Prime Minister Narendra Modi's detractors should now be convinced that he doesn't travel abroad for the heck of it or - an even more serious allegation - to avoid facing troubles at home.
Each of Modi's foreign trips is a calculated move: each of them has an agenda and usually, he is able to tick off all the items on the list. The start of any such trip by Modi focuses on building a rapport with his counterpart and then following it up with the systematic conclusion of several agreements. All of this needs careful preparation and work by several ministries and departments of the government. At the root of each trip is the furtherance of national interest and the closure of some long-drawn-out unfinished exercises. This could be a strategic purchase, as in the case of France, or inclusion in an exclusive club, like the nuclear material suppliers group or lobbying for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.
The development of Chabahar port has important potential gains for India - an important one among them being balancing out efforts by China for hegemony in the region - by way of trade facilitation with Iran and Afghanistan and all of Central Asia.
From the day Modi was sworn in two years ago, he has made foreign policy one of his priorities. No nation can afford to be an insulated island. Events in any part of the world usually affect other countries. He has assiduously followed a plan and travelled to several countries, at the cost of personal discomfort and lack of sleep. Rather than criticising and finding ulterior motives behind his every move, we should look at the brighter side.
Krishan Kalra, Gurgaon
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