A new foreign policy vision

For some years India's foreign policy seems to have become the mirror of US foreign policy. But while advocating close ties with the US, a fellow liberal democracy, I think India can also show some creativity in her own policies.

Traditionally US has allied with Sunni powers in the West Asia, Saudi Arabia being the most notorious and obnoxious of them. The current Saudi regime actively spreads Wahhabism in the world, and may be the single largest catalyst behind the increasing radicalization in the Muslim world. Pakistan is a very good example of the maturing of the typical Saudi experiment.

Can't India do something about this? To be sure, India certianly is doing something through the honest humanitarian work in Afghanistan. Instead of foregoing our relations with Iran if we can use our friendly relations with them to have them give up virulence in their relations with Israel, and moderate them in their millenarian fanaticism, Iran is really not such a bady country, I think. Instead of foregin sponspored 'regime change' if the Iranian regime can genuinely reform from within, nothing better than that. And, democracy in Saudi Arabia will be good to have too.

Renewal

It is almost an year since I wrote something here. It's been a year of silent work and much contemplation. This Deepavali period consolidated some insights - it is a period of inner revival. Rama is the Supreme intelligence, and His return to the rulership of Ayodhya the centre of our existence with Sita, the receptive inner being (the jivatman or the psychic being in Sri Aurobindo's words) - this is the eternal occasion that the lamp of renewal reminds us of. We light this lamp of understanding in our hearts and become aware of the True existence, this is Deepavali. the Truth and our true relation to it, illumining this is Deepavali.