Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s whirlwind five-nation tour appears to have got off to a good start. As the inauguration of the Salma dam or the Afghan-India Friendship Dam in Afghanistan shows, India should lead the development process of Afghanistan. The visit to Herat which comes just after the agreement signed in Iran, and where India will finance the development of Iran’s Chabahar port, should lead to more positive steps. India would do well to use its influence to persuade other regional powers to invest in Afghanistan so that it attains economic development and stability.
C. Koshy John,Pune
During his speech to the diaspora in Doha, Mr. Modi referred to the elimination of bogus ration cards and the saving of Rs.36,000 crore by plugging the loopholes in the system (“Crackdown on graft annoying some: Modi”, June 6). It was no doubt a veiled attack against the earlier “corrupt” regime. The point is that this has become a needless refrain, totally out of context, especially during his visits abroad. Is it necessary for the Prime Minister to wash dirty linen abroad? Repeated references to corruption might only discourage foreign investors. Mr. Modi is certainly within his rights to proclaim that he has ensured an environment healthy for investment and elaborate on several schemes ushered in by the BJP government. But the tone and tenor of his speeches look like those made during the election campaign at home, than ones to be delivered abroad. I do not recall any other Indian Prime Minister speaking in such a manner while abroad.
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,San Jose, California, U.S.
