hindustantimes

§

e sta b l i s h e d i n 1 9 24

HINDUSTAN TIMES, NEW D ELHI THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018

comment

§

14

Trump’s act will unsettle many

Mending fences with a neighbour Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit will underline India’s socio­cultural links with Nepal

Oil prices in India could rise after US’ exit from the Iran deal

I

SWARAN SINGH

n the end, President Donald Trump delivered on yet another of his campaign promises by pulling the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, which was aimed at putting a cap on Tehran’s atomic weapons and uranium enrichment programmes. The move wasn’t much of a surprise even to the closest allies of the US,

what with Mr Trump losing no oppor-

ourtake

tunity to run down the deal since he assumed office last year. But it was yet another instance of the Trump administration abandoning a deal or arrangement without putting in place or working towards a replacement – a surefire way to ensure a vacuum, and uncertainty for a key deal that was meant to reduce instability in West Asia, hardly a region known for stability over the past several decades. Even Mr Trump’s vague promise of being “ready, willing, and able” to negotiate a “new and lasting deal” means little, especially when his actions show the US cannot be perceived as a responsible player in negotiating and standing by international or multilateral arrangements. His action is all the more surprising as it comes weeks ahead of a meeting with of Kim Jong Un of North

A

month after Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli visited India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Nepal on Friday . Next month may see Modi in Nepal again for the long-overdue Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit. Friday’s visit, however, comes after a gap of 41 months. Modi last visited Nepal in August and November of 2014. Among other irritants, Nepal’s 2015 constitution was to become their bone of contention pushing Kathmandu towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This has since become the most important challenge for India’s engagement with Nepal. Then, what sets this visit part? Modi’s foreign policy today increasingly underlines a clear understanding of India’s asymmetry with China and seeks to calibrate India’s strengths. Modi’s Nepal visit will see him underline India’s deep socio-cultural links with Nepal as also their economic inter-dependence. This is how India seeks to address its anxieties about China’s aggressive pur-

suit of high-speed mega infrastructure projects. Second, Modi will also seek to repair the damage in his personal equations. Oli had been strong in his critique of India interfering in Nepal’s internal affairs, of that infamous 135-day-long blockade and for toppling his government in August 2016. Now, back with a bigger Left-alliance that received a 2/3rd majority in national elections last November-December, Oli talks of national pride and for recasting the historic 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship that binds Nepal to consult India before entering any security relationship with any other nation. China also adds to his strength. Last May, Nepal signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation under BRI. In April, Nepal’s foreign minister, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, announced in Beijing Kathmandu’s decision to expedite work on building trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity incorporating projects on rail, road, dry ports, electricity, communications and air transport. China has initiated the extension of their Xining-Lhasa rail to Nepal’s border, in addition to three roads connecting Nepal to China. Beijing has also promised to deliver the international airport at Pokhara by 2021. Of imminent concern to India remains their feasibility studies on rail link connecting Kerung (on the Nepal-China border) to Kathmandu and Lumbini (on Nepal-India border).

Korea, which is possibly looking at an Iran-like deal to even think about rolling back its nuclear programme.

n

Janaki temple in Janakpur, and pray at the Muktinath temple in Pokhara. Modi will address a civil reception at Baarhabigha, as well as at the Indian embassy’s pension camp in Pokhara. In Kathmandu, he will have multiple receptions and call on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, and hold talks with Oli. None of these are expected to clinch any agreements but focus on building trust by expediting implementation of existing commitments. As his special presents, Modi will announce, along with Oli, Janakpur joining the Ramayana Circuit, construction of two temple dharmshalas and asphalting the city’s ring road that were promised during President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit in November 2016. Modi’s presents could include high-tech equipment for the Kathmandu city hospital, plus city urbanisation or infrastructure projects. At Muktinath, Modi may announce another temple dharamshala and restoration projects. For economic integration, Modi and Oli will remotely lay the foundation of the 900-megawatt Arun III hydro-electricity project, further expand inland waterways to facilitate Nepal’s ocean-connect and join the groundbreaking ceremony of South Asia’s first pipeline to bring relief for energy starved Nepal. Finally, as election campaign ends in Karnataka on May 10, the prime minister’s Nepal visit will be widely covered by the media, which makes Modi’s Nepal visit of great significance for his politics at home.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Nepal PM KPS Oli, New Delhi, April 7 SONU MEHTA/HT

China has played its cards well. Only a week before Gyawali made that announcement in Beijing, Modi had offered Oli to connect the border town of Raxaul in Bihar to Kathmandu by rail. And three days after Gyawali’s announcement, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi was to formally propose the China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who was visiting for a foreign ministers meet of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Potentially, such free access to China in Nepal raises questions regarding various special arrangements in India-Nepal relations, especially their porous borders. This explains the why and how of Modi’s visit, during which he will offer a puja at the

Swaran Singh is professor of international relations, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi The views expressed are personal

How to manage talent in an era of disruption

N AT I O N A L H E R O

Giving up on the deal will only increase uncertainty about the US among its allies and contribute to its diminishing status as a global player. As former President Barack Obama, who helped fashion the deal, has pointed out, the deal helped in rolling back

India needs to set aside adequate financial resources for education, healthcare and skill development

Tehran’s nuclear programme, removing more than 13,000 centrifuges and eliminating 97% of its enriched uranium stockpile. Mr Trump’s action will have consequences for India, for whom Iran is the third largest oil supplier. Oil prices, already at a four-

RANA KAPOOR

year high, could rise further, affecting domestic inflation. India’s plans to build a trade and transit corridor around Iran’s Chabahar port to access Afghanistan and Central Asian states, while bypassing Pakistan, too could be hit by potential US sanctions. Perhaps the only hope is Iran’s indication that it will work with other powers to salve the deal but even here, Indian support for such a move could end up increasing its divergence from the US on a crucial global issue.

§

n

When ‘freak’ weather is the new normal Indiamustdomuchmoretobuild climate-resilientpublicinfrastructure

I

Justice Rajindar Sachar (left) with Swami Agnivesh in Mumbai. Justice Sachar opted to be the voice for those whose human rights were being infringed upon HINDUSTAN TIMES

Rajindar Sachar walked on the path of truth The legal luminary didn’t expect rewards because he pursued his passions, and that was the ultimate prize SANIL SACHAR

f there is one popular conversation starter across the world, it is the weather. Of late, however, the subject is no more a conversation starter, but often a conversation driver. Here’s

why: Last week, at least 124 people were killed and more than 300 others injured in five states as a dust storm and rain swept north and west India. This sudden downpour, which was caused by western disturbance, was followed up by a high-velocity dust storm in north India on Monday. In Uttarakhand, pilgrims have been stranded in Kedarnath after unseasonal snowfall. While the latest round of weather conditions may not be linked to climate change, there is no denying that extreme weather conditions — such as floods and drought in the same year — are becoming the new normal in India. There are more incidents of heat waves, which then help in the formation of thunderstorms, and heavy rainfall within a short period of time, adversely affecting not just humans but also agriculture. While a lot is being planned to ensure that the march of climate change is halted, the truth is that we are not investing enough in resilience and adaptability. “Climate change is an emerging concern for city governments across the world. Though, in India, climate change does not yet figure as one of the primary considerations while urban planning. Besides this, even if a city has an environmental or sustaina-

O

n April 20, the world lost a man who gave everything for the betterment of his country. The world knows him as Justice Rajindar Sachar. I know him asDada. I’ll neverknow himfor the work he did or how you remember him, but I know for sure that he loved every moment of his life. From the moment I saw him first to the moments I know as the last, he always had a smile on his face. He departed leaving a baton for others to take forward. A mind of an architect, he planned from the beginning to the end. After his retirement in 1985, when he could have put his feet up, he did the exact opposite. Retirement was a beginning of relentless work as a human rights activist. A former two-term president of the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), he opted to be the voice for those whose human rights were being infringed. A man true to his birth name, ‘Sachar’, he walked on the path of truth, leaving no room for rewards. Refusing the Padma Vibushan was one such decision that baffled me, till it was made clear. He didn’t expect rewards because he pursued his passions, and that was the ultimate reward. The bringing out of the report on the Social, Economic and Edu-

cational conditions of the Muslims, aka the ‘Sachar Committee’, was a time I witnessed a true hero, as he worked tirelessly with a core team to reveal the true condition of the Muslim community in India and proposed several remedies to benefit it. His energy was evident in his light eyes. Always accompanied by sweets in the depth of the pockets of his Nehru jackets, I soon learned the pockets were broad simply to stack more treats, for which he had a weakness and no shortage. I’ve been asked several times what it is like to be the grandson of a stalwart. I never seem to give a satisfactory answer. Simply because for me, Dada was never Justice Sachar. He was a grandfather who, like the best lawyers, knew the micro details of my life but was never judgmental, even when our opinions varied. During my teen years, I remember sitting at the dining table with him. In his calm demeanour, after narrating anecdotes of his eventful past, he told me: “Whatever you do, always stay humble.” Ever since my preadolescence years, much before I aspired to be a writer, he’d ask me to write an article for him on each of my adventures. It was Dada who prepared me to write about the insights of a man who lived adventurously for the people. From narrating me stories of the Mahabharata, to calling at midnight on my birthday, or winning every tennis bet,there is no compensation for the riches he has left with his departure. To Justice Sachar, who I know as Dada. Sanil Sachar is a co­founder of Huddle and a motivational speaker The views expressed are personal

A

s we enter the global era of disruption characterised by a combination of parallel forces of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, firms and businesses are faced with multiple challenges: identifying talents with unique skill and finding the leaders of tomorrow who are meant to be looking at new solutions and offerings, redefining competitive advantage, restructuring and exercising strategic talent management. At the same time, India is experiencing the demographic sweet spot where the working age population shall continue to increase till 2030. Without a visionary talent management ability we will end up wasting a massive potential with the longterm threat to social cohesion. The collective intellect and intensity of modern India presents the opportunity to undertake pre-emptive measures, which could enable us to contribute and benefit from this latest era of disruption. Developing and empowering human capital to make a seamless shift and adapt to the new technology world is key to making sense of India’s huge demographic dividend. Despite the sweeping recognition about how vital it is to invest in both the quantity and the quality of jobs for youth, efforts remain fragmented and lack scale. There needs to be a cohesive plan to strengthen the workforce and enable a successful and smooth transition to the digital era. The strategic management of human resources is critical both at the national level as well as at an enterprise level in this era of disruption. India ranks 51 among 63 countries in IMD World Talent Ranking 2017. This has improved marginally from 56 since the ratings started in 2013. China has shown greater improvement from 48 to 40 during

IRRESPECTIVE OF BUSINESS GROWTH AND ECONOMIC CYCLES, WORKFORCE AGILITY HAS TO BE ENSURED WITH A HEAVY DOSE OF MOTIVATION, TRAINING AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING

this period. An integrated talent management plan for a country like India faces some structural challenges. First, there is an huge migration of talent from the north to the south and west of the country, which account for 70% of job opportunities. While some internal churning is good news, adequate gainful opportunities in the north and east of India is important, especially in UP and Bihar. Second is the issue with vocational education and skills. A credible and robust skill ecosystem needs to be put in place urgently, so that vocational education becomes aspirational and contributes to manufacturing and trade services growth. Next, India needs to set aside adequate financial resources for education and healthcare. Social sector spend stands at 7.5% of GDP, which is lower than all OECD countries and most developing countries. Finally, we have to find ways to increase female participation in the labour force. However, in this era of flux, leaders and HR managers are faced with twin challenges. One can be a bit too late in capturing the trend and risk becoming outdated in the marketplace, resulting in loss in competitive edge or customer centricity. Every CEO has an added responsibility of keeping up with the technology prowess of the firm’s human resources. However, this is easier said than done, with every available channel of communication busy analysing how much of the workforce shall become redundant due to these technologies. At the end of the day, the leader at the helm has to identify which one of the disruptions shall have a lasting impact on business and merit immediate management attention and investments. The second challenge is over-exuberance in pushing through fancy ideas which could cause an unnecessary churn in well-entrenched departments or personnel dedicated to specific roles. The job of a CEO and HR manager is to balance these two aspects and build a robust and dynamic environment while ensuring broader stability of the workforce. A cardinal guideline of managing this situation is putting the customer at the centre of the thought process while devising skills and workforce development strategies. In addition, enterprises have to be mindful of allocating adequate resources to invest in innovation. Irrespective of business growth and economic cycles, workforce agility has to be ensured with a heavy dose of motivation, training and continuous learning. Having an agile work environment that can reinvent itself is necessary when the future is uncertain. Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO, Yes Bank The views expressed are personal

bility goal outlined in its vision statement, it is often observed that it is not translated into the design elements of infrastructure

Vijai Pant

and services,” says a report by TERI, Planning Climate and Resilient Coastal Cities. It is critical to invest in climate-smart infrastructure ---- water management, transport, and energy to name a few ---- because they provide critical social and economic services not only to the city but also to regions beyond that. These need to be done now because changing them requires a significant amount of lead time to design and implement.

innervoice

WHEREVER YOU GO, LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS OF KINDNESS AND LOVE

While catastrophes bring out the best in us, with tales of kindness and generosity providing a silver lining among darkness and gloom everywhere, in our everyday lives, we are quite miserly as far as kindness is concerned. In fact, traits like kindness and soft-heartedness are considered to be liabilities in this go-getter world. Lady Macbeth wanted to see her husband Macbeth be anointed the king of Denmark in the Shakespearean play Macbeth. She

was worried that he was “too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way” to the throne. Similarly, in our ruthless pursuit of ambitions, while trying to reach our goals by any means, fair or foul, we let our virtues like kindness fall by the wayside. Kindness is anoble virtue whichhas been given to all living beings by god. American writer Mark Twain had said, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” However, some of us are guilty of keeping this virtue suppressed and

some do not want to share it beyond our immediate family, relatives and friends. Showing kindness to others by way of kind words and deeds not only has a positive effect on the receiver, it also psychologically uplifts the giver. Hence, we should always strive to leave footprints of love and kindness wherever we go. (Inner Voice comprises contributions from our readers The views expressed are personal) n

[email protected]

R. N. I. No. 530/1957 ● Postal Reg. No. DL(ND)-11/6058/2018-19-20 ‘Licensed to post without prepayment’ LICENCE No. U(C)-113/2006-08, AIR SURCHARGE: Raipur and beyond by Rail or Road - Re 5/-, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Hyderabad, Khajuraho, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and beyond by Rail or Road - Rs. 10/-; PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY SHARAD SAXENA for and on behalf of HT Media Ltd. 18-20, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110001 and printed at HT Media Ltd. Presses at Plot No.-8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar. (UP). Pin-201306, B-2, Sector 63, Noida, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar. (UP), Rajasthan Patrika Pvt. Ltd., Sector-V, Phase-IV-E, Near Bambala Pulia, Opp. M.P.S. School, Pratap Nagar, Jaipur (Rajasthan). BOARD: (011)23361234 ● EDITORIAL: (011)66561234 Extn. 1254, 1268 ● CIRCULATION: (011)66561111 ● ADVERTISING: (011)66561389 ● FAX: (011)66561270. MANAGING EDITOR: SOUMYA BHATTACHARYA

PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY PRESSREADER

PressReader.com +1 604 278 4604 ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY

COPYRIGHT AND PROTECTED BY APPLICABLE LAW