Political pundits laud Modi’s diplomatic ‘masterstroke’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sudden announcement through Twitter on Friday afternoon of his visit to Lahore stunned one and all and is being viewed as a masterstroke but experts feel the visit underscores two major policy approaches.

“Prime Minister Modi seems to have made up his mind that there is no option but to engage with Pakistan and that talks are the only way to move forward,” points out former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh, adding, “The visit is a masterstroke and shows that Mr Modi is capable of innovative approaches.”

The other aspect, feel experts, is that both sides are convinced that significant process can be made in ties if there is no intrusive scrutiny in advance by the media which is why the Indian Government seems to have gone to extraordinary lengths to keep the proposed visit a closely-guarded secret.

Reports that the visit was planned on the spur of the moment after Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif invited Mr Modi to visit his home are not finding too many takers. According to this version, the invitation was extended when PM Modi called up his Pakistani counterpart to wish him on his birthday. But many doubt that plans for such a game-changing trip could have been made at the last minute, with some claiming that plans were firmed up a few days in advance. Mr Modi also seems to have been inspired by former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visits to Pakistan and seems keen to consolidate on his image as a “statesman” who has a larger vision for the subcontinent.

The visit, the first by an Indian PM in more than 11 years, also indicates the Modi government’s faith in the Pakistani PM who will now be enormously strengthened by this visit. Mr Sharif has been at the receiving end earlier of the Pakistan Army’s wrath on more than one occasions and India seems have decided that it is not in its interest if Mr Sharif is weakened.