New Indian FM to put focus on neighbours

Manmohan Singh not just filled the key portfolio that had been kept vacant for nearly 11 months but also sent a strong signal that New Delhi is going to put focus on its neighbourhood diplomacy, particularly with regard to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, analysts said.

Manmohan carried out the long-awaited reshuffle of his council of ministers on October 24 when senior leader of ruling Congress party AK Antony was named Defence Minister to replace Mukherjee and Oscar Fernandes, a loyalist of party chief Sonia Gandhi, chosen as Labour Minister.

The appointment of 71-year-old Mukherjee as Foreign Minister, a portfolio he had held in the P V Narasimha Rao cabinet in the 1990s, means India will have a full timer in charge of the ministry after almost a year following the resignation of K Natwar Singh in the wake of UN report on Iraqi oil-for-food scam.

Mukherjee's appointment as Foreign Minister was on the cards ever since Natwar Singh was shown the door. The perception was further strengthened when Mukherjee was deputed by the Prime Minister to represent India at the UN General Assembly session in September this year.

Nevertheless, it is an open secret in Congress circles that Mukerjee was "reluctant" to move to Foreign Ministry and it took some persuasion by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to accept his new assignment, Congress sources said.

It is understood that Mukherjee has been assured by Congress high command that he will continue to regarded as the senior most minister in the cabinet and will remain the Leader of the House in Lok Sabha and be involved with various domestic political and policy formulations including chairmanship of about a dozen ministerial panels.

With his firm grip on what is going on in India's neighbourhood, Mukherjee is expected to devote more time to Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where developments are of vital concern to India, one analyst said.

Relations with neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh, occupied a major portion of Mukherjee's first interaction with the media soon after taking charge of External Affairs Ministry on October 25.

He also hinted at focusing on economy as an integral part of New Delhi's neighbourhood policy saying peace with neighbours was necessary for India to attain 9 to 10 percent growth.

"As we cannot alter our neighbours, it is desirable to live with our neighbours in peace and create tension-free situation on our borders with neighbours", Mukherjee said.

To a question about terrorism, Mukherjee disagreed with a suggestion about use of "force" against it and said India has already taken up the matter with Bangladesh and suggested to Dhaka that it is in the interest of both countries that terrorist activities are curbed.

He said the issue was raised even with Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia when she had visited India in March this year.

Bangladesh is months away from general elections and New Delhi is closely monitoring the stand-off between BNP and Awami League over electoral reforms and contours of a caretaker government. Then there is the vital question of dealing with a new government in Dhaka after the elections.