Imran versus Modi

The subcontinent has been witnessing something very interesting in the past couple of days. It began when Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan began to shower praise on his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for the foreign policy adopted and practised by the latter. Imran Khan publicly praised Narendra Modi in front of a huge crowd while addressing a public rally at Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during which he particularly said that India's foreign policy is "free and independent" and that its only aim of it is for the betterment of the people of the country. "I would like to praise our neighbouring country Hindustan for its foreign policy," Imran Khan has been quoted by news agencies as having said. This public acknowledgement of India's foreign policy, which amounts to eulogizing Narendra Modi has not only amused the Pakistani people but has also enraged a section. News agencies reflecting the mood and reaction of the general Pakistani people said that it is particularly amusing because Imran Khan had at one point in time relished in deriding Narendra Modi as Hitler at international forums. Now Imran Khan's praise for Modi and his foreign policy has come at a time when his (Khan's) government is on the verge of collapse, news emanating from Pakistan said. The media in Pakistan, describing the reaction of intellectuals and the common people in that country also said that Narendra Modi had begun establishing friendly relations with countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan – which were traditional friends of Pakistan, recently Saudi Arabia has stopped giving loans to Pakistan. Likewise, the UAE has stopped raising the Kashmir issue in international forums despite prodding from Pakistan. It has been also said that most Islamic nations have in recent times changed their attitude towards India. The situation has come to such a pass that even prominent opposition leaders in Pakistan have now begun to ask Imran Khan not to give Narendra Modi's examples. The point that the opposition leaders have been also trying to make is that the world is now beginning to laugh at Pakistan, particularly because of Prime Minister Imran Khan's incompetence. Preferring not to remain silent on the issue, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in an official reaction to Imran Khan's remark has made a very significant statement. According to him, India has received across the board praise from different countries for its foreign policy, and it would be wrong to assume that only one leader – in this case, Imran Khan – has praised India's foreign policy. It is however important to note that India's foreign policy has been very finely tuned in recent years. The latest instance is that India did not openly oppose or criticize Russia for attacking Ukraine, but at the same time also carefully refrained from openly supporting the Russian attack. Likewise, India preferred not to publicly oppose the stand taken by the West, and instead called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and resumption of dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. The world is watching how India, though having allied with America and is part of the Quad alliance, has maintained calculated neutrality on the Ukraine-Russia war issue. Moreover, India has decided to import crude oil from Russia despite US sanctions. How Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pursued a neutral foreign policy during the Russia-Ukraine war and kept India's interest paramount, has extracted global attention and praise. Imran Khan has noted that Narendra Modi did not come under pressure from the US and the Western countries in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. In contrast, Narendra Modi did not kowtow to any big power to get favours for India. Similarly, India did not come under any kind of pressure even when it purchased S-400 missiles from Russia despite US sanctions. Probably Imran Khan is only too honest in his statement, and that is at the cost of his image in front of his people.