From the Editor-in-Chief
Welcome to the January 2011 edition of Diplomatist. The edition carries some of the most recent topics in current diplomacy. The relevance of public diplomacy, debates around India-China relations including the visit of China’s Premier to India are there in detail. We have tried to look beyond the cliché-laden analyses and have attempted to examine India-China ties in detail including many areas of discord.   Read the Note.  
  

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY DEFINED: DR. SHASHI THAROOR
It is the responsibility of any Government to seek to gain the support of people around the world, by reaching out to the public at large through the media, non-governmental organisations, and other institutions of civil society as well as, where feasible, directly to the public. While the Wikileaks scandal has demonstrated anew the importance of private diplomacy – the transmission of confidential communications between governments — public diplomacy consists of what Governments want the public to know and are prepared to say publicly. Read the Article.  
     

BRIDGING INFORMATION DIVIDE
The conference on Public Diplomacy in the Information Age was held in New Delhi on 10 December 2010 highlighting the role and relevance of public diplomacy amidst the changing scenario in communication and media world. The summit was jointly organised by Public Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs and India’s leading communication school CMS Academy. It was attended by policy makers, diplomats, academics, researchers, students, media professionals and civil society experts. It highlighted both challenges and opportunities emanating from the changing communication space where implosion of new media tools is changing the way diplomacy is practiced.   `Subscribe to Read.  
  

WIKILEALKS: MESSAGE FOR INDIA, PAKISTAN AND THE US
The obvious question for India, which springs up again on the disclosures of Wikileaks II – whether there will be any major change in US President Barack Obama’s Pak or Af-Pak policy – perhaps becomes redundant, as there is probably nothing in Wikileaks I or II about Pakistan that is not known to those in the American establishment who are dealing with these affairs. As far as India is concerned, while Wikileaks II, like its maiden version, has no surprises; they only accentuate its apprehensions about Pakistan. And particularly so in view of Kayani, not supporting Zardari’s plan to adopt a ‘no-first-use’ nuclear weapon policy, as revealed vide a secret US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.   Subscribe to Read.  
  

INDIA-RUSSIA RELATIONS AFTER PRESIDENTIAL VISIT  
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s two day visit to India from 21 December was significant for its outcome that led to a new warmth and understanding in the Indo-Russian bilateral relations. During the visit India and Russia inked 29 bilateral agreements, which include building advanced stealth jet fighters to increasing banking linkages and setting up a steel plant. The agreements—both government to government and business to business, covered a diverse range of fields including Defence, Disaster management, Oil and Gas, Science and Technology, Nuclear energy, Information Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Trade and Banking.   Subscribe to Read. 
   

GUJARAT’S PHARMA INDUSTRY: GLOBAL AMBITIONS    
In the rise of India’s pharma sector Gujarat has played a pivotal role. It helped in putting India at the global map as an affordable source of pharmaceuticals. In 2008, Gujarat state pharma industry celebrated 100 years in pharma activities. Today Gujarat has a large domestic market and more than 40 plants approved by USFDA and other developed countries. The history of Gujarat’s pharma industry begins in 1907 when Alembic Chemical Works Co Ltd was formed by taking over distilleries in Baroda (Vadodara) for manufacturing alcohol and tinctures for pharmaceutical products.   Subscribe to Read.  
 

GUJARAT’S ENGINEERING SECTOR: BACKBONE OF GROWTH
Gujarat has acquired a stronger cachet in India’s economic rise primarily due to well-planned and pragmatic investments in the states’ infrastructure. Every aspect of infrastructural development, whether roads, ports, gas pipelines or electricity generation, has benefitted from the governments’ single-minded focus and determination. Today, the state is proud to have developed an efficient network of 42 ports along its 1600 km coastline, which facilitates the cost-effective transportation of oil and natural gas from Middle East and Europe.  Subscribe to Read.      
     

Bilateral Notes 
PM’s Visit to Belgium and Germany Fruitful
India-China to Double Bilateral Trade by 2015
France to Double Bilateral Trade with India
India and Canada aim Bilateral Trade of CAD 15 billion
Russia lauds U.S. passage of Nuclear Arms Treaty
Sudan Gears Up for Referendum
Zimbabwe Polls may get Delayed
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PUSHKAR FAIR: A MUST-SEE EVENT FOR ALL  
Our first afternoon was spent by visiting the town of Pushkar. Lying on the shore of Pushkar Lake, the town is one of the oldest of India. The date of its actual origin is not known, but legend associates Lord Brahma with its creation. Hindus believe that Lord Brahma performed penance here for 60,000 years in order to have a glimpse of Lord Vishnu. The Brahma Temple situated on the shore of the Lake was built during the 14th century AD. We took a camel taxi – a camel drawn wagon – to the outskirts of town, about a kilometre from the campgrounds. These contraptions aren’t allowed to navigate the narrow lanes due to paucity of space due to the encroachment of vendor booths that were set up during the fair.   Subscribe to Read.
  

CHINA WANTS MORE TRUST: INDIA LESS DEFICIT
As a curtain raiser to the visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to India, industry chamber FICCI organised a round table in New Delhi “India-China Opportunities and Challenges in the Emerging Global Order” on 13 December where top diplomats and business leaders from both sides tried to present new perspectives that can build bridges of greater trust, economic cooperation and people to people to contacts. Subscribe to Read.  
   

CHINA-INDIA: MUTUAL TRUST AND FORWARD-LOOKING PERSPECTIVES VITAL
First, China and India should take a forward-looking perspective in their relations. We are of the view that China- India relation has acquired global and strategic dimension. As two fast growing economies, the interests of two countries are positioned in the future. The evolution of China and India relations has direct bearings not only on two countries, but on the region and the world as well. Two countries are facing the similar historical task of developing our countries and improving the livelihood of our people at home, at the same time making contribution to the world peace and prosperity.   Subscribe to Read.  
   

INDIA-CHINA TRADE IMBALANCE NEEDS REDRESSAL   
While India’s exports to China almost doubled between 2005-06 and 2009-10 (from $6.7 billion to US$11.6 billion), China’s exports to India during the same period tripled (from US$10.8 billion to US$30.8 billion). This has left India with a trade deficit of US$19.2 billion. To provide a measure of comparison, this deficit is close to the total GDP of a country like Tanzania and well above the total GDP of many countries including Bolivia, Uganda and Ghana. This imbalance will have to be corrected in the years ahead. Subscribe to Read.
  

INDIA-CHINA: BRIDGING STRATEGIC LEVEL MISTRUST 
The visit of the Chinese premier was significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, in the last two years bilateral tensions between the two countries which remained dormant for several years have come to the fore troubling not only the bilateral relations but also spilling over into the larger neighbourhood. While both countries officially do not consider each other as a security threat, nevertheless, given the acute differences on a host of issues concerning their respective national identities, it would not be surprising if these perceptions bounce back. Indeed, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had expressed concerns that China is striving for low level equilibrium in South Asia to the detriment of India.    Subscribe to Read.  
 

POLITICAL CHANGES IN MYANMAR 
Whatever be the motive of the Myanmar junta in releasing Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on 13 November, a few days after the first national elections in two decades, one thing is clear, the junta is today more self-assured and ready to take the political risk to release Suu Kyi. But there should be no doubt that if the junta feels Suu Kyi could pose a threat to them then they will not shy away from locking her up again. The likely direction of the country’s politics remains uncertain. The tension between the ethnic armed groups and the Burmese Army has been growing in the recent past as fighting continues between the Army and ethnic Karen rebels along Thai-Myanmar border.   Subscribe to Read.   
 

FOREIGN UNIVERSTIES IN INDIA-BOON OR BANE? 
It is very doubtful whether well-established accredited foreign universities/institutions would like the status of a ‘deemed university’ in India, something they are not familiar with, being fraught with legal complications, and may consider off-shore campus in India as a dilution of quality and something that might lower their brand image. Hence, most foreign universities will continue to explore collaborations/ partnerships with Indian educational institutions rather than setting up campuses in India. The Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, if passed after taking in to consideration the above mentioned exigencies should be able to make our youth to attain the needed expertise to serve locally and globally!   Subscribe to Read.   
 

REFLECTIONS ON A VISIT TO TURKEY 
The colour of skin of Turkish people is white and the country is also fast acquiring European standards of living and hence one feels one is in a European country. What is most impressive is the cleanliness; it is indeed of European standard. I felt ashamed that our country, though much more economically and technologically advanced, is so far behind Turkey in cleanliness standards. We see heaps of garbage everywhere even in metro cities like Mumbai. I did not see litter anywhere even in small towns like Konya or the countryside of Anatolia.   Subscribe to Read.   
 

AFRICA: DEVELOPMENT IN CONTEMPORARY ETHIOPIA 
The present government of Ethiopia has adopted an agriculture and rural-centered development strategy known as Agricultural Development-Led Industrialisation (ADLI). ADLI focuses on the development of smallholder farm productivity and the expansion of commercial farms. One suggests that the structure of cooperative farming in West & South India and Kenya may be replicated in Ethiopia. If successfully implemented, it has the potential to reduce food insecurity, absolute poverty and environmental degradation.   Subscribe to Read.