Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undoubtedly made a terrific impact at the UN General Assembly in New York. His speech in Hindi was highly appreciated and he met all the high officials of the UN. He established rapport with all of them. He is widely seen in the US as India’s most credible interlocutor since Rajiv Gandhi. Of course, he could not entirely live down his controversial involvement in the Gujarat massacre of 2002. There were small demonstrations but overshadowing them was the evidence of overwhelming enthusiasm about him among the Indian-American community. US senators watched the event and applauded the reception to Modi. Washington has made it clear that Modi enjoys absolute immunity during his US visit. More than the political leadership, the business elite is anxious to be persuaded that India means business. Modi’s past is hardly relevant.
At the UN General Assembly, Modi did not engage in harsh words with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Sharif unnecessary spoke of the UN call for a plebiscite in J&K in 1971. Modi reiterated that India was keen on a dialogue with Pakistan. But Pakistan had to reciprocate the goodwill. He wants to have a more productive engagement with the world by abandoning India’s defensive attitude on terrorism, trade, climate change and global commons. Delhi is all for an innovative policy provided Washington seriously addresses India’s concerns. Modi’s flexibility and pragmatism derive from his self assurance based on an absolute majority in the Indian parliament. His dinner date with President Barack Obama was pregnant with significance.