The recent trip by the Canadian Prime Minister was covered with snobbery by the Indian media - social or otherwise. Many SUBZANTAWALLAs (Mr. Know Alls) of Foreign policy jumped into immature and premature conclusions - sounding gleefully patriotic about how we ignored and deliberately snobbed the Canadian Premier.
In the complex world of global relationships, the realpolitik is not played on knee jerk emotions, but by shewd pragmatism. Circled by bellicose China and Pakistan, India needs Canada - a G8 Nation more than vice versa. There is nothing to be gained by Pissing off a Canadian leaders, rather it might hurt India on the long term.
Canada is an advanced, first world nation. India has a long relationship with it - both historic and from Indian diaspora prospective. It is immaterial if their PM is ultra Left liberal. If Canadian voters elect liberal politicians, it is their wish and need align to our political points of view. Domestic political orientation in Canada shouldn't be our headache, nor a Right wing government leading India should be there.
Foreign policy should be based on pragmatism and preservation cum extention of one's national interest. Matured nations religiously follow a self interest oriented external affairs matters - even if they need to bake bread with tin pot dictators if it suits them. Prominent are US, Russia and China who have no qualms about courting rogue nations putting their national interest on top. Russia, our so called all weather friend is slowly extending a friendly hand to our better noire Pakistan and allying up with China caring a hoot about our sentiment.
What reeks of hypocrisy is we often go overboard when an American President visits India, giving a rockstar welcome, sewing his red carpet months ahead of his trip. But Uncle Sam continues to mollycoddle Pakistan. Our entire media went ga ga over Obama's visit, but the later gave long lecture to India about Human rights before leaving for Saudi Arabia on his next stop - a nation not known to be great in that area.
Yet if and when Trump visits India, given his penchant for being extrovert and flamboyant, I bet our media will go ga ga over him. Sensible foreign policy should never be made under media glare. Let the Canadian Prime Minister be given his due respect, does not matter if he commands it or not - what matters is India's relationship with Canada. India has nothing to gain being snobbish towards him.
In the complex world of global relationships, the realpolitik is not played on knee jerk emotions, but by shewd pragmatism. Circled by bellicose China and Pakistan, India needs Canada - a G8 Nation more than vice versa. There is nothing to be gained by Pissing off a Canadian leaders, rather it might hurt India on the long term.
Canada is an advanced, first world nation. India has a long relationship with it - both historic and from Indian diaspora prospective. It is immaterial if their PM is ultra Left liberal. If Canadian voters elect liberal politicians, it is their wish and need align to our political points of view. Domestic political orientation in Canada shouldn't be our headache, nor a Right wing government leading India should be there.
Foreign policy should be based on pragmatism and preservation cum extention of one's national interest. Matured nations religiously follow a self interest oriented external affairs matters - even if they need to bake bread with tin pot dictators if it suits them. Prominent are US, Russia and China who have no qualms about courting rogue nations putting their national interest on top. Russia, our so called all weather friend is slowly extending a friendly hand to our better noire Pakistan and allying up with China caring a hoot about our sentiment.
What reeks of hypocrisy is we often go overboard when an American President visits India, giving a rockstar welcome, sewing his red carpet months ahead of his trip. But Uncle Sam continues to mollycoddle Pakistan. Our entire media went ga ga over Obama's visit, but the later gave long lecture to India about Human rights before leaving for Saudi Arabia on his next stop - a nation not known to be great in that area.
Yet if and when Trump visits India, given his penchant for being extrovert and flamboyant, I bet our media will go ga ga over him. Sensible foreign policy should never be made under media glare. Let the Canadian Prime Minister be given his due respect, does not matter if he commands it or not - what matters is India's relationship with Canada. India has nothing to gain being snobbish towards him.
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