Blackwater
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New Delhi, August 1
Veteran diplomat Ranjan Mathai today took over as India's new Foreign Secretary, saying he had been mandated to pursue "substantive dialogue" with Pakistan to "restore trust and confidence" in the country's relationship with the neighbouring country.
Mathai, a 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, said he considered "constructive cooperation" between India and its immediate neighbours as one of his priority tasks.
Mathai, a former Indian Ambassador to France, took over from Nirupama Rao, who has been named as the country's envoy to the
United States.
Mathai has held several important posts during his diplomatic career, including Ambassador to Israel and Qatar and Deputy High Commissioner to Britain, besides serving at the Indian embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels. In between, he was the Joint Secretary in the MEA in charge of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the Maldives.
Mathai takes charge as the country's top diplomat at a time when India is confronted with several challenges on the foreign policy front with new equations emerging in the international pecking order.
The dialogue with Pakistan, no doubt, has made some progress since it was resumed in February this year. Mathai will have to keep the dialogue process on track and, at the same time, use all his persuasive skills to nudge Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage. It will, of course, be an uphill task.
His other major challenge would include strengthening the dialogue with China for an amicable settlement of the boundary dispute as well as other contentious issues.
The row over stapled visas to Indian residents from Jammu and Kashmir has still not be resolved despite Beijing giving assurances to New Delhi that it was taking steps to put an end to the issue.
The evolving situation in Afghanistan presents a serious challenge to India, what with attempts being made to reintegrate the Taliban into the mainstream of the Afghan society. Mathai and his team will have to ensure that the US and the Karzai regime remain committed to following the red lines drawn for the reconciliation with the Taliban.
The resolution of the political impasse in Nepal and an amicable settlement of the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka would also put Mathai's vast experience to test.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next month. Mathai has his task cut out to put the relationship with Dhaka on the fast track.
MEA officials recall that Mathai had played a critical role in the Indo-Bangla Ganga Water Sharing accord during Sheikh Hasina's first stint as the PM when he was the Joint Secretary at the South Block. This water accord is India's only successful such pact in South Asia to date.
The recent decision of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) to deny access to enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies to countries which have not signed the NPT has caused serious concern in India. The new foreign secretary would have to ensure that the US, France and Russia, which have signed nuclear deals with India, stand by their commitment that the new guidelines of the nuclear cartel would not come in the way of their nuclear cooperation with this country.
India will have to also use the opportunity of holding the Presidency of the UN Security Council for August to bolster its campaign for a permanent seat on the high table. The top Indian diplomat will also be called upon to give a strong push to India's campaign for a permanent seat at the UNSC during the UN General Assembly session next month. Mathai is considered a quiet diplomat who does his job without making a hue and cry. His colleague recall how he was instrumental in persuading France to become the first country to sign the nuclear deal with India within days of New Delhi getting a nuclear waiver from the NSG in September 2008.
The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News
Veteran diplomat Ranjan Mathai today took over as India's new Foreign Secretary, saying he had been mandated to pursue "substantive dialogue" with Pakistan to "restore trust and confidence" in the country's relationship with the neighbouring country.
Mathai, a 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, said he considered "constructive cooperation" between India and its immediate neighbours as one of his priority tasks.
Mathai, a former Indian Ambassador to France, took over from Nirupama Rao, who has been named as the country's envoy to the
United States.
Mathai has held several important posts during his diplomatic career, including Ambassador to Israel and Qatar and Deputy High Commissioner to Britain, besides serving at the Indian embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels. In between, he was the Joint Secretary in the MEA in charge of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the Maldives.
Mathai takes charge as the country's top diplomat at a time when India is confronted with several challenges on the foreign policy front with new equations emerging in the international pecking order.
The dialogue with Pakistan, no doubt, has made some progress since it was resumed in February this year. Mathai will have to keep the dialogue process on track and, at the same time, use all his persuasive skills to nudge Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage. It will, of course, be an uphill task.
His other major challenge would include strengthening the dialogue with China for an amicable settlement of the boundary dispute as well as other contentious issues.
The row over stapled visas to Indian residents from Jammu and Kashmir has still not be resolved despite Beijing giving assurances to New Delhi that it was taking steps to put an end to the issue.
The evolving situation in Afghanistan presents a serious challenge to India, what with attempts being made to reintegrate the Taliban into the mainstream of the Afghan society. Mathai and his team will have to ensure that the US and the Karzai regime remain committed to following the red lines drawn for the reconciliation with the Taliban.
The resolution of the political impasse in Nepal and an amicable settlement of the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka would also put Mathai's vast experience to test.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next month. Mathai has his task cut out to put the relationship with Dhaka on the fast track.
MEA officials recall that Mathai had played a critical role in the Indo-Bangla Ganga Water Sharing accord during Sheikh Hasina's first stint as the PM when he was the Joint Secretary at the South Block. This water accord is India's only successful such pact in South Asia to date.
The recent decision of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) to deny access to enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies to countries which have not signed the NPT has caused serious concern in India. The new foreign secretary would have to ensure that the US, France and Russia, which have signed nuclear deals with India, stand by their commitment that the new guidelines of the nuclear cartel would not come in the way of their nuclear cooperation with this country.
India will have to also use the opportunity of holding the Presidency of the UN Security Council for August to bolster its campaign for a permanent seat on the high table. The top Indian diplomat will also be called upon to give a strong push to India's campaign for a permanent seat at the UNSC during the UN General Assembly session next month. Mathai is considered a quiet diplomat who does his job without making a hue and cry. His colleague recall how he was instrumental in persuading France to become the first country to sign the nuclear deal with India within days of New Delhi getting a nuclear waiver from the NSG in September 2008.
The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News
