DAVID CAMERON’S LOOK EAST POLICY

 David Cameron, incumbent Prime Minister and leader of Conservative Party, UK, accompanied by British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, industrial barons, influential business men and a few eminent personalities in the fields of arts and sports, arrived in India on Tuesday for a two day visit. The visit obviously is to warm up the bilateral relations in various fields such as economy, terror menace and climate change affecting nations the world over.

 After a prolonged period of New Labour Party rule of Britain, first by Tony Blair, followed by Gordon Brown, who was the Chancellor of the Exchequer under Tony Blair, David Cameroon’s Tory Party and Liberal Party’s Nick Clegg who incidentally is the Deputy Prime Minister of Britain joined hands to form a Ministry, thus ending a long period of New Labour Party’s tenure at the helm.

 At this juncture, it is worthwhile to dwell upon the reasons behind the decline and fall of New Labour Party which came to power riding the crest of popular wave in 1997. 

 Tony Blair, then at the peak of his popularity appeared a promising and enterprising PM both at National and International levels. Even this writer who was looking from afar had a great regard for him and appreciation toward the man vibrant, energetic and with a rare skill to present his words, such was the power of his oratory skill which earned universal admiration and acclaim. Gordon Brown who was his junior and successor was only a pale shadow lacking the charisma of Tony Blair though adept in handling the finance portfolio. 

 The grapewine has it that David Cameron, though a Tory man saw in Tony Blair, a leader worth imitating and yearned to be a Tony Blair of the Conservative Party. Such was Blair’s charisma, stamina and the ability to attract and fascinate the masses. 

 Then why he failed on all fronts his popularity taking a downward swing with the passage of time?

 It all started with him turning out to play second fiddle to George Walker Bush, the then Republican President of USA who by that time attained notoriety across the world as an arrogant, overbearing, stubborn ruler. I am at a loss to make out why Tony Blair fell to the ‘evil charm’ of a notorious American President even against the wishes of British people. 

 A full-time Prime Minister evolving in due course as a part-time one his main function or ‘portfolio’ being the mouth-piece of the President of a self-proclaimed Super Power. A subservient, ‘always at your service’ man. 

 I think it all started since 9/11, the incident which shook and shocked not only USA but also the entire world.

 Tony Blair, lost no time in joining hands with a fretting and fuming President of USA and offered allout support to Mr.Bush in taking on the master brains behind the plot and bringing them to justice. Al-Quaeda leaders Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri were the prime suspects and with a vow to nab them dead or alive, USA, Britain and their allies plunged directly into a war with Afghanistan under Taliban rule then being the prime target. The war which started in 2001 still on course, and Osama Bin Laden and his main accomplice still at large, Bush Jr. and Tony Blair nexus except saving the purpose of ravaging the entire Afghansitan, massacring millions and millions of innocent Afghan citizens and millions fleeing the land seeking refuge in the neighbouring nations. Bush vacated his seat on completion of his tenure without his dream of nabbing the most wanted criminals materializing. Barack Obama, his successor who too is treading the path of his predecessor with regard to the matter of nabbing Osama ‘dead’ or ‘alive’ till now has not yet succeeded, of late desperately searching for an exit route evolving a face saving device by 2011. Laden or no Laden, who cares?

 The war on Afghanistan followed by an equally calamitous one, in Iraq in 2003 ignoring even the UN directives Bush-Blair company in alliance with the NATO allies in search of non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) converted the entire Iraq to a heap of rubble, Saddam Hussein sent to the gallows after a mock-trial and after getting tired of everything installed a ‘puppet civilain govt’ under Nouri-Al-Maliki in the end. 

 The net result being the citizens of US and Britain spitting fire on their respective heads angered by their autocratic styles. With world-wide condemnation, adding fat to the fire.

 Both leaders’ popularity rate took a steep decline and they attained notoriety in their nations. In came the Global Meltdown in 2008, first in USA and it spread to other nations including Britain like wildfire. The nations which held free-market policies dearer to their hearts suffered the most being unregulated economies but the ones with regulated economies even sharing the after-effects though to a lesser degree thanks to globalization. Life turned out to be nightmares to the citizens of US, Britain and all other market-driven economies and the hapless citizens’ wrath turned against the leaders and their anger reflected at the hustings paving the way for their ultimate defeat.

 Tony Blair once celebrated across Britain unable to bear the indignation and repeated demands for quitting his post was forced to cave in making way for his Junior also bete noire Gordon Brown who also proved to be a disaster. By that time New Labour Party reached its nadir and despite Brown’s last minute efforts to turn the tide in his Party’s favour, it was too late.

Tony Blair in his deposition before the Chilcot Commission appointed for the purpose of enquiring about the whole Iraqi fiasco stood unrepentant and still he stands by his justification for attacking Iraq without an iota of remorse like his then counterpart George Bush. 

 The election came at the exact time, a hung assembly resulted, with no party capturing absolute majority. David Cameron and Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democratic Party joined hands and a coalition govt. under Mr.Cameron put in the saddle. 10 Downing Street this time welcomed Cameron and his wife Samantha and their progenies.

 David Cameron’s visit to India assumes much significance in the context of Britain feeling totally isolated from its erstwhile friend USA. Gordon Brown during the last months of his tenure had to face humiliation in USA with the denial of White House in response to his request for an appointment with Barack Obama. It was reported that though he tried five times for the appointment  with US President, all proved in vain. He had to return desperate and humiliated man. Imagine the grief of the then British PM for leaving US empty-handed.

 Of late on the issue of oil-slick at the Gulf of Mexico and the failures of reputed oil giant British Petroleum to contain the slick, US President turned his ire against it and in a fit of rage reported to have mouthed foul language which was in bad taste with the British government and its citizens getting enraged and unnerved. 

 Cameron’s tall appreciation of India and his encouraging words are music to the Indian leaders, no doubt calling India the ‘future Super Power’ which is on a high growth trajectory an economy forging ahead with super speed and his recalling of age-old friendship between both countries, all heartening and dearer to Indian ruling elite particularly the corporates. 

 

Foreign direct investment in various fields, strategic ties furthering the cordial relationship, the promise to provide India with 60 Hawks for 500 mn pound sterling and partnership between BAE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore to cooperate in manufacturing sophisticated weapons, trade development, increasing the present 50 bn pound sterling investment with in a short span bring cheers to the lips of Indian leaders.

Cameron touches upon the welfare of 2mn Indian citizens working, studying and earning in Britain enabling them to scale new heights and also providing opportunities for remittances favouring their beloved ones at home.

 Apart from economic co-operation, both countries could do a lot to do to help alleviating the looming threat of global-warming adopting various measures. 

And on the issue of terrorist menace both countries hold the same opinion that both are victims of terrorism and hence a joint effort to contain the menace is also on the anvil.

 On the sports front he happily, rejoicingly touches upon the coming 2012 Olympics in London and the Common Wealth Games commencing this October at New Delhi.

 David Cameron’s visit to India, if proceeded on the expected lines would prove to be a historic one, equally beneficial to both countries by promoting ties and inking of pacts on various fronts, economy, climate, health, education and strategic ties.  

Let Cameron’s Look East policy yield positive results in the days to come.