Why and when Narendra Modi was 'darling' of western media, Chinese officials ?

A section of the middle class perceives Narendra Modi as a super-CEO. One of his biographers, Nirendra Dev, points out that he “functions like a modern day CEO laying emphasis on the outcome and often allegedly putting the rules and normal norms in the backburner” (Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth, 2012). 

- thus wrote Christophe Jaffrelot, a noted French scholar and analyst

On May 26, 2021, Narendra Modi completed his seven years in office. All international headlines have changed over the decades. Now, no western media can see any virtue in Prime Minister Modi.

But years back when the same Modi was Gujarat Chief Minister and was just one of the possible candidates as PM-candidate, the same western media and even Chinese authorities had a lot of laudatory words and phrases kept reserved for him.
Why both the western media and China developed an abhorrence of Modi? 

Is it linked to Modi's assertive diplomacy when it comes to dealing with China and whether his explicit Hindutva stance has irked the Christian lobby in the west?

In the past, William Antholis, managing director of the Brookings Institution and a senior fellowin Governance Studies, had summed up his opinion on Modi stating - "....this was a man (Modi) America needed to know better...He has successfully tackled some of India's toughest problems. One thing is certain - he will continue to be a force in Indian politics".

'The Economist' in its July 7th, 2011 edition had remarked: "So many things work properly in Gujarat that it hardly feels like India".

Sometime in 2007-08, Canadian heavy machinery company Bombardier had won a contract to supply compartments to Delhi Metro. It needed a factory site. In Savli the factory was set up in just 18 months.

It was stated that the speed at which things moved braving all bureaucratic bottlenecks, the Bombardier director was impressed and he hailed it as a "world record within Bombardier". This episode too was widely reported in the western press.

BBC had covered Gujarat mayhem of 2002 extensively. But ten years later in its report on the eve of a decade of the mayhem, it admitted, "whilst the controversy is still being debated; it is not stopping business from flowing in Gujarat". 

The website journalism was just trying to brave through the dot.com failure era. But rediff.com was a prestigious site then and in an article it had noted: "The success of Gujarat has today put it in a place where it can negotiate and navigate international relations of direct economic consequence to it without being held back by the timidity in New Delhi".

Ram Temple at Ayodhya: Is this an issue

The western media and others hailed Modi's 'super CEO' style of functioning. 

In March 2014, Christophe Jaffrelot wrote in an 'Indian Express' article: "....a section of the middle class perceives Narendra Modi as a super-CEO. One of his biographers, points out that he “functions like a modern day CEO laying emphasis on the outcome and often allegedly putting the rules and normal norms in the backburner” (Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth). 

IndianExpress link

Michael Kadoorie, a Hong Kong billionaire and chairman of Asian Power, hugged Modi in public during Vibrant Gujarat Summit and had said: "I would encourage you all to invest here". 
Ron Somers, head of an US trade group, called Modi a "progressive leader".

In terms Modi's equations with Chinese leaders, incumbent president Xi Jinping, has not been his first friend from China.

In 2011, Chinese envoy to India, Zhang Yan had reached out to Modi and expressed his country's interest to work together to sharpen Gujarat's industrial and manufacturing edge.

He also invited Modi to visit China.

In fact, according to observers, the Chinese invitation was seen as 'astute political move'. Some years ago, in 2005, the US had denied him visa. It was thus argued that the Chinese authorities were making calculated investment in the future. During Modi's visit to China, senior Chinese dignitaries hosted him at banquets. 

Half Glass: Full or Empty: Who is right ?

Even some sections of US officials were changing their stance gradually.

In 2012, the US Congressional Research Service said Gujarat under Modi had emerged as a good example of 'effective governance'.

Therefore, now an imperative and puzzling question is why all these changed all of a sudden?

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Vaccine Maitri to help India get Mehul Choksi; New Delhi favours 'probe process' on Wuhanvirus 

New Delhi: The prophets of doom may get another knock on their noses as the Vaccine Maitri of the Modi government may help India get back the fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi.

Sources said the Indian government is pursuing with both the Antiguan and Dominican governments and authorities to get back Choksi who is wanted in India in the PNB scam.

Mehul Choksi went missing on May 23 around 1700 hours after he left his Jolly Harbour residence in a car in Antigua and later a missing case was filed by the Antiguan police.

Choksi was reportedly 'fleeing' to Cuba but was held in Dominica, based on Yellow Notice by Interpol.

In February 2021, the Indian government in pursuance of its much talked about Vaccine Maitri policy had donated Covid vaccines to Dominica and the gesture was well appreciated by the government there.

 
Dominican Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, in his ‘Thank you’ note to Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and had said, “Thanks to the kindness of the Indian nation, 35,000 Dominicans will be vaccinated by April 2021 India has once again come to Dominica's aid, and this too will not be forgotten.”

The government sources have always maintained that the Vaccine Maitri ought to have positive impact for India winning new friends and strengthening the bond further among existing friends.

Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla has said last month during the peak of global assistance during second wave that India is getting the international assistance and support simply based on age-old humanitarian formula, "We have given assistance and so; we are getting assistance".

Now, Choksi's return to India would be another important chapter.

The fugitive diamantaire and owner of Gitanjali group of jewelers has been residing in Antigua and Barbuda after he left India.

He is wanted and charged for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and money laundering. 

Wuhanvirus probe and India:  

India is not much concerned about what its own 'opinion' is on the major global controversy that

the Covid19 originated from Wuhan in China. But it certainly favours the "process of investigation" to continue.

"What we say as a nation or personally is not important. We have said earlier also that there should be investigation so that the truth comes out. The issue is the process (of investigation) must be there," a government source said here on Thursday.

"Let us see what comes out. The WHO is an international body, we would like to know what comes out".

The comment of an Indian official in this context is significant as only recently the US President Joe Biden also has said that there must be a probe. 

Biden in a statement on May 26 said, "I have asked the Intelligence Community to redouble their efforts to collect and analyze information that could bring us closer to a definitive conclusion, and to report back to me in 90 days. 

As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required, including specific questions for China".

 

A global study, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), had earlier deemed it “extremely unlikely” that there was a lab leak or so. But final report is yet to come.

However, infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci also director of the National Institute of Allergy and  Infectious Diseases in the US, has said, ".... I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we find out to the best of our ability exactly what happened".

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