Prime Minister Modi and his foreign visits

Narendra Modi’s rivals have started attacking him for undertaking frequent foreign travel. Incidentally, Rajiv Gandhi was also criticized for his foreign travels. But Rajiv Gandhi achieved more by his foreign visits than he did in India. The Prime Minister is not a Chief Minister or a Zilla Parishad chairman. The main job of the Central government is safety, security and economic stability. These can be assured only through great diplomacy. Charles Talleyrand the French diplomat did more for France than Napoleon. Machiavelli did more for Italy than its Dukes.

Pullarao Pentapati - The new Government and Foreign Affairs

When the new BJP –led government took over, there were instant apprehensions that it would adopt a muscular tone and would be very assertive. Initially, it was also expected that the government would send some cold signals to various countries. All trough the campaign, the BJO touched the feelings of most Indians that our foreign policy as not successful and the old methods and policies might have to change.  Indians generally felt that a country the size of India was not getting due respect from neighbors.