The Hindu : International : India turns focus on China in ‘Look East’ policy

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Saturday, Sep 15, 2007
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International

India turns focus on China in ‘Look East’ policy

P. S. Suryanarayana

Enough space for India, China to grow together, says Pranab Mukherjee
“India is not an exporter of arms”

BANGKOK: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday accorded China pride of place in India’s “Look East” world view. And, on a different plane, he expressed a sense of “worry” about the possibility of the current controversies over Iran’s nuclear programme resulting in the emergence of “another flashpoint in our extended neighbourhood.”

Addressing the Bangkok-based Institute for Security and International Studies, Mr. Mukherjee said: “China remains an important priority of our foreign policy and a key component of our ‘Look East’ policy.”

Hailing the rapidly growing bilateral trade and noting how “mutual trust and understanding” were being enhanced, he said “we believe that there is enough space and opportunity, in the region and beyond, for both India and China to grow together.”

In New Delhi’s perspective, “the India-China partnership is an important determinant for regional peace and development and for Asia’s emergence as the political and economic centre of the new international order.”

‘Inevitable’

Noting that “some degree of healthy competition” between India and China “is inevitable” in trade and commerce, he said New Delhi was also “fully conscious of our outstanding differences with China, including on the boundary question.”

The “basic paradigm” of New Delhi’s approach “is to seek an all-round development of ties, without allowing these differences to define the agenda of the relationship.” India remained committed at the same time to addressing the differences “proactively, through peaceful dialogue on an equal footing.”

Answering questions about the possibility of action against Iran by the United States, Mr. Mukherjee said: “Iran has every right to pursue its nuclear programme for peaceful purposes and, at the same time, as a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty, it has its own international obligations. The talks which are going on between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran should be allowed to take its logical conclusion, and the issues ought to be resolved through dialogue. Surely, we are worried if there be another flash point in our extended neighbourhood where practically five million Indians live [and] which is one of the important suppliers of crude. We can advise, we can suggest, and I do hope good sense will prevail [and] there will be no precipitation of the crisis in Iran. In respect of Iraq, we voiced our protest against armed intervention.”

On India’s alleged refusal to address the democracy issue in Myanmar, Mr. Mukherjee said a cardinal principle of India’s foreign policy was non-interference in sovereign states.

Asked about New Delhi’s supply of military aid to the junta in Myanmar, he said: “India is not an exporter of arms. But if we have some sort of cooperation in the areas of security and defence, we exchange information.”

On India’s alleged failure to condemn Myanmar junta’s suppression of pro-democracy protest, he said: “Violation of human rights is not acceptable in any country in any age. But, in respect of the future patterns, structure of a government, [that] is essentially the job of the people of that country to decide.”

In a veiled reference to the current turmoil in Pakistan, he said: “In many of our neighbouring countries, we are having different approaches amongst different sections of their people about the pattern of government they would like to have.”

Mr. Mukherjee said India’s “Look East” policy complemented Thailand’s “Look West” policy. The session was chaired by Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the institute.

Mr. Mukherjee later declared open an exhibition of contemporary Indian modern art.

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