Indian envoy hails special relationship with T&T

In a T&T Guardian exclusive, India’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri, hailed the historic ties between his nation and this country. He referred to their relationship as “special”, with “cultural” and “spiritual links” that transcend just economic interests. “We are very proud and pleased that the Indian diaspora has enriched the countries they have adopted,” he said, using the dictum, “you can take an Indian out of India, but never India out of an Indian,” to describe the close-knit ties among Indians and their ancestral land.

Ambassador Puri said the Indian model for social development and transformation, peace, and security, resonates with Caribbean and African nations because of their shared colonial history. He characterised south-south cooperation as focussed on strengthening partnerships without “preconceived notions” on the part of India. 

He bolstered his argument, citing “lines of credit offered to other nations for project development,” and his nation’s flagship programme, “Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation” (ITECH), which offers annual training for more than 7,000 individuals from 164 countries. “The type of training received is never determined by us, but rather the recipient country,” he emphasised.

Despite India's achievements, Ambassador Puri acknowledged persistent social problems. However, he assailed a published report by Newsweek magazine that ranks India at 141 among 165 countries investigated for its treatment of women. “The world must judge India based on its astounding record since 1947,” he cautioned, referring to its Independence from Great Britain. He said India prided itself in being the world’s most populous democracy; it has pulled one hundred million people from poverty; and has an impressive record on gender empowerment—with one million women currently holding key elected positions in the body politic.

He noted that his nation is committed to gender equality through legislation and education. On the issue of discrimination based on caste, a contentious social problem with economic ramifications, Ambassador Puri said his nation has prioritised the issue, making it a criminal offence to engage in caste-based discrimination, “although attitudes can be slow to change in poor, rural areas.” 

He noted the political ascendancy of Kumari Mayawati Ji—a dalit woman—to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (India’s most populous state), as evidence that the tide is turning for India's lowly castes. In respect to the rural based Mao insurgency, considered, “India's Forgotten War,” the Ambassador acknowledged the existence of feudalism in rural areas, and “an exploitative land owning class,” that has fueled the uprising. 

He viewed it as a “law and order” and “economic” problem, that his government is actively engaging on all fronts – including programmes to ameliorate the pressing economic hardships. He emphasised, however, that the insurgency does not pose an existential threat to his nation's democratic foundation. In respect to Pakistan, he said its stability is vital to India and the region, noting ongoing dialogue at the highest level on pressing issues such as trade, terrorism, and Kashmir. He called himself, “an optimist,” and “an admirer” of Mohandas Gandhi whose message of ahimsa (non-violence) remains relevant amid political uncertainty and turbulence.

He also underplayed border disputes with neighbouring China and stressed his nations determination toward strengthening economic relations and the reestablishment of their historic ties. Asked about India’s goals in the next decade, Ambassador Puri envisaged a permanent membership in the Security Council; a modern state that has not compromised its traditions; and a nation that will be respected as “the voice of reason and balance” in tumultuous times.