India Today Global Roundtable in the capital on Friday witnessed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s media advisor Sanjaya Baru agreeing with BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on the import of UP President Barack Obama’s visit to India as the chief guest of Republic Day function.
Both agreed that the visit was more than optics and more substantial that will upgrade India-US relations to new level.
“It is a very defining visit. India and USA have been friends for a long time. It was during earlier NDA government when (Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee called them natural allies. This visit (of President Obama) will prove that this is a befitting description,” Ram Madhav said participating in the India Today Global Roundtable in the capital on Friday.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Baru as well. “I do not think that this visit is for optics. This is going to be a substantial visit since 1999. The build up (of the relationship) started in 1999 and this (current visit) is the flowering of the relationship,” Baru said endorsing Madhav’s point at the India Today Global Roundtable.
Robinder Sachdeva, co-founder and director, India Affairs, United States India Political Action Committee, in this context, suggested that the visit was “opto-politics” in terms of the potential it holds for both the countries.
While Ram Madhav suggested that climate change issues is probably one “contentious issue” over which the visit may help both sided develop common understanding, the issue of importance of the visit for government’s Make in India campaign dominated this discussion on the session titled ‘The Rise of the NRI: Becoming Part of the American Dream’ at India Today Global Roundtable.
In this backdrop, Madhav defended BJP-led government’s spree of ordinances as a signal of intent from the government to convince the global investors of new government’s conviction towards reforms.
“The government has demonstrated its sincerity towards bringing reforms…what an investor looks at is the direction of thinking of government before taking risks,” Madhav said allaying suggestions that Ordinance route will not convince US investors to invest in India for ‘Make in India’ campaign. He suggested that ordinances were statement of intent and the legislations will follow as envisaged by the procedures.
Baru, in this context, played down the irritant of the alleged restrictive US visa norms for Indian professionals saying that “for the success Make in India, the Indian talent should feel comfortable to be in India and not look for visa to US” adding that he would want Indian talent remain in India.
The BJP general secretary, who is also RSS pracharak, played down ‘Swadeshi’ noises saying that “there can be differing voices, not necessarily opposing voices. No one says that manufacturing should not grow in India. Everyone is for strengthening our manufacturing base”. Madhav’s remarks hold significance as it suggested allaying import of saffron parivar elements noises against foreign manufacturers trying to leverage Make in India campaign.
In the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public address to NRIs in US during his visit to New York last year, Sachdeva said that the initiative has encouraged NRIs. “When diaspora tries to reach out, they look for support for encouragement. With this (Modi) government, there is a huge boost,” Sachdeva, co-founder and director, India Affairs, United States India Political Action Committee, said.
“Earlier, resident non-Indians (RNI), jocularly speaking, were chasing America’s dreams. NRIs (non-resident Indians) today is chasing Indian dream. I give credit to Prime Minister Modi for showing direction to them,” Madhav said underlining the import of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallies of NRI abroad (in New York and Sydney over last 7 months period).
Source: Newshunt
