a plethora of issues industry kind of activity; and bombard voters during an election, finally, it enables them to watch Mr. Modi’s campaign revolved some of their favourite TV soaps. solely on his development plank Guaranteed water supply to large and on his achievements over the parts of the state has also reduced last 11 years. Those who have seen the drudgery of women, who walk elections being won and lost in many miles to secure potable

* A Surya Prakash - Senior Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 51 water for their families. The revealing in terms of how the improvement in the quality of public perceived these issues in roads has meant better this election. Here are some communication between towns pointers: and villages and consequently a For the BJP, barring this little set better quality of life. These are back of not reaching 117, the three of the key factors which have Modi-led campaign has been contributed to what Mr. Modi calls remarkable. The party was the the “pro-incumbency” vote in winner or the runner-up in 180 of Gujarat. the 182 All this is not to constituencies. BJP say that the other For the BJP, barring this little candidates fell to set back of not reaching 117, issues – specially third place in just the Modi-led campaign has the gnawing ones been remarkable. The party two seats. The relating to the post- was the winner or the runner- party also won Godhra riots of up in 180 of the 182 most of its seats 2002 and the constituencies. BJP candidates rather conflict between fell to third place in just two convincingly, seats. The party also won most the state unlike the of its seats rather convincingly, government and unlike the Congress, which Congress, which the union just nudged ahead in a large just nudged ahead government on number of constituencies. in a large number minority-related of constituencies. issues – did not matter in this The party’s most spectacular win election. They did, but only was in Ghatlodia where its marginally. These issues have candidate trounced his Congress been flogged for an entire decade rival by over 1,10,000 votes. Chief and although not irrelevant, has Minister Narendra Modi won his led to a kind of ennui among the Maninagar seat by the second people of the state. A study of the highest margin in the state (over results from the 182 assembly 86,000). He secured over 75 per constituencies in the state, is cent of the votes polled. Also

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 52 significant from the point of view riots, who later deserted him. Mr. of the political debate that has Zadaphia who contested on the been on in the state and all over Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) the country over the post-Godhra ticket from Gondal lost to his BJP riots of 2002 were the results in rival by 45,000 votes. These two other constituencies – Naroda results offer some clue in regard to and Naranpura. Ms. Maya the attitude of the voters to the Kodnani, a minister in the Modi riots of 2002, which were triggered government, who had won the by the gruesome incident at the Naroda seat in 2007 has since Godhra Railway Station when 59 been convicted and Hindu kar sevaks jailed for life in a were burnt alive by As far as the Congress is riots-related case. concerned, the overall a mob. She had won this approach of the party to the As far as the seat by a record assembly election in Gujarat Congress is margin of 1.80 lakh came as a disappointment for concerned, the votes in 2007. In all those who expected it to give Mr. Modi a stiff fight. overall approach of 2012, the BJP Everyone knew that the the party to the candidate trounced Gujarat Assembly election was assembly election his Congress rival due at the end of 2012, but the in Gujarat came as by close to 70,000 Congress Party failed to get its a disappointment votes. In act together in time for the big for all those who Naranpura, the contest. expected it to give BJP fielded Amit Shah, another Mr. Modi a stiff fight. Everyone minister in the previous Modi knew that the Gujarat Assembly government who is being election was due at the end of prosecuted in a fake encounter 2012, but the Congress Party case. Shah too won this seat by a failed to get its act together in huge margin of 63,000 votes this time for the big contest. It did not time. However, the voters firmly position a strong state leader to rejected Mr. Gordhan Zadaphia, a counter the Chief Minister, nor did key minister in the Modi it stitch up clever electoral government at the time of the

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 53 alliances that could have meant an These figures show that with some accretion to its vote share. The clever electoral engineering, the party’s failure to promote its state Congress could have given Mr. level leaders also led to the defeat Modi a credible fight. But the of its state party president Mr. party was so dispirited that it Modhwadia by over 17,000 votes chose to rest its guns on the in Porbandar and the Leader of shoulders of NGOs and social the Congress Party in the State activists. Even its national leaders Assembly, Mr. Shaktisinh Govil in – Ms. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Bhavnagar Rural by 18,000 votes. Gandhi - registered only a token For some inexplicable reason, the presence in the state during the Congress campaign was marked campaign. by hesitation and a lack of Although the GPP of Keshubhai purpose. Patel got rather ambitious and put The 2012 results show that, up candidates in most of the although the Congress could not constituencies, the party put up a have defeated the BJP, it could fairly decent fight is just about a surely have narrowed the margin dozen constituencies. Everywhere of victory if it had galvanised the else, they got a severe drubbing state unit ahead of the poll. For and secured under 2000 votes – example, the Congress secured 38 the kind of support that first–time per cent of the votes as against independents manage to muster – 49.12 per cent of the BJP in the in an election. Overall, the GPP 2007 assembly poll. This time got just over 3 per cent of the votes around, the party has got 40 per and upset the BJP’s calculations a cent of the vote (an increase of 2 wee bit. The results show that the per cent), while the BJP’s vote BJP lost at least five share is down by one per cent to constituencies because of the GPP. 48. Thus the gap between the two Thus, all that Keshubhai achieved parties has narrowed to 8 per cent. was to prevent Modi from crossing Mr. Keshubhai Patel managed to the psychological barrier of 117 – garner over 3 per cent of the vote.

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 54 the number of seats the party had the additional ten per cent votes won in 2007. between the contenders.

This election in Gujarat was As usual, there was the usual play unique for yet another reason – of words after the election results the enthusiasm of voters to came in. Although the BJP won exercise their franchise. Over the the assembly election by a years the voting percentage in convincing margin and had a clear elections has been just about 8 per cent lead over the Congress average in this state. In 2002, 61 in terms of vote share, the per cent of the electors came out to Congress has stubbornly refused vote. In 2007, the to concede defeat voting percentage Although the BJP won the and several of its touched 60 per assembly election by a leaders have cent. This slumped convincing margin and had a advanced the most to just 48 per cent clear 8 per cent lead over the convoluted in the Lok Sabha Congress in terms of vote arguments to run share, the Congress has election held in down the winner stubbornly refused to concede 2009. However, in defeat and several of its and to deny him 2012, over 71 per leaders have advanced the victory For cent of the electors most convoluted arguments to example, the Union came out to vote. run down the winner and to Finance Minister, The turnout was deny him victory. Mr. P. heavy both in the Chidambaram has rural and urban constituencies said that since the Congress had and across regions in the state and improved its tally in the Gujarat lent itself to much interpretation, Assembly by 2 seats in this the most popular of which was election and since the BJP had not that it would hurt the prospects of crossed 117, the Congress Party the incumbent government. The was “a clear winner in Gujarat”. results however showed that there The results (BJP - 115, Congress - was a proportionate distribution of 61), showed how exaggerated the claims of the Congress were. Also,

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 55 according to him, though the BJP 2D victory. These remarks stem had won the state, large sections from the Congress Party’s skewed of the population in Gujarat “felt sense of victory and defeat in left out”. The Congress Party has Gujarat. It believes that since the argued since the riots of 2002 that BJP did not cross 117, it was when the BJP is in power in “defeated”, although one needs Gujarat, the religious minorities just 92 seats for a clear majority in get a raw deal. After December 20, the Gujarat Assembly. Also, by the the Finance Minister claimed that same token, since the Congress many more communities felt had 59 in the previous House, any disenfranchised - “Saurashtra increment would constitute a feels left behind; the tribals feel “victory”. The persistence with left behind”. Saurashtra accounts which so many union ministers for 54 seats and as many as 26 kept using this yardstick to assess seats are reserved for Scheduled the electoral outcome in that state Tribes in Gujarat. Further, there is indicative of the growing are over 30 seats in which the trepidation in the Congress about Muslim vote counts for more than having Mr. Modi as its main 20 per cent. How can a party bag opponent in 2014. They are 115 seats (constituting 62 per already conceding that he is a cent) in the 182-member assembly formidable rival, public posturing after excluding Saurashtra, the to the contrary notwithstanding. tribals and the minorities in a Moreover, the results show that state like Gujarat? the BJP did well in every region of Several other ministers and the state and secured support from Congress Party spokespersons every social segment. The BJP applied this logic to the results. also picked up a majority of the 40 The Human Resource seats reserved for Scheduled Development Minister, Mr. Kapil Castes and Scheduled Tribes, as Sibal declared most ungraciously also a majority in Central and that though Modi ran a 3D South Gujarat and in both the campaign, he had secured only a rural and urban areas. As

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 56 mentioned, its overall vote share minorities, especially Muslims. was around 48 per cent, a clear 8 The Congress Party’s studied per cent ahead of the Congress. silence on these issues made Poll analysts found that the BJP commentators wonder whether the had won most of the seats even in party had kept aside its core the 24 assembly constituencies ideological plank just to garner that were the worst hit in the 2002 votes in a state that still carried riots. In constituencies having a the scars of 2002. Strangely, sizeable Muslim vote (over 20 per throughout the campaign the cent), the BJP bagged 70 per cent party never uttered the “M” word. of the seats. The Congress was Ms. Sonia Gandhi had described completely routed in urban Narendra Modi as Maut ka constituencies and performed Saudagar (Merchant Death) in poorly even in constituencies 2007, thereby holding him wholly dominated by scheduled tribes and responsible for the riots that broke Muslims. So, either the voters did out in 2002 after the horrific not buy the Congress argument burning of kar sevaks in Godhra, that it is more “inclusive” than the however assiduously avoided any BJP, or they saw this line of reference to him. Strangely, she argument as promoting chose not to put this label on him divisiveness rather than harmony in 2012. In 2007, when Ms. in their society. Gandhi pinned this appellation on him, Mr. Modi returned with a Interestingly, although one of Mr. thumping majority, prompting a Modi’s ministers has been national daily to declare that he convicted in the riots case to life was the Vote ka Saudagar imprisonment and another is (Merchant of Votes). In 2012, Mr. facing trial for an equally serious Modi has proved that this is criminal offence, the Congress certainly a more appropriate label. Party consciously avoided any reference to the riots or to issues Back to Contents relating to the rights of religious

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GMR Contract Termination And India- Maldives Relations - Dr. N Manoharan

ndia was upset when Maldives Maldivian government conveyed announced the termination of its termination decision as “non- I the $511 million contract with reversible and non-negotiable” and the Indian infrastructure company “no such injunction can be issued GMR Infrastructure Limited (GIL) against a sovereign state”. on 27 November 2012. The GIL- MAHB (Malaysia Airports Significantly, when the project got Holdings Berhad) consortium with underway in November 2010, it 77 and 23 percent stakes became the single biggest FDI into respectively won the project in Maldives, that too at the time of June 2010 to maintain and global economic recession. It was develop Ibrahim Nasir to upgrade, maintain and operate International Airport in Malé. the existing Airport as well as Despite the fact that it was done build a new terminal by 2014. In through a global tendering process the process, the aim was to conducted by the International increase the traffic from 2.6 Finance Corporation (IFC), the million passengers per annum to Maldivian government under over five million. Located in the President Mohamed Waheed Malé Atoll, the airport is not only justified the contract termination the largest in Maldives, but is “on grounds that there were many considered as one of the fastest legal, technical and economic growing in the region. All these issues.” The Singapore High Court have come to a naught now despite initially stayed the termination, GMR spending over $230 million. but later ruled that “the Maldives Malé has agreed to compensate government has the power to do GMR, but the termination has what it wants, including sent negative signals to investors expropriating the airport.” Even in general and India in particular. before the Court’s final ruling, the If the reason is legal, Maldives should not have had much

* Dr. N. Manoharan – Senior Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 58 problem in abiding by the concerned that such thoughtless Singapore High Court’s stay on cancellations would hurt the the termination. If the reason is interests of the atoll state in the technical, the project would not long run. The move is not an have stayed alive successfully for encouraging one for prospective two full years; even otherwise investors, especially Indian ones. Waheed, who was Vice President New Delhi quickly reached out to in Nasheed’s government, and Waheed when he succeeded later as President, had enough Nasheed, the first democratically time to sort it out. If the reason is elected president of Maldives, in a economic, Malé would have bloodless coup this February. It accepted GMR’s looks s if the offer waiving the Indian gesture But, what annoyed India most $25 airport went in vain. was the unprofessionalism development fee for However, the fact displayed by Waheed’s regime all Maldivians that fringe parties on the issue and its disregard flying out of like Adhaalath of international agreements Maldives. The atoll Party could dictate due to local political state indeed has considerations. Surprisingly, terms to the every right to take even the Indian Foreign government of a call on matters Minister Salman Kurshid’s Maldives shows that suits its suggestion to iron out the that President national interests. differences between Malé and Waheed is not in But, what annoyed GMR through a neutral control of things. India most was the international expert was not What is of greater unprofessionalism considered by Maldives. concern is the anti- displayed by Indian sentiment Waheed’s regime on the issue and shown by the groups that have its disregard of international been behind the termination of the agreements due to local political GMR contract. This got India considerations. Surprisingly, even worried as to the safety of about the Indian Foreign Minister 30,000 Indians working presently Salman Kurshid’s suggestion to in Maldives and the state of iron out the differences between Indian interests there. Malé and GMR through a neutral international expert was not What is even more worrying is the considered by Maldives.As a large favourable disposition of these donor to Maldives, India is groups towards China, which has

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 59 been desperately looking for a extent of China opening an strong foothold in the Indian embassy in Male in 2011. The Ocean region. In a tweet, Chinese are among the top visitors Adhaalath Party stated that “We to the Maldives lately. Beijing has would rather give the airport evinced keen interest in contract to our friends in China, developing infrastructure in who now make the majority of our Ihavandhoo, Marao and tourist population.” It further Maarandhoo Islands of the stated, “…the addition of Maldives Maldives. Not without reasons as a friend [by China] would be a that the current dispensation in massive blow to future Indian Male holds the view that “It will power in this region.” Beijing has be to the detriment of Maldives for long been not to engage with building maritime China.” and other linkages Sino-Maldives interactions with the countries have increased in the recent Maldives may find of Eastern Africa, past to the extent of China China attractive Southeast Asia, opening an embassy in Male in now, but India’s Seychelles, 2011. The Chinese are among long-term the top visitors to the Maldives Mauritius, West commitment and lately. Beijing has evinced Asia, Pakistan, help in developing keen interest in developing Maldives, Sri the island is in the infrastructure in Ihavandhoo, Lanka, long=term interests Marao and Maarandhoo Bangladesh, and of the Maldives. Islands of the Maldives. Myanmar. The India’s Standby avowed objective Credit Facility to behind is to ensure the security of Maldives runs into millions of its sea lanes, especially dollars. Several state and private unhindered flow of critically- Indian institutions have been needed energy supplies from playing a vital role in the economic Africa and West Asia. At the same and cultural development of the time, these linkages have had the Maldives. Above all, it was India impact of encircling India, which that promptly dispatched its some call the “String of Pearls” armed forces in 1988 to foil a coup construct. Maldives is undoubtedly attempt (‘Operation Cactus’) an important “pearl”. Sino- aimed at deposing the then Maldives interactions have President Gayoom. increased in the recent past to the

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Ideas like suspending economic patient handling of the issue in aid to Maldives until it falls in line the interest of Maldives, in the are being floated in India. But, interest of India-Maldives ties and any such move would not work in the larger interest of regional and in fact push Maldives further peace and security. On its part, into Chinese hands. Any punitive the Maldivian government, measure would also help in instead of outright rejection, strengthening radical anti-Indian should consider negotiating with forces in the island. New Delhi GMR and flesh out an amicable should, of course, let Malé know of settlement. Narrow political its disappointments and the costs considerations should not come in involved in the long run, and be the way of the best interests of the prepared to impose these costs if island, and its ties with India. things do not improve. At the same time, what is required is Back to Contents

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Need To Expedite The Creation Of An Indian Cyber Command - Radhakrishna Rao

Along with outer space, cyber of business by a breed of smart space is rapidly emerging as a new cyber hackers. “In the past, we and sophisticated theatre of could count the number of warfare with serious consequences bombers and tanks your enemy for the security of the countries had. In cyber war, we really can’t that lack the expertise and tell whether the enemy has the infrastructure to ensure the safety weapons until he uses them,” says of their information and Richard Clarke, a former communication networks, and Chairman of White House Critical mount counter offensive. Indeed, infrastructure Protection Board. the overall lethality and destructive potential of the cyber Because cyber communications war, where the adversary remains continue to be a dynamic and invisible and difficult to detect, rapidly evolving area that is has been increasing at a subject to the process of sustained phenomenal pace. Because stealth innovations and refinements, and anonymity are the distinct there is no fool proof firewall advantages of cyber war, it is capable of insulating the possible to inflict unprecedented information networks and damage on the civilian and computer systems from the military assets of a targeted malicious maneuvers of well country at short notice and that trained and highly motivated too without any of the elaborate cyber warriors. The recent preparations normally associated defacing of the websites of some of with a conventional war. the key Government of India organizations, including the ones Moreover, cyber attacks could also belonging to an advisor to the easily be mounted on corporate Prime Minister and DRDO and industrial entities to cripple (Defence Research and their operations and put them out Development Organisation) cannot

* Radhakrishna Rao - Research Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 62 but be a wakeup call for India. Of relied not only on guns and course, this cyber attack that grenades but also on GPS and reportedly took place on October phones using voice over the 31 2012 resulted in the temporary Internet.” shutdown of a few Government of India (GOI) websites. However, Indeed, both the US political GOI sources in New Delhi made it establishment and their defence clear that these websites set up are fully aware of the maintained by the NIC (National ground reality that a US$100- Informatics Centre) did not billion plus global cyber crime contain any classified information. market has emerged as a major There were also intelligence headache for the defence forces reports in November, 2011 about and security agencies in various the probable parts of the world. compromise of Even the seemingly all For there have computers of the powerful Pentagon has not been instances of Eastern Naval escaped the bouts of cyber theft of critical attacks. US intelligence and data stored in Command located security sources say that in classified data on aircraft, ostensibly high Vishakhapatnam. avionics, surveillance security systems of technology, satellite the defence It was the shocking communications systems and establishments of Mumbai terror network security protocols various countries. attack mounted by stored in Pentagon information Even the seemingly systems have been siphoned the Pakistan- off. all powerful trained terrorists Pentagon has not that spurred the escaped the bouts US Government to announce of cyber attacks. US intelligence measures to strengthen its cyber and security sources say that security system. Indeed, US classified data on aircraft, President Barack Obama, citing avionics, surveillance technology, the use of GPS and net phones in satellite communications systems the Mumbai terror attack, and network security protocols described the cyber attack as the stored in Pentagon information “future face of the war.” Obama systems have been siphoned off. was clear in his observation that, “the terrorists that sowed so much In fact, the super intelligent breed death and destruction in Mumbai of cyber criminals are finding it

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 63 easy to disrupt the data flow and all poised to be upgraded with an communications links of the independent status. This elevation defence forces scattered across a would put it on par with its parent widely dispersed geographical organisation, the US Strategic space. Moreover, since all the Command, which is responsible for wings of the services are making US space and nuclear operations. extensive use of cyberspace for In fact, this development follows their coordinated warfare the revelations by US intelligence strategy, cyber criminals and agencies that Chinese cyber terrorist groups are devising novel hackers are hyper active insofar as techniques to break open the penetrating the high security security walls put around the data networks of the Pentagon storage systems and containing classified strategic communications links of the information is concerned. But then defence forces. Banks, financial the Chinese Government sources services and public utilities in Beijing have consistently been including power supply systems denying the involvement of Beijing and transportation networks could in many of the cyber attacks that easily be paralysed by well are said to have their origins in executed plans of cyber criminals. China. “China is totally opposed to According to the Boston based various kinds of hacking activities Core Security Technologies, cyber on the internet and we are criminals could gain access to a committed to relevant counter “country’s water treatment plants, hacking initiatives,” says a natural gas pipelines and other spokesman of the Chinese Foreign critical utilities,” through Ministry. imaginatively conceived and well executed plans. But it would be wrong to come to the conclusion that China alone is Meanwhile, in keeping with the responsible for all the vicious growing threat perception, the US cyber attacks reported from Cyber Command charged with the various parts of the world; far task of ensuring the security of the from it. For, it is widely perceived networks being operated by the that the US in association with US Department of Defense (DOD) Israel had carried out an attack on and also launching offensive Iran’s disputed nuclear centrifuge operations in cyber space in facility through the highly pursuit of the national interest, is malicious Stuxnet malware in

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2010. And a section of the US the technological capabilities of officialdom believes that the even advanced nations such as the malware Shamoon that USA. Against this backdrop, RSS temporarily paralysed the Saudi has called for the formulation of a based Aramco in August 2012 had comprehensive national security its origin in Iran. The attack on policy with a particular focus on Saudi oil firm Armaco has left strengthening cyber safety. USA deeply worried. In October this year, the US Defence A fact-filled report prepared by Secretary, Leon Penetta described McAfee in association with the the attack on Armaco as the most SDA (Security and Defence sophisticated yet launched on a Agenda), a Brussels based defence private company. Even as Iran is and security think tank, ranks suspected to be behind this attack, India as the fifth most cyber crime sources in Tehran have denied any affected country. “Much of the involvement in the Armaco attack. vulnerability is explained by the widespread computer illiteracy Meanwhile, there is a growing and easily pirated machines,” body of evidence pointing to the points out this report. Making Chinese hackers focusing on reference to Indian cyber security mounting economic espionage and scenario, Cherian Samuel of the paralysing high security networks New Delhi based think tank, of the countries considered Institute for Defence Studies and inimical to the interest of the Analysis (IDSA), says that, “In mainland China. Against this India, we went straight from no backdrop, the three day all India telephones to the latest in mobile executive committee meeting of technology. It is the same with the 87 years old Rashtriya internet connected computers. Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held They came in all of a sudden and in Chennai in early November no one was taught even the basic 2012 had cautioned against facts about cyber security”. Cyber growing threat to India’s security security experts feel that the main from China based “cyber challenge for India now is to train criminals”. Pointing out that and equip the law enforcement China posed a serious threat to agencies and the judiciary, India’s cyber and communications particularly outside the big cities network, the RSS resolution said like New Delhi, Mumbai and that China is capable of crippling Bangalore. Low conviction rate of

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 65 cyber criminals in India is an area generators of spam in the world, it of concern as far as the is particularly important for the strengthening of the cyber security network operators, service mechanism is concerned. providers and government Awareness programmes and agencies to apply the best educational campaigns need to be practices as applicable,” points out stepped up to bring home the Rauscher. The dark spot of the importance of cyber security in all Indian cyber security scenario is its manifestations, say experts. that India’s advances in the area India, which lags behind the of information technology and Western countries, in terms of software services have not been putting in place the harnessed to make latest genre of tools Not surprisingly, then there is the information to ensure cyber a growing realization of the networks in the safety, is highly magnitude of the threat that country impervious vulnerable to the India faces from cyber space to cyber hacking. attacks from cyber and the need to ensure the space for the safety of information networks, Not surprisingly, simple reason that both civilian and defence. But then there is a it boasts of more then to face the cyber threat, growing realization than 120-million India would need to come out of the magnitude of active internet with a comprehensive and the threat that users. Further, holistic cyber security policy India faces from with electronic that will be properly cyber space and the payments making coordinated through a nodal need to ensure the rapid inroads in authority. safety of the country, threat information of “economic networks, both damages” being inflicted from civilian and defence. But then to across the borderless cyber space face the cyber threat, India would has assumed serious dimensions. need to come out with a According to Karl Rauscher, Chief comprehensive and holistic cyber Technology Officer of the New security policy that will be York based East West Institute, properly coordinated through a the explosion of internet nodal authority. It is in the fitness connectivity in India could very of things that the National well become a double edged sword. Security Council had taken a “Since India is one of the top decision to create a permanent

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 66 joint working group with the larger strategic command, the private sector to overcome cyber Indian defence set-up should be security challenges. In particular, clear in its vision before it gets the the abuse and misuse of social green signal for the setting up of media platforms to foment the cyber command. Further, the sectarian discontent has been functional aspects of such a amply illustrated by the panic command should be articulated in migration of the North Easterners a well defined manner to provide it settled in various parts of the with the “punch and power” it country in the wake of deserves. One important question disturbances in Assam. All said that needs to be addressed is and done, international whether the Indian cyber cooperation and coordination is of command would draw on the paramount importance in warding expertise available in Indian IT off the threat from cyber space. companies and research For India’s cyber security organisations possessing expertise continues to be a matter of grave in the area of information network concern for multinational security. enterprises and western governments alike. While the immediate focus of this proposed cyber command would be Against this broad canvas, the on protecting the high security Indian defence set-up has felt the information networks of the need for creating a full-fledged and Indian defence forces, in the long well equipped cyber security run, it should try to expand its command. Recent reports suggest scope to the civilian networks with that the three wings of the Indian a view to insulate the country as a Defence Services are seriously whole against the multifarious mulling the creation of a cyber threats emanating from cyber command that would draw assets, space. Of course, the Indian cyber resources and expertise from all command should in unison with the defence establishment of the the civilian agencies endeavour to country. But as of now, the protect the information networks structural nuances and and computer systems cutting operational philosophy of an across the structural jurisdictions. Indian cyber command are far Similarly, the Indian cyber from clear. Whether it would be an command should have expertise independent entity or a part of the and resources to launch offensive

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 67 operations. In this context, it could institutions targeted by the take a leaf out of the experience of Chinese hackers were the the US cyber command. National Security Council Secretariat, 21 Mountain Artillery By all means, the creation of an Brigade based in north eastern Indian cyber command should be sector and the Air Forces Station taken up on a war footing by in New Delhi. shunning the lethargy and delay typical of the decision making What is more, the computer process at the higher echelons of systems being operated by the the military bureaucratic Indian military colleges were structure of the country. Of course, taken over by the elusive Chinese the setting up of the cyber cyber spies. Some of the command is just a documents small step towards accessed by the the long journey of By all means, the creation of Chinese cyber ensuring cyber an Indian cyber command warriors are known security in India in should be taken up on a war to have included all its footing by shunning the secret assessments manifestations. lethargy and delay typical of of the security the decision making process at situation in north From the security the higher echelons of the eastern India as perspective, India military bureaucratic structure well as the Maoist cannot remain a of the country. uprising in parts of silent spectator to India. Following the lead China has this, the Indian army directed its taken in creating a hackers’ officials to keep away from social brigade. For in recent years, China networking sites including based cyber warriors have become Twitter, Facebook and Orkut. In the most persistent source of a particular, they have been asked variety of cyber attacks not to post any sensitive and experienced by a number of classified information including countries including India. Not long their posting location. back, Chinese hackers are known to have used social networking According to the Norton Cyber sites to break into the computer Crime Report 2012, over 42 networks of parts of the Indian million net users in India became defence establishment. Among the victims of cyber crime during

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2011-12, suffering approximately networks where consumers are US$8-billion in direct financial less aware of security risks,” says loss. As per this report, 66% of Effendy Ibrahim, Internet Safety adults in India have been victims Advocate and Director, Norton of cyber crime in their lifetime. (Asia). “Cyber criminals are changing their tactics to target fast growing Back to Contents mobile platforms and social

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Acquiring The Heritage Tag – Is It Enough?

- Dr. Anirban Ganguly

Early December 2012, a United its inclusion, the Committee Nations Committee ‘tasked with interestingly noted that: protecting the world’s oral traditions, performing arts, social ‘Buddhist chanting is a pervasive practices, craftsmanship and cultural practice in the Ladakh knowledge of nature’ added twenty region not only in monasteries new items to the world List of the where monks chant daily but also Intangible Cultural Heritage of among villagers who recite these Humanity. The intangible heritage chants on special days. concept encompasses those ‘practices and living expressions’ The wider objective of this that are handed down from one inclusion is to ensure the generation to the next’ and documentation and dissemination includes oral traditions, of knowledge ‘about traditional performing arts, social practices, Buddhist chanting’ and of trying rituals, festive events, knowledge to ‘improve the living conditions of and practices concerning nature the monks so that they can pass and universe or the knowledge on the practice to younger and skills to produce traditional generations.’ As one of the vital crafts. civilisational and cultural outpost of India, this world wide The high point of the recent list is recognition of Ladakh and the the inclusion of the Buddhist Ladakhis’ ways of life and belief is chanting of Ladakh. The selection an occasion to rejoice and to re-lay Committee recognised the Indian cultural footprints in pervasiveness of the practice of civilisational terms. In fact, it chanting in the region and found it would perhaps be a useful exercise to be fulfilling a number of to draw up a list of Indic cultural stipulated criteria. For example and religious practices of these while examining the possibility of types that continue to exist and

* Dr. Anirban Ganguly - Associate Fellow, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 70 vibrate all along the Indian border lack of basic amenities, while and to look into measures and accommodation and connectivity projects that could be initiated to shortages plague the entire area. preserve, encourage and Despite the temples having strengthen them. At least, in this sufficient peripheral land, no case it is a positive signal for the effort seems to have been initiated challenged cultural traditions of till date for developing them as the country to see a number of compact cultural and historical official and non-official agencies zones that can attract both the and cultural bodies collaborating serious scholar of Indian culture to see the process through. and the lay tourist.

But the acquiring The legendary 13th of a heritage tag The legendary 13th century century Sun can also become an Sun Temple of Konark in Temple of Konark occasion for Odisha, another prized Indian in Odisha, another reflecting on the architectural wonder with the prized Indian status of heritage – world heritage tag is also architectural tangible and plagued with problems. The wonder with the intangible – heritage tag has not prevented world heritage tag nationally. The tag its deterioration over the is also plagued itself does not years. In 2009, for instances, with problems. The guarantee the temple caught the heritage tag has automatic attention of conservators not prevented its protection or worldwide when five rocks fell deterioration over development. For from the temple edifice. the years. In 2009, example, the for instances, the conferring of the world heritage temple caught the attention of tag to the Western Ghats and the conservators worldwide when five historical sites around it has not rocks fell from the temple edifice. seen much improvement, at least Citizens’ initiative groups had also in the case of the famed expressed concern then that the Chennakesava and Hoysaleswara edifice and temple super structure Temples in Belur and Halebid in were being severely affected by Karnataka. Marvels of Hoysala water logging and the cleaning up temple architecture, these places job by unskilled workers done of historic importance continue to under aegis of the Archeological face infrastructural neglect and a Survey of India (ASI) was further

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 71 affecting the structure and should be done. As it is, there is a damaging images. It was also grave danger of our losing some alleged that antique pieces were valuable specimens. Indeed, I was being regularly smuggled from the told that people took away many of area. The members of the local these pieces, either as souvenirs or Konark Suraksha Samiti had also for some other purpose. pointed out that the chemicals used for preservation were not the Nehru directed that the Central right kind and, as a result, over government and the Provincial 40% of the images in the precincts government cooperate to have faded beyond recognition. immediately take up the issue of Between accusations and counter- conservation; otherwise there was accusations, the condition of the ‘always the danger of the parts of structure continues to weaken. In the temple collapsing.’ The fact, it is interesting to note that situation has come round to being as far back as 1949, the much the same. On the other preservation of the Konark hand, the ASI continues to suffer Temple figured on the priority list from an acute shortage of staff and of the Prime Minister himself who experts, and faces apathy and had then written to the Premier sloth in official policy making. and Governor of the state after a Acquiring a heritage tag is not visit to the temple that the sufficient in itself it entails and ‘magnificent’ and ‘unique imposes greater responsibility and structure’ ‘deserves preservation.’ cultural accountability but our Against the current backdrop it is system in place is hardly instructive to read Nehru’s note on responsive to the needs of culture. the matter. The world heritage sites are not I found many pieces of stones and alone in suffering the vagaries of rock lying about all round the modernisation and official apathy. temple. Many of these pieces were Other legendary temples, equally of value and should have been ancient and intertwined with the separated and kept apart in some cultural and spiritual ethos of the kind of museum or at least a shed. land continue to face neglect and There was a small museum where challenges. Last November, for some important pieces of sculpture example, an entire one-tonne had been arranged. But much stone fell from the dome of the more could have been done and western gate of the Jagannath

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Temple at Puri. Major incidents of even there they seemed to have stone falling from the structure spoilt the entire effort at such a have been reported since 1990 and development by adopting a laissez yet no long term plan seems to faire attitude. Unplanned have been put in place in order to urbanization and modernisation arrest the decline. Around the have also taken their toll on some same time, the five hundred years of our most important heritage old tower of the Sri sites – those identified in the Bhavannarayana Swamy temple Indian imagination with traditions in the Guntur district of the state of chivalry and honour. In answer of Andhra Pradesh collapsed. The to a question (unstarred question 75-foot tower which had been num.2663) raised in the Rajya cracking for sometime was a Sabha (Upper House) this victim of the usual lack of September, on whether illegal coordination among official construction and sewerage lines agencies and the temple were weakening and eroding the endowment committee. The foundations of the famous Sonar collapse of the Rajagopuram of the Kella at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, the Srikalahasti Temple, one of the Indian Ministry of Culture most famous Shiva temples in the accepted that such a thing had in country, is another case in point fact happened and had ‘caused displaying our inability to initiate damaging effect on different urgent and concerted inter- structures including the Fort wall departmental action for and bastions.’ It was also revealed preservation of these unique that the ASI had undertaken a architectural feats. survey of the extent and nature of the damage and had taken up In fact, the vision that places such ‘different conservation works’. The as these can be really developed point is not whether the ASI can into cultural hubs with the salvage the situation; the larger founding of cultural and historical issues under the scanner are our research institutes or regional policies or non-policies of languages and traditions’ urbanization. The amount documentation centres perhaps earmarked for the conservation of must have never occurred to our the famed fort was a paltry cultural policy makers. It suffices Rs.60.00 lakhs for the current for them to see these places as financial year. The idea that revenue earning tourist hubs and protection of heritage needs to be

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 73 inscribed into development inaugural speech of the National policymaking has still not been Art Treasures Fund at New Delhi accepted as a cardinal factor while in 1952, Nehru argued that these envisioning development. And to sites with great art must add to this culture of heritage eventually be developed into neglect, an RTI disclosure last ‘places of artistic pilgrimage for us year (2011) has revealed that more so that we may learn from them than 300 hundred protected not only something of the past but historical structures in the country something of the grace of life were ‘either damaged or which can, perhaps, affect our encroached upon in 2010 alone present life also.’ Unfortunately, and of the 311 FIRs lodged against the vision of developing these encroachers and desecrators 27 places into artistic pilgrimage were against government officials centres seems to have completely for complicity in such acts! failed.

But as pointed out above, it would The town itself, which was highly be wrong to give the impression developed during the Chola period that such a situation existed from and where inscriptions on the the beginning, i.e. right from after codes of elections to various independence. Colonial assemblies were found, should conservators, despite their have been developed as a model by aversion for their Indian establishing a leading epigraphic counterparts – as displayed in a research and study institute. But 1911 public statement of J.Ph India lacks qualified epigraphists Vogel, then officiating Director and numismatists and perhaps General of the ASI doubting the lakhs of inscriptions that could Indians’ capacity to undertake majorly help in reconstructing our archeological research and study – history remains unread and did contribute hugely to the undocumented. According to the preservation of our tangible experts, these inscriptions are heritage. Post independence, when banks ‘of literary, scientific, social politicians were multifaceted and and even engineering knowledge.’ did evince occasional interest in Is there any point then in culture, it is interesting to read lamenting the fact that external again Nehru’s exhortation for experts are indeed setting the preserving and developing discourse and the pattern of heritage sites. Delivering the studying ancient India through an

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 74 assiduous study of our scriptures? mandate of introducing ‘innovative In the Kailasanathar, restoration patterns of cultural funding’ in the initiative by government funding country and to ‘facilitate public- was nil and experts from the private partnership in the field of Indian Institute of Technology at heritage conservation and Chennai had to be enlisted for the promotion’ had written to major complicated granite-stitching corporate players seeking process. After a painstaking assistance for and involvement in process, the restoration of the heritage preservation. A list of temple was complete with the hundred monuments in need of insertion in the cracks of ‘high urgent assistance accompanied the grade stainless steel rods with a letter. But two years down the high percentage of chromium’ line, the response from corporate which would not corrode for India has been disappointing. another five Except for a few hundred years.’ A list of hundred monuments PSUs, no private in need of urgent assistance The stark reality is accompanied the letter. But sector company that the two years down the line, the ‘has even bothered government is able response from corporate India to respond’ and the to only preserve a has been disappointing. Except proposal continues mere 5% of the for a few PSUs, no private to be stuck. total monuments sector company ‘has even bothered to respond’ and the The larger question existing in India proposal continues to be stuck. and most of the at stake is whether preservation sufficient efforts efforts, such as the one at are being made by all concerned to Uthiramerur, have been first preserve our heritage undertaken outside of officialdom nationally before aspiring to adorn and at times in spite of it. them with an international tag. The case of the culturally rich and But perhaps it would not do to vibrant Majuli Island in Assam, blame the governments alone for which embodies the ancient this inability to preserve our past. Vaishnavite heritage of the state Corporate India too seems to have and its people, is a stark example failed to rise to the occasion. The of such systemic indecisiveness. National Cultural Fund (NCF), Holding a large number of sattras created in 1996 as a trust under and their libraries and museums, the Ministry of Culture, with the the island is a veritable treasure

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 75 house of ancient manuscript and achievements. Our past artefacts and is symbolic of the civilisational achievements and ideals, spiritual and cultural their physical and cultural traditions of the Vaishnavite saint, expressions need much more than Srimanta Sankardeva, and yet it mere assurances today, they faces severe neglect from apathetic require a dynamic and creative cultural administrators who have doze of assistance in order to be been slow in addressing the able to survive for posterity. erosion issue and encroachment of Otherwise, there will very soon be sattra land on the Island. As a little left to extol about. result of this apathy, Majuli also missed out getting the world Sources heritage tag due to the concerned officials missing the deadline for  ‘Heritage Tag for Majuli’, th filing nominations to the category. The Sentinel, 11 July, 2012. But beyond this, the immediate  ‘India Lacks Qualified issue to be addressed is whether Epigraphists’, The Times of rd the unique Island, a cultural- India, 23 July, 2009. sphere in the true sense, shall  ‘Konarak Temple th soon see remedial measures which Crumbling’, The Hindu, 16 would address its decay, as well as November, 2009. meet the challenges to its cultural-  ‘UN Committee adds 20 new spiritual institutions. items to intangible cultural heritage list’, UN News The conferring of the status of Centre, 5th December, 2012 world heritage is indeed a accessed at: privileged recognition of the efforts http://www.un.org/apps/news made for preserving heritage and /story.asp?NewsID=43690&C culture, but it should also be an r=unesco&Cr1=#.UMA_e... occasion for serious reflection on (7.12.2012) also at the actual state of our heritage, http://www.unesco.org/cultur both tangible and intangible, and e/ich/en/RL/00839?lg=en&pg on the need to urgently address a =00173#TOC1 (7.12.2012) rapidly declining scenario. It does  Alvin Mendonca, ‘Heritage not really help to simply deliver Tag fails to bring progress’, regular homilies on the grandeur The Times of India, 1st of our ancient civilisation and to October, 2012. dilate ad nauseam on its epochal

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 Chakrabarti Dilip K.,  Sivaramakrishnan Colonial Indology: Parameshwaran, ‘Ancient Sociopolitics of the Ancient Temple Stitched Back Indian Past, New Delhi: Together’, BBC Tamil Munshiram Manoharlal, Service, 17th January 2011, 1997. accessed at:  Cithara Paul, ‘Historical http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/sc Monuments Find No ience-environment-12127154 Corporate Patrons’, The (stored: 15. 7. 2012). Sunday Standard, 22nd April,  Subhashish Mohanty, 2012. ‘Konarak Temple Cracks,  Jawaharlal Nehru Speeches, ASI Looks the Other Way’, vol.2, New Delhi: The DNA, 8th June, 2009 [stored: Publication Division, 10.5.2010] Ministry of Information and  Subhashish Mohanty, ‘One- Broadcasting, Government of Tonne Stone Falls off India, 1954. Jagannath Temple’, The  Jawaharlal Nehru’s note to Telegraph, 2nd November, the Governor and Premier of 2011. Orissa dated 12th March,  Wasim Rehman, ‘Parallel bid 1949, File No. 7(74)/48-PMS. for Majuli heritage tag’, The  N.S.Ramaswamy, Seven Telegraph, 4 th September Pagodas: the art and history 2012. of Mahabalipuram, Chennai: Uma Books, 1970. Back to Contents

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Politics Of Corruption In Bangladesh

- Neha Mehta

Corruption is rampant in each party forming the Bangladesh in almost every government alternatively, to take sphere of life. However, a series of political advantage, in their high profile corruption scandals, pursuit for power. The continuous such as in the Padma Bridge political bickering over corruption project, the Railway Scandal, the issues in Bangladesh has been a Hall Mark Group scam, Destiny constant over the years, with each Group and last year’s share party in power probing scandals market scam under the current that involved party leaders of the Sheikh Hasina government, that opposition and in turn getting rid involved high ranking ministers of their own cases that were being and officials has brought the pursued by the last government. credibility of the government under the scanner. In a situation Institutionally the Anti- of continuous political strife and Corruption Commission (ACC) with elections fast approaching, a was established in 2004 to have a series of corruption scams of such neutral, independent institution to magnitude has led the general enact preventative and retributive public to question the motives of policies to fight corruption in a the government that came to variety of entities, both power on the platform of taking governmental and non- firm action against corruption. governmental.1 However, in the Adding to this, the dismissive and latest report on Bangladesh defensive stance of the brought out by the International government has only worsened its Crisis Group2, the ACC was position. termed as a “toothless tiger” by the chairman of the ACC, Ghulam In Bangladesh, with politics Rahman, who said that it is now getting intertwined with required to obtain the corruption, the cycle of blame government’s permission before game starts with the tenure of investigating officers, which in

* Neha Mehta - Research Assistant, VIF

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 78 turn increases the chances of the improving relations with India, corrupt suspects putting pressure mainly by addressing its security on their subordinates to not give concerns and making efforts to information or cooperating with find solutions to long standing the ACC. In addition, the old cases issues between the two countries. against senior party leaders have Additionally, the economy has been wiped out by finding loop grown at an impressive rate of holes in the judicial process with around 6 percent4 as well as the help of the National strides made in education, Committee on Withdrawal of healthcare and women upliftment Politically- under Sheikh Motivated Cases Hasina’s leadership that recommended However, inspite of all the has been much the dismissal of positive steps taken by the appreciated. 315 corruption government, there is a rising However, inspite of cases through Feb discontentment and all the positive 2012.3 disillusionment against a steps taken by the government that is considered government, there However, there is the secular face of Bangladeshi is a rising no mistaking the politics and which came to discontentment fact that the power with a thumping and Awami League majority in the elections of disillusionment government has 2008. A series of corruption against a allegations involving had credible government that is government functionaries success on many considered the among others has tainted its fronts like in secular face of image. destroying terrorist Bangladeshi networks politics and which functioning in the country, jailing came to power with a thumping extremists and stopping foreign majority in the elections of 2008. A funding of terrorist organizations series of corruption allegations operating from its soil. From the involving government verge of being declared as a state functionaries among others has sponsor of terrorism during the tainted its image. last BNP led government, it has come a long way. In the domain of Corruption allegations in various foreign policy, it has taken domains especially in the Padma constructive strides, especially in Multipurpose Bridge Project led

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 79 multilateral lending agency like stimulate economic growth by the World Bank cancelling the facilitating inter-regional, cross- pledged $1.2 billion credit for the river transport of passengers and $2.9 billion Padma bridge project freight, and transmission of on June 29 2012, stating that it natural gas, telecommunication found 'credible evidence' of and electricity in a cost effective corruption in the project. This in manner”5, is particularly crucial to turn, gave a huge setback to the the Awami League as it formed image of Bangladesh abroad and part of its election manifesto. embarrassed the Awami League Therefore, fulfilling its promises government. A country that is becomes imperative as it would highly dependent on development definitely have a bearing on the aid from external agencies, it elections due next year. becomes all the more crucial to keep a clean image. Initially, the stance The World Bank is Initially, the stance of the of the Bangladeshi an important credit Bangladeshi government to the government to the provider for corruption allegations in the corruption development Padma Bridge Project was allegations in the projects in defensive and defiant, Padma Bridge Bangladesh and it maintaining that a lack of Project was pulling back due to evidence in the case was the defensive and the issue of reason behind their inaction defiant, corruption, in turn maintaining that a brought the Padma lack of evidence in Bridge project to a standstill, as the case was the reason behind other donors like the Asian their inaction. However, the need Development Bank (ADB), the to get the project started, along Japan International Cooperation with the dire need to get the Agency (JICA) and the Islamic finances, they had to albeit Development Bank (IDB) could reluctantly comply to the not move forward without it. The conditionality that was put forth Padma Bridge Project, which was by the World Bank officials with a conceptualized with the aim to promise to have a credible overhaul the transportation investigation and transparent infrastructure that intended to implementation of Padma bridge connect the South-Western region project. of the country, “in order to

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Further, allegations against the was being addressed. In addition, Railway Minister of the Sheikh the share market scam in which Hasina government, Suranjit about Tk 20,000 crore were Sengupta, over the issue of taking swindled and the Destiny group cash bribes from applicants scam, have all affected the seeking jobs in the state run popularity of the government railway led to his resignation and severely, especially amongst the brought a barrage of criticism people who viewed their coming to against the government. Although power as a welcome change as he denied taking money from the against the corrupt and radical applicants and subsequently even policies of the last BNP led resigned, but was made a minister government. without portfolio after he submitted his resignation, which Transparency International’s caused great disappointment to latest report on “Positive and the public who expected stern Negative Roles of the Members of action against the accused. the 9th Parliament: A Review” that put forth its findings, raked up a In addition, cases of corruption in political storm with strong the financial sector like the illegal reactions from the Awami League. disbursement of a loan of Tk 3,547 The report stated that around 97 crore to the Hallmark Group and percent of the MPs are involved in five other companies between 2010 “negative activities and 70 percent and May 20126 by Sonali Bank, in were involved in criminal which the alleged involvement of activities” 7. Ministers from the the Prime Minister's Health and Awami League, however, Family Welfare advisor, Syed questioned the motive as well as Modasser Ali in the scam, brings the timing of the report saying it is into focus the connection of a high “ill motivated” and considered it as level government functionary in a conspiracy to bring non-elected the scandal. Besides, the off-hand people to power as well as to remark of the Finance Minister damage the image of the elected AMA Muhith on this issue that MPs. The issue was extensively “Tk 4,000 crore loan scandal out of politicized and they even the Tk 40,000 crore loan in the contemplated action against the country’s banking sector is not a international watchdog, which big deal”, showed the casual shows little tolerance for criticism. manner in which such an issue Rather, the Awami League should

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 81 make efforts to improve its image lowest ebb. Bangladesh was at the than to take action against bottom for five years (2001-2005) independent agencies. in the annual corruption perception index (CPI) by the Criticism against Sheikh Hasina Transparency International (TI) has mounted over the months during the tenure of the BNP led domestically as well as government.8 However, in the internationally, especially by following six years it improved various international agencies slightly. From 2006-2011, it that have been critical in their ranked third, seventh, tenth, assessment of her policies. The thirteenth, twelfth and thirteenth scrapping of the respectively.9 provision of a caretaker Criticism against Sheikh The need for a government to Hasina has mounted over the progressive oversee elections by months domestically as well as Bangladesh adopting the internationally, especially by demands secular fifteenth various international agencies credentials and a amendment to the that have been critical in their corruption free constitution, has assessment of her policies. The image. A series of led to a political scrapping of the provision of a scandals of such stalemate over the caretaker government to magnitude and issue. In addition, oversee elections by adopting frequency has gone actions against the the fifteenth amendment to the against the Grameen Bank and constitution, has led to a incumbent other issues have political stalemate over the government, that been viewed issue. came to power as negatively. Adding an alternative to a to it, the cases of corruption government, that was viewed as against the government has being radical, corrupt and extreme deteriorated its standing. in its approach. The opposition parties, especially the BNP, on the However, Bangladesh is not new other hand, are trying to use the to corruption and has rather discontentment of the people to struggled to keep a clean image. their advantage, by projecting The state of governance and themselves as the alternative, corruption during the BNP led proposing radical policies. The government had reached at its need of the hour, however, is stern

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 82 action against the accused and less 2012:URL: politics over the issue to turn around https://www.cia.gov/library/pub the battered image of the Awami lications/the-world- League. The future of Bangladesh factbook/fields/2003.html would suffer due to the mistake of a 5. World Bank (2012) Bangladesh few corrupt people which might Padma Multipurpose Bridge result in bringing a radical Project [Online: web]Accessed 2 government to power, governed by Nov 2012 URL: Islamists that would only take the http://www.worldbank.org/proj country backward and would not ects/P111017/bangladesh- benefit anyone. padma-multipurpose-bridge- project?lang=en Endnotes 6. The Daily Star (2 Sept 2012), “Hallmark MD 'ready to return 1. Berkley Center for Religion, money'”, [Online: web] Peace and World Affairs, “ Accessed 2 Nov 2012: URL: Anti-Corruption Commission http://www.thedailystar.net/ne Bangladesh”, [Online: web] wDesign/latest_news.php?nid= Accessed: 2 Nov 2012: URL: 40480 http://berkleycenter.georgetow 7. The Daily Star (20 Nov 2012), n.edu/resources/organizations/a “Study on MPs: TIB flayed at nti-corruption-commission- Sangsad” , [Online: web] bangladesh Accessed 20 Nov 2012: URL: 2. International Crisis Group (13 http://www.thedailystar.net/ne June 2012) “Bangladesh Back wDesign/news- to the Future: Asia Report No. details.php?nid=258186 226” [Online: web] Accessed: 2 8. The Daily Star (2 Dec 2011), Nov 2012: URL: “TI's Graft Index Bangladesh http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/m betters a bit”, [Online: web] edia/Files/asia/south- Accessed 12 Nov 2012: URL: asia/bangladesh/226- http://www.thedailystar.net/ne bangladesh-back-to-the- wDesign/news- future.pdf details.php?nid=212570 3. Ibid 9. Ibid 4. Central Intelligence Agency, “World Fact Book” [Online: Back to Contents web] Accessed: 14 Nov

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Interaction With CIISS On Political Change Over In China

five-member delegation surrounding the bilateral ties, from the CIISS (China articulated briefly in the opening A Institute for International remarks by Mr. Ajit Doval, KC Strategic Studies), a think tank Director VIF. He opined that with strong military background, improved economic engagement visited the Foundation on between China and India, December 19, 2012 for an expectedly touching USD 100 exchange of views with a select billion mark by 2015, would be a panel of VIF major catalyst in scholars and improving the experts focusing overall specifically on the relationship – political change people to people over in China, but contacts and also going over creation of more the entire gamut employment of bilateral issues. opportunities, but The visiting more delegation was significantly, it led by Maj Gen would lead to a Huang Baifu marked (Retd), Vice improvement in Chairman CIISS and comprised political and security relationship. four other scholars - Mr Zhu China and India have evolved a Guorong, Senior Research Fellow, greater understanding in recent Maj Gen Miao Pengsheng (Retd), years on a number of international Senior Advisor, Mr Yu Hanmin, issues – the latest example being Senior Research Fellow, and Mr Syria where both countries have, Zhu Jie. The delegation was also by and large, a similar approach accompanied by the Deputy favouring non-intervention. He Defence Attaché of China in India. also expressed his views that together China and India can The interaction encapsulated the contribute significantly to global broad strategic environment

VIVEK : Issues and Options January – 2013 Issue: II No: I 84 peace and security, a view shared scholars also underscored China’s by Maj Gen Huang Baifu who also core national interests underlying said that China and India, two its foreign policies in the region emerging economies in Asia, can and beyond. help each other in meeting common challenges for peace and The interaction also witnessed prosperity of both the countries. several contentious issues between the two countries being thrown up With the once-a-decade leadership for discussion. The vexed border change in China now generating issue between China and India, lots of curiosity in India as South China disputes, the US’ re- elsewhere, the audiences were balancing strategy in Asia, Af-Pak treated to a lively Chinese situation etc. were among the perspective on the future several issues which figured trajectory of China through 2020. prominently during the discussion. China has a vision to double its While speakers on the VIF panel GDP and the people’s income by underscored the need for early 2020 while continuing with its delineation of the land boundary, policy of ‘peaceful development’. the CIISS delegation held that The challenge however lies in frequent border stand-offs between striking the right balance between the two countries were more of the socialist and the scientific media creations in India. The development. It also envisions Chinese urged the Indians to have more democratic rights for the patience in resolving the border people, allowing them a greater dispute. Allaying Chinese concerns say in decision making. The new vis-à-vis the US’ re-balancing leader knows what the people strategy in Asia, Mr. Doval think and what their aspirations stressed that India’s thrust on are: better living conditions for the ‘Look East Policy’ predates the re- average Chinese, better health, balancing strategy and is driven education and housing facilities more by economic imperatives etc. The leader is pragmatic and than strategic imperatives. people have faith in him. Corruption is a major issue in The Indian contingent of scholars China and the leaders need to lead and speakers comprised a much by example. The visiting scholars broader spectrum and included, through their presentations and among others, Mr. VK Kapoor, subsequent interactions with VIF former Lieutenant Governor,

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Delhi, Ambassador P P Shukla Dhruv C Katoch, Director Centre Joint Director VIF, Ambassador T. for Land and Warfare Studies, a C. A. Rangachari, General (retd) Delhi-based think tank. VN Sharma and General (retd) NC Vij, both former Chiefs of the Report prepared by Sanjay Kumar Indian Army, Lieutenant General (retd) Ravi Sawhney, former Back to Contents DGMI, and Major General (retd)

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