(The Editor's Pick is a new newsletter from The Hindu that provides a snapshot of the most important stories from today's edition of our newspaper, along with a note from our top editors on why we chose to give prominence to these stories.) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's new book "The India Way" is an analysis of the India-China relationship that draws from his experience as a diplomat who was the longest-serving Ambassador in Beijing. In the descriptive parts of the book, he brings in the long shadow of the 1962 war, the rise of China on the global stage post-2009, and the leadership of Xi Jinping from 2012, for context. In the prescriptive part, he deals with how the lopsided power struggle should be handled at the border, in international fora, and on the economic front. The keywords for the book appear to be equilibrium and accommodation. Mr. Jaishankar proposes staying clear-eyed about the unequal power equation, but also not letting India be pushed around. Accommodation is the Minister's recommendation for the times when the countries cross paths on the global stage. But he has a different tone when it comes to the economy, lamenting the one-sided nature of the trade relationship. A book from a sitting External Affairs Minister, released by the Prime Minister, skirts the line between personal view and official policy. The extended insight into the thinking of the top rung in diplomacy on India's primary foreign policy concern at the moment is what makes the story important. (The Editor's Pick newsletter will return tomorrow.) |
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