SELF ESSAYS/20-DEC-2014.

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In an increasingly globalized world, isolating domestic priorities from

international standing, is difficult.
While the geographical distances prevail, the perception of distance is fast shrinking for an
individual. If one goes by his/hers grandparents tales, a journey to a relatives village took
days at stretch, which now can be covered in hours if not minutes. In the age of jet planes,
the travel time are fast shrinking, tough the distances prevail. This has brought in new ideas
like global citizen, common global market along with increased awareness to global warming
and degrading climate. India has since time immemorial, vouched for global harmony and
prosperity, as implied form the famous Sanskrit proverb Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Present
India has been late to reap the benefits of the increasingly globalized world and only after the
LPG (Liberalization Privatization Globalization) reforms were instituted that India started
reaping benefits. These benefits have not been easy and there has been constant global
pressure for India to further opening up its markets, a move that to Indian government,
seems precarious, especially in agricultural sector. This global pressure is analyzed in next
section.
How isolating domestic priorities from international standing, is difficult and what are factors
influencing such compromises are dealt with in subsequent sections.
The final part of this essay explores possible diplomatic strategies, which could be
implemented to balance the tradeoff between domestic priorities and international stance.
It has been mere months, when India was severely criticized for her stand of blocking TFA,
subject to, making the peace clause perpetual. Many nations were considering to have a TFA
without India, a step that was could have been disastrous for India, had it been materialized.
The impasse was broken recently, when Indian and American heads of government agreed
upon making the peace clause perpetual, till a permanent solution to the food subsidy
problem was obtained. This episode show the venerability of diplomatic stances. India could
not have had any other stand on this topic and compromising of poor farmers needs for trade
gains, doesnt have any arguments to support for. The developed world wants and developing
world needs were at sharp contrast and India was unofficially representing the developing
world at large. A same situation arose in 18th SAARC summit held at Kathmandu, Nepal.
Pakistan was unable to isolate its domestic priorities from its diplomatic stand and hence
many key developmental agreements were not ratified. Now there is an opinion among
different sections to have these agreements without Pakistan. In our increasingly shrinking
world, the cry for common market and rock bottom customs is gaining chorus, and domestic
priorities if not judiciously linked with diplomatic stance can result in seclusion and isolation.
The present Ukraine conflict serves an example for the topic of this essay. Russian allergy for
expansion of NATO and EU to former soviet states is well known. Russia in light of this and
being increasingly delusional about restoring its position as the world superpower, has
strengthened its foreign policy to the bitter irony of western states on the question of Ukraine.
Hence, Russia is facing multiple sanctions and the recent Rouble woes are an attribute to

SELF ESSAYS/20-DEC-2014.pdf

these sanctions. Russian has failed of isolating domestic priorities from international
standing. The Indian- Russian trade agreements, at a time when Russia faces numerous
western sanctions, have irked American counterparts. India aiming at better trade had signed
agreements on various fronts. This move was condemned by Ukrainian President. India could
not have isolated domestic priority of making Mumbai, Diamond Hub by signing key deals
with Alsora.
Recent UNFCCC meet at Lima, Peru also witnessed developing nations pressing for domestic
priorities at the expense of larger global priorities. The cry of developing countries for CBDT
(common but differentiated responsibilities) is very true in nature and their development cant
be put on stake for developed countries comforts. The conference in initial stages was doomed
to fail owing to differences on CBDT and INDC (Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions). Here too, India could not have allowed reviewing of INDCs upwards after they
are made public. India and China, argued that such a review without allocation of funds and
technology would transfer the burden of action unfairly to shoulders of poorer countries after
2020.
India shares her boundary with not so friendly Pakistan. This has been a major security
threat to India. Given the past Indo-Pak wars and Pakistan state-backed terrorist threats to
Indians, Indian nuclear test in 1974 was nowhere at fault. But, the test sparked an
international debate and NSG was formed in retaliation by western nations and various
sanctions were imposed on India. There was pressure from worldwide for India to sign CTBT
(Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) and NPT (Non Proliferation Treaty). Indias refusal to these
are still bones of contention in India-South Africa and India-Japan relations.
As vividly illustrated in preceding examples, Domestic priorities are becoming exceedingly
difficult to isolate from a nations international stance. The tradeoff is very controversial and
in democratic countries, governments being responsible to public cannot afford to lose public
support by taking anti-people but sometimes pro-nation stand. The tradeoff hence is
determined by the will of the ruling party and publics trust on it. India has been very cautious
in her diplomatic relations since independence. Australian Prime Ministers terming India as
a model international Citizen, vindicates the fact that India has been till date successful in
this tradeoff.
Our present world is rapidly growing and in this scenario no one nation can remain in
autarky. Cross country trade is essential for an overall inclusive growth of the global public
at large. While domestic priorities are important, governments should understand the
repercussions of any arrogant diplomatic stance. Governments should not unilaterally or
bilaterally impose sanctions on third nation outside the ambit of UN, which is Indias stand
on wests sanctions on Russia, and is very reasonable. Finally, it can be argued that
developed nations give equal weightage to less developed and small countries at multilateral
forums, and also be receptive to their valid concerns.

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