Shreeram Chaulia’s new book is an elaborate evaluation of PM Modi’s Foreign Policy

By Surveshwar Sarvesh

 

Eminent foreign affairs expert and Dean of Jindal School International Affairs, Dr. Sreeram Chaulia launched his new book titled ‘Modi Doctrine: The Foreign Policy of India’s Prime Minister,’ on 22nd November’16 at the India International Centre, New Delhi. The occasion saw the presence of Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India along with other leading dignitaries and foreign affairs experts.

The book ‘Modi Doctrine’ presents a comprehensive portrayal of Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policies by delving deep into the mind and the method behind Narendra Modi’s avatar as India’s diplomat-in-chief. Since taking charge as country’s PM in 2014, Modi has been a tour de force in foreign policymaking. Unquestionably, it has been under his dynamic leadership and guidance that India is today on the threshold of achieving greater power ranking in the international order.

 

The book ‘Modi Doctrine’ addresses myriad of questions such as ‘Why is he investing so much time, efforts and energy towards promoting India’s international relations and global image? ‘What are his vision and goals for India’s role in the world?’; ‘What kind of distinctive techniques epitomize his approach to foreign policy?’; ‘How is he changing India’s self-understanding and preparing it for world affairs? et al.’

 

Addressing the audience at the book launch event via the video link, Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Railways lauded the efforts of Professor Chaulia in writing an intense                                  manuscript on the country’s premier. He said that the book clearly showed how PM Modi had emerged as an outstanding world leader. In his brief speech, the Minister said, “Dr. Chaulia has done a commendable job by bringing out the finer nuances of the Modi government’s diplomacy to the reading public. The book is a valuable contribution to understanding and interpreting the proactive approach of PM Modi in foreign affairs.”

 

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest, Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office expressed optimism that the book would have a long shelf life and would be a “publisher's delight.”       “The book would serve as a vital reference book for intelligentsia as well as foreign affair experts. PM Modi’s vision and courage to implement tough choices in domestic and foreign policies will bring long-term gains to India for generations to come”, said Dr Jitender Singh.  

 

Professor (Dr) C Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, O. P. Jindal Global University opined, “Professor Chaulia has made a mark for himself as an outstanding scholar in international relations. His book “provides an interesting insight on the bold initiatives and transformative policies of Prime Minister Modi who has irrefutably paved the way for a new era in the country’s foreign policy and subsequently brought about a paradigm shift in India’s external affairs. These initiatives not only capture Prime Minister’s commitment to protect strategic interests but are also aimed towards creating greater prosperity and development on the home front.”

 

Chatting with the guests, Professor (Dr.) Sreeram Chaulia, said, “We were under-performers and under-delivering in world affairs until 2014. Things changed for the good with Narendra Modi taking charge at the helm as PM in 2014. The casual attitude coupled with the overall lackadaisical approach to international relations have drastically transformed in the last two-and-a-half years largely by dint of PM Modi’s personal drive. Modi has always been a staunch believer in India playing a pivotal role and eventually becoming a global leader. This is a political book, and it describes how political will at the top can change the way India deals with the world. Modi’s approach is not textbook diplomacy. His successful traits have been impacted from long stints in public life since his RSS days. There is a method in his diplomatic outreach, and the book is an attempt to strive and view deeper insights into the global policymaking of our PM.”

 

Rajiv Beri, Managing Director, Bloomsbury India, publisher of the book pointed, “We consider this book amongst our major publications this year. The book talks about a lot of positives about Mr. Modi, that have actually happened and need to be told.”

 

Sreeram Chaulia (Author of “Modi Doctrine: The Foreign Policy of India's Prime Minister) is Professor and Dean at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, in Sonipat, India. He is an eclectic political scientist expertising in both international security and international political economy.