Speaking at an interaction on 'Trends in Indian Foreign Policy', organized by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), ORF Mumbai Chapter, Prof. S D Muni of Jawaharlal Nehru University, ... more
Speaking at an interaction on 'Trends in Indian Foreign Policy', organized by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), ORF Mumbai Chapter, Prof. S D Muni of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, who is also Honorary Director, Research, ORF, said, on August 11, 2004, that Indian foreign policy is increasingly getting an economic thrust.
This trend has been demonstrated by India's keenness to forge good economic linkages with countries of the Far East, as can be discerned by India's 'Look East Policy, Prof Muni said. He explained that the rephrasing of BIMST-EC (Bagladesh, India, Myannmar, Singapore, Thailand Economic Cooperation) as the 'Bay of Bengal Economic Community' was to ensure that the regional forum belonged to the countries of the region.
Prof. Muni also noted that there has been a positive shift in India's relations both with Pakistan and China and that people-to-people interaction between India and Pakistan has been on the rise, which has contributed to improved relations between the two countries.
In response to a question if the United States had a role to play in resolving the Kashmir issue, Prof. Muni stated that it should best be left to India and Pakistan to resolve the issue bilaterally.
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