Prime Minister - Onus on you to preserve and nurture your dream for India

Even the staunchest critic of Modi could not help but admire the way he has gone about building his global persona as a man with vision and will to realise that vision.

 

The US businessman would not just come to meet any visiting, or even local leader for that matter, if they don't see promise in that leader.  They are unlike Indian business leaders who would criticise politics and political leaders but would fall over each other to meet, greet and try to be seen in proximity of leaders at the first opportunity. Nor would, again unlike Indian businessmen, they shy away from calling spade a spade.  Like one top technology CEO in the Digital India Summit with PM Modi in San Jose obviously referring to infamous reality in India said without mincing words that "I hope paperwork and bureaucracy will become a thing of past."  

 

So even after more than a year into his term, to see that who's who of US Inc. still interested in him and wanting to meet and engage with PM Modi is in itself an endorsement of his leadership.  

 

Whatever I know about Modi from my earlier acquaintance with him, he plans way ahead into future.  What he would do if he were to become prime minister of India, he would have thought about it even before he became chief minister of Gujarat.  That is my reading of him from occasions I had to interact with him in late nineties and early into first decade of the new century. 

 

But persona alone would not help beyond a point; certainly not with international business, particularly with American businesses.  Their patience has very short shelf life.  Modi has to translate his talks and promises into action quickly and not in small incremental steps in order to sustain international investors' interest in India. The pace of reforms is the key to instil confidence among global investors. To be fair to Modi, he has tough job at hand to make a quick turnaround in a country as complex and diversely populous as India.  In recent times, another challenge is threatening to spoil India's prospects. 

 

Something very important happened during Modi’s ongoing visit to the US which has largely gone unnoticed. The largest ever congregation of world leaders, donors and aid workers gathered in New York at the UN meeting on September 25.  They included prime ministers, presidents and the pope. They gathered to unveil “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) that are supposed to shape aid and development for next 15 years.  Compared to its predecessor Millennium Development Goals, which had just eight goals, the SDGs have 17 goals and a total of 169 sub-targets covering environment, gender equity, world peace, create inclusive, just and open societies, open economies, promote rule of law, protect fundamental freedoms, end conflicts and corruption.  The unique feature of the SDGs is that this vast canvass of goals and associated goals are set by consensus rather than developed by few experts, as was the case with MDGs. 

 

The two goals – open and inclusive society and end corruption and conflict – are of particular importance for India.  India has been an open and inclusive society but, unfortunately, it is getting increasingly polarised by actions and insensitive utterances by some senior ministers and functionaries in the present BJP government and its affiliate organizations. Modi is not to blame for that but he is not seen to be defying them loudly.  This has led to the narrative on the streets dominated by religious intolerance rather than one on development discourse. The intolerance makes any society vulnerable to internal conflicts and renders it unstable.

As for corruption, to the credit of the present government, it has got rid of the corruption at the top but it is so deeply ingrained into Indian culture that getting it rooted out of the system is a mammoth task.  Getting basic facilities or big deals struck without fear or favour is still impossible.

 

Intolerance and corruption are two major challenges that could derail Modi’s vision of Make in India and Digital India, both of which are not possible without global investment coming into India in a big way. And it would come only if there is a level playing field free of patronage and a society living in harmony and which upholds the spirit of multiculturalism and mutual respect and dignity.  Multicultural and open society  exactly the reason why Silicon Valley is what it is today- a hub of creativity, innovation and crucible of transformative technology.

 

If he is committed to his grand vision, then it is imperative that he asks loudly and clearly all those in his government and its associated organizations who are polluting society with their obnoxious statements and insensitive outbursts to shut up and get on with his development agenda.  And tell them that young India is not interested in Sanskrit and Vedic mathematics, talks of culture and civilization. Their outlook is global. They aspire for better life, greater and equal opportunities, individual freedom and respectable standard of living.  All of which is not possible if shibboleths caught in time wrap are not shunned for good.  

 

If not, then bid goodbye to hopes of India rising as economic and political influence on the global stage - the dream so dear to Hon. Prime Minister Modi.