One wonders how serious India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi really is when he talks of inclusive justice and development (Dharma). One finds his stress is very much in tune with the ethics of India’s scriptural commandments on governance (rajdharma). All these commandments prescribe that the Indian government today deliver justice to each and every person irrespective of one’s caste, color, creed or gender. Regrettably, however, his government looks too tolerant towards the devils hostile to the values inherent in India’s scriptural commandments.

The interaction some of the Bollywood functionaries reportedly had with French President Emmanuel Macron during the latter’s recent Mumbai visit is a sad commentary on the functioning of the Modi government from the viewpoint of Dharma. It is believed that during this visit, the Bollywood artistes, who happened to interact with President Macron, included even someone with notorious credentials. The artiste in question has opposed the Government whenever it came forward with any positive measures, such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR), in the interest of India.

One would suggest Prime Minister Modi government may instruct his key intelligence and security agencies to remain vigilant about such interactions and foil them on time. His government must invent such devices in its statecraft as allow no anti-national any access to foreign leaders.

Needless to say, the Modi government would do well not to gloss over the fact that no interaction, like the one referred to above, can take place without some green signal from some top ruling politician somewhere in the governing system. It must constantly bear in mind that contacts between the natives opposed to Indian values and foreign rulers could be purely antithetical to India’s national interest.

One would suggest the Modi government could take a leaf or two from the time-tested prescription of Kautilya — a ruler must maintain a highly developed system of espionage to strictly monitor the interactions between his subjects and foreign rulers.

Fortunately, in their Mumbai dialogue, Prime Minister Modi and President Macron discussed a future roadmap as to how the two nations could cooperate in the areas, including critical minerals, biotechnology, and advanced materials. They also agreed to support all efforts for peace in every region, including the Indo-Pacific.

One hopes relations between India and France would keep growing from strength to strength. it is assuring to note here France has consistently been India’s reliable partner in its diplomatic journey since Independence in 1947. It has supplied to India, from time to time, the items ranging from nuclear reactor technology to advanced weapons systems.

It is worth recalling that in 1998, New Delhi, under then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, conducted nuclear tests.  Incensed over India’s nuclear decision, much of the West ostracized India. But Paris stood by New Delhi.

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