Blair not to visit India now

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, DEC. 4. The British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, is unlikely to visit India during his current tenure but it would be very much on the cards if he returns to power after the elections in May next, and which he looks certain to do on present indications.

He has a standing invitation from the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and it was renewed by the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, during his visit here last month. Mr. Blair is said be keen on visiting India and be

physically seen as part of the growing Indo-British ``partnership'' but his preoccupation with European and domestic issues in the run-up to the elections virtually rule out a passage to India now.

The more cynical observers find it incongruous that an avowedly India-friendly Mr. Blair should not have been able to find ``time'' for the visit and believe it has something to do with Downing Street's perception of its own priorities in which, apparently, New Delhi does not figure particularly high. Others, however, point out that it is during his regime that Indo-British relations have prospered. After a frosty spell, particularly following India's nuclear tests in 1998, there has been a surge in bilateral ties and Mr. Blair is credited for the turnaround.

In recent months, there has been a series of high- profile bilateral visits besides a meeting of the Indo-U.K. Roundtable here in October.

During his visit, Mr. Jaswant Singh characterised the current phase of Indo-U.K. relations the ``best ever'', a sentiment echoed by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Robin Cook, and the Foreign Office Minister, Mr. Peter Hain, when he was in India a few weeks ago.

It is emphasised here that Mr. Blair may have not visited India personally but regards relations with India as a major plank of his government's South Asia perspective, and it is not a coincidence that the London-New Delhi interaction has acquired a sense of urgency with his arrival on the scene.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : India, Israel hold talks on bilateral ties
Next     : New alliance in Pak.