Foreign visits are mandatory for any head of the state. It cannot be simply escalated or avoided. However, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s abroad visits have different stories. His foreign visits are showing a desperate attempt to land in a country in the name of a ‘state visit’. From what we read on his foreign visits – it is clearly understood that the sole objective is that ‘he has decided to go around the world in five years’. Moreover it has been noticed that many a time during his international visits our prime minister is talking more on domestic issues and criticism of his opponents rather than working for India’s interest.
In the first three (2014-17) years in his office Modi has visited 49 countries in comparison with Dr. Manmohan Singh (2004-7) 27 countries. This indicates that Modi is a frequent flyer. Since May 2014, Modi has made 40 foreign trips. He uses the IAF BBJ Aircraft for visiting our neighborhood. So that the total expenses spent for Modi’s last four years abroad visits are always hidden and are not disclosed.
Ramesh Abhishek the Secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) claims that Modi’s abroad visits yield more investments to India. However, he did not also mention the large scale withdrawal of funds from India by the foreign investors due to BJP’s government unwise economic policies. Moreover, it is difficult to point out the link between flows of investment from abroad to India with regard to Modi’s abroad visits. On a rational note if one was to think that the flow of investment is more connected with by keeping the domestic atmosphere pleasant and with investor’s friendly practices. Then common understanding would be that the ruling elite have failed on both fronts.
At First, Modi has been speaking on foreign soil in a very calm and composed manner avoiding topics on the atrocities against minorities, women and dalits. Second, the foreigners are also completely disappointed with Modi’s foolish policies of demonetization and the way the GST was implemented.
The government claims that the flow of investment to India during the period 2017-18 from abroad is on a rising streak. Neither is it a surprise nor a big achievement. The reality would be the BJP government fails in many fronts in handling the economy. If we apply our commonsense we can realize that the flow of funds toward India concentrating mainly on our huge market. Since 1991 the new industrial policy announced by the then P.V. Narishima Rao government the flows of investment have been in a rising mode. When the Congress Party government liberalizes the Indian economy the BJP and their allies stand against our views.
Though the flow of investment to India in a raising mode due to the size of our big domestic market – the real question would be – who all have specifically gained from Modi’s abroad visits would be a better topic to debate on. What the supporters of the BJP tycoons benefited and what India has gained?
Who are the gainers and losers? Let us discuss the never-ending foreign tour programme of our Prime Minister Modi.
While his administration devastated the Indian economy by imposing the ill advised demonetization that killed more than 100 innocent lives and wrongly implemented the GST – will he will dare to talk in front of the foreign investors when visiting foreign countries. While the foreign media asks about the failed demonetization and GST to Modi, he never answers directly to any specific questions. Instead he will blame the opposition parties for his failures.
Let us see the statistical record of the government on FDI. According to the government recent announcement (June, 2018) on FDI in India, the inflow of investment rises to $61.96 billion in 2017-18.However, the CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury says, “FDI has decreased despite Modi’s foreign tours”. In what way Modi’s visits were helping India to draw foreign investments would be a big question. Many foreign journalists praised Modi in the initial years of Modi taking his office now refused to write about him. The reason is – Modi’s failure to by his words. While in abroad he has been attacking his opponents but not presented anything worthy for the inventors to comply. He is simply a loud speaker; nothing can be expected seriously from him. In the last four years of his foreign visits he demonstrated that he is a better orator who can talk more on domestic politics on the international soil but not about developmental issues.
Moreover, all of his visits purposefully avoided the External Affairs Minister Susma Swaraj but accompanied by the selected business tycoons who had supported the BJP during the 2014 general elections. I can clearly highlight it here inthe order without any hesitation who all gaining by Modi’s foreign trips. And also I am expecting a counter argument from our BJP friends. This has been going around in the social media without any hindrances but the BJP leaders have no substantial answers to counter. Why other emerging business leaders from our country are not chosen to accompany the prime minister? This may not look like a serious question to many but its hidden agenda is worthy for the public of this country to understand.
During the year 2015 while Modi visits Moscow “Reliance signs pact with Russia arms firm worth of $6 billion” (in.reuters.com). Further, in the year 2016 Modi’s visit to France made the “Reliance Group ties up with Dassault Aviation” (firstpost.com). “Everywhere that Modi goes, it seems, Gautam Adani sure to go” (Hindustan Times). Now the Adani’s company gets the coal mine project in Australia. Further, the same company got more projects in Bangladesh. Modi’s Israel visit also helped his old friend Adani. After Modi landed in Israel the Adani firm got a contract of jointly producing aerial vehicles with the Elbit Group. All his close friends can be visible and standing close with the ‘foreign state heads’ while visiting India or they will be specially accompanied with Modi on his foreign tours. Someone asks in the social media that “Modi a Prime Minister of India or business development manager for his long time friends.”
Conclusion
Domestic stability is the key to attract the foreign investors than unwanted foreign trips. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley can appreciate Modi’s abroad visits. This is simply to save his position as a minister. Jaitley should not forget that the people of this country are suffering to save Modi’s old friends in consuming the artificially increased price of goods and services. This is well exposed the way the oil price was handled by this government in the last four years. While the global crude oil price was in low its fruits were not distributed to the people of this country who have trusted Modi. Now it is well exposed without any doubt that Modi is working for few selected corporate who are helping him to stay in the prime minister chair. I am not getting any clue by comparing Modi’s foreign visits and benefits rendered to the poor of this country. Instead we should link how his foreign trips are utilized for the betterment of the corporate. Moreover, it would be better to say that not the poor men house of this country in better shape but the BJP’s Central Office in New Delhi.
From the above discussions let me sum up that the uninterrupted foreign visits should not be aagenda to a prime minister of a country like India. Have any of his foreign visits brought anything for the poor of this country? As an alternative the Modi government should have focused more on the economy. The former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said “That requires collective economic wisdom, bold, structural reforms, radical policy changes and determined implementation that will lead to sustained and high (8-10%) economic growth over a period of 20 years” (The Indian Express). This would have helping the poor and needy of this country. If Modi doesn’t have the faith on his finance minister he should replace him with a suitable person who can deliver the best.
Whatever may be the investment flowing to India, Modi’s abroad visits bite the exchequer in a upswing mode. One thing is strongly indicating us from Modi’s abroad visits that he is in a desperate mood to visit foreign countries. Someone in the social media admired Modi that he would cover the remaining countries in the list of the UN in the year 2018-19.
India is a country aspiring to become a major power. China is a established major power aspiring to be a super power in 2043. The president of the all powerful China did not landed India more than one time in the last four years. Why does India’s prime minister continuous his fourth visit to China? Why the Prime Minister of India is often seen in abroad instead of meeting the challenges domestically. It is not ill advised that Modi criticizing the opponents from the foreign land. If he did not know diplomacy he should learn from the previous prime ministers. But he won’t lend his ears. He will soon learn that dancing like a dummy horse with empty hands in the foreign soil will not keep India’s interest alive in the international system or bring anything for the people of India.
