About three months ago, I was invited to attend a strategic affairs seminar in the Capital. The event marked the launch of The Long View from Delhi, a book by Admiral Raja Menon and Dr. Rajiv Kumar of ICRIER, a think tank. The book analyses some of the major influences on foreign and security policy in India. Speaking at the event, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram was remarkably candid. The Indian government simply doesn’t do much of long-term thinking, he said. K. Subrahmanyam, a strategic affairs analyst who also spoke at the launch, was even less charitable. He said he had been asked by the Central government of the day on at least two separate occasions to build a long-term strategic perspective. On both occasions, his report simply gathered dust and was never implemented.
Most business publications have seldom paid enough attention to strategic affairs. I find that surprising because as India opens up new fronts to secure its interests in energy, climate change, water, access to technology and markets, global financial architecture or even security, the government and private enterprises will be compelled to work closely together.
To help decision makers in business build a robust perspective, Forbes India tied up with ICRIER for a special report on India and the World. For a few months now, Associate Editor Dinesh Narayanan led a team of editors and writers and worked closely with Dr. Rajiv Kumar and Ambassador Santosh Kumar at ICRIER on a set of essays around some key themes affecting India’s future. This forms the centrepiece of this Independence Day Special Edition.
Do tell us what you think. We await your candid feedback.
First Published: Aug 14, 2010, 00:05
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