18 12 february 2018openings
F
rom all accounts Vijay Keshav Gokhale is another
experienced Indian Foreign service officer who has now reached
the pinnacle of his service. With rounded experience of having served
in different parts of the world, he brings valuable skills to the high table.
But of all the ideas and skills that he has, his experience in dealing with
china, where he served as India’s ambassador until last year, is probably
the most important.
Gokhale’s appointment is part of a well-established trend now. Four
of the last ten foreign secretaries have served as ambassadors to china.
this should surprise no one. china is now a major security and strategic
headache for India. In recent years, incursions across the long border,
including the hotly contested parts especially in the north, have gone up
dramatically. But the most recent challenge for the country came in the
eastern region. He was in Beijing when the Doklam crisis erupted
in June 2017. He was involved in resolving the crisis, with troops from
the two countries moving away, by a bit, from their eyeball-to-eyeball
confrontation some months later. It took a dozen
rounds of negotiation, beginning with the hard
position held by Beijing, to sort out the issue.
Having an expert on china—and Gokhale is one
not just by virtue of having served there—at
the ministry of External affairs is an asset in
preparing for a future where china will not only
be assertive but perhaps also aggressive. In
addition to having served in Beijing, he was
posted in taipei, seat of china’ s pre-revolutionary
rulers. His experience of the sinic sphere is thus
rounded well, unlike the rough edges displayed
by some other officers who have served in Beijing.
Gokhale has also articulated a different—more
aggressive—line on china.
It would, however, be a mistake to consider
china best countered solely by confronting it
head-on—be it militarily or diplomatically.
Dealing with china needs much more than that.
one part of India’ s strategy has to involve stron-
ger relations with powerful countries that are
concerned by china’s menacing military postures.
these, for the most part, are nations in the Western
politico-military sphere. this part of India’s
planning appears well-attuned to future needs.
What Delhi needs to strengthen is the other end of
that strategy—by building bridges with countries
in southeast and East asia. India has for long paid
lip-service to its ‘look east’ policy without gain-
ing much traction on it. It is matter of chance that
Gokhale had also served in Kuala lumpur, from
2010-2013. the combined experience of having
served in china and southeast asia makes
him the right person at the right time to be at
the bureaucracy’ s helm in the ministry.
India lays a lot of emphasis on building
symbolic capital when it comes to managing its
international relations. the presence of ten leaders
of asEan countries at the republic Day parade
this year was one such symbolic event. much more
needs to be done if this policy is to get some teeth.
the political will to build strong politico-military
ties with key countries—Vietnam is one
example—is essential if the second part of India’ s
strategy to handle china is to succeed. Having a
cadre of experienced officers who have served in
china and southeast asia is a necessary part of
implementing these measures. there have been
foreign secretaries who have served in china in the
past but what is important is the new perspective
that Gokhale brings. one does not need china-
bashers, but sinophiles are best avoided now. nBy siDDHARTH singHAnother ChI nA mAn
Vijay Keshav Gokhale, India’s new foreign
secretary, is the right man at the right time
PORTRAITSaurabh Singh