You have done some thing that past congress governement failed to do so. I find for the last five years or so the failure of SAARC was obvious to all of us. Its failure was important concern for India. The speech has demonstrated it.
This is the first time we are seeing some forthright comments from our foreign policy decision makers on SAARC. I think SAARC is heading for a dead end, unless Pak and BD (and now also Nepal) adopt a more friendly approach towards us. We are the largest economic and military power in the region and we need not be apologetic about this reality.We are also heading towards becoming a major global economic and military player.Our friendly approach to our neighbours cannot be a one way street. Our neighbours can only benifit from cooperating with us.But cooperation and anti India activities such as terrorism,infiltration,faking our currency,drug smuggling etc are not friendly acts and must be countered energrtically,even if we are accused of being a big brother. If our neighbours continue with their bad behavior we can head towards ASEAN or some other regional grouping excluding Pak and BD. And then dump SAARC.
This type of comprehensive view should have been taken long ago. Anyway, the phylosohpy behind this approach is to be practically implemented in our relations with neighbours, which has been lacking throughout our history.
The time has come for us to show constructive assertiveness in our foreign policy and talk tough whenever the need arises. We should not allow others to perceive us as a soft state and at the same take them alongwith us in our journey towards prosperity.
As an Indian, fully conscious of my duties and responsibilities towards our neighbours, Shyam Saran's speech is what I have been waiting for since the Sixties.
