Modi hard-sells India

Jawaharlal Nehru was put off by the American leadership during his 1949 visit, when told that India’s annual budget was less than that of General Electric. Indira Gandhi battled with the Americans, diplomatically and later militarily in 1971. Rajiv Gandhi made a deep impact, which was lost when he got mired in scandals. Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee earned their respect. Manmohan Singh’s economic reforms raised huge expectations that were met substantially. Each one guarded India’s interests vis-a-vis the US, given their respective circumstances.

Now, Narendra Modi, riding on a wave of electoral triumph, partly fuelled by vocal and material support from Indians abroad, especially those in the US, is making a difference. He is being received like a rock star, with unprecedented enthusiasm by the Indian Americans. This is his thanks-giving visit that Washington can’t help but take notice and admire. That he conferred with Asian powers – Japan and China – before reaching New York and then, Washington, has sent an advance notice to the Americans who are eager to embrace him. If at all he is unhappy at being kept out for long for his alleged role in Gujarat violence of 2002, there is no trace of it as he undertakes two scores of meetings with powerful Americans.

His is a punishing routine made more difficult as he is fasting and lives off warm water, baffling everyone. He has delivered energy-sapping speeches at many places including the United Nations. At Madison Square Garden, he was thronged by 18,000 enthusiastic Indians, besides a score of US Governors, Congressmen and Senators. Modi is “the coming guy” for them.

The Indians have gushed about the visit of “another Narendra,” a reference to Swami Vivekananda, (whose real name is Narendra), who had delivered a memorable address to the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893. Modi cannot ask for more.

The role of this community is significant and vital. Once in the “land of opportunity,” the earlier Indian generations would shun the motherland. The change in their attitude is but 25 years old, since India launched economic reforms and has been wooing them. Now, Modi’s visit gives them a new self-respect and pride. This mutual love-fest with the prosperous and vocal Indian community of over 34 million gives an unprecedented boost to the latter. And India, too, gets a boost, what with numerous Indian Americans holding key posts in Obama administration and elsewhere in American public life. Even Obama began with a “Kem cho?” Modi has been telling Americans the right things. That India has three strengths no other country in the world has: Democracy, demographic dividend, and demand. This is really hard-selling India. He is widely seen as being anti-Nehru, He has either ignored his contribution or has worked to demolish his legacy. But even Nehru, perhaps, would be pleased to know that GE’s chief was among the 15 top American corporate honchos to meet him.