India should recast its foreign policy, adopt a 'give and take' principle : Swamy

Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Saturday said that the Centre needs to recast its foreign policy, and adopt a give and take principle to maximise benefits for itself.

"Time has come for the Indian foreign policy to be recast more on a 'give and take' principle rather than speaking about the merits of India and why it should be given special status by other countries. This kind of diplomacy has now become old and it is old UPA style where you go petitioning the Americans. If you want something, then give Americans something which they want, and then, negotiate. Tomorrow if India is going to say that USA, India and Israel will cooperate to fight ISIS in Syria or other places, then Americans will be far more receptive to making an accommodation with India," he said.

Swamy added that America is going to decide on its national interest, specially Republicans led by Donald Trump.

"We cannot blanket to tell Donald Trump that please don't do this. You have to tell President Trump that we are strategic partners and we are ready to do the following things for you and you do the following things for us. It has to be 'give and take with America and it should not be on merit or be given special consideration," he added.

During his presidential bid, Trump said the H1B visa programme, mostly used to hire technology workers, was a "cheap labour programme" that takes jobs away from Americans.

A bill was introduced in the US Congress last month to more than double the minimum salary of H1B visa holders, which could significantly boost costs for IT companies, whose margins are already being squeezed.