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AN ECSTASY

India, frankly, needs the UAE more than the other way round

MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN

Abu Dhabi crown prince’s visit should boost India’s Middle East outreach

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here’s no understating the significance of the visit of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi as the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations. That the crown prince will be only the third leader from the Middle East to grace the occasion highlights the growing synergy between India and the United Arab Emirates. This is welcome since India has long been lukewarm towards the Mideast despite sharing historical ties with the region. In order to truly revive Mideast relations New Delhi needs a strategic partner. And UAE with its modern outlook, hunger for an innovation-driven economy, and substantial Indian diaspora perfectly fits the bill. Two-way trade between India and UAE stood at $60 billion in 2014, making UAE India’s primary trading partner in the Mideast. However, there’s considerable room for growth. Add to this the fact that UAE today is looking to diversify its economic portfolio beyond oil and gas by leveraging new technologies. This perfectly syncs with India’s capacities in the IT sector. It will be recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to UAE in 2015 had seen the latter commit to investing $75 billion in Indian infrastructure. This should receive a fillip with the crown prince’s visit, even as New Delhi must scramble to propose projects that will soak up the funds and build its infrastructure. That said, it’s in the security and counterterrorism area that bilateral ties have seen a clear upswing. Both India and UAE face threats from radical Islamist terrorism and groups such as Taliban and Islamic State (IS) are a cause for common concern. Recently, five UAE diplomats were killed in Afghanistan in a bombing attack attributed to the Haqqani network. That should make UAE more amenable to seeing India’s point of view on the Haqqani network, Taliban and their Pakistani sponsors. UAE has already deported several Indians linked to IS over the last couple of years. Institutionalisation of such counterterror cooperation is imperative for security in the region. Overall, it’s commendable that New Delhi is now reversing its tendency of viewing the Mideast as a diplomatic minefield with too many political and sectarian cross-currents – which ceded the Gulf to Pakistan as its ‘natural’ South Asian ally. Geopolitical circumstances today also provide India with enhanced opportunities to do so. And UAE can certainly serve as India’s springboard to the Gulf.

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Fun fact: A large part of Star Wars – The Force Awakens was shot in the desert landscape of the UAE. But it was Bollywood that created the futuristic sets of the most recent George Lucas creation for an Abu Dhabi company. Gulf Arabs ideally want the marriage of Bollywood and Hollywood on their sands. On the geopolitical level, they say they have been waiting for India to claim its space in the region for years, a space that continues to be dominated by the US. The sands are shifting, compelling India to look west in a way it hadn’t done before. As the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan takes the spotlight as chief guest for Republic Day. The journey that began with the visit of late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 2006 moves to the next level. Investment and economic opportunity are strong attractions – India is looking at over $60 billion in investment interests by the third largest economy in the Gulf region. The UAE is interested in ports, highways, airports in India. The UAE’s big sovereign wealth funds, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Mubadla-IPIC want to make India their next big destination. Can India make it worth their while? India has a poor history here – the road is strewn with the debris of Etisalat, Emaar and DB World, all of whom bear the scars of previous forays into India. So the Modi government has a tougher job making them second time lucky. Talking to senior ministers in the UAE in the past days, it is clear they want to go into India. But the maze of central and state regulations, land acquisition, unpredictability in tax regimes keeps them up at night. China’s already ahead of India here, no surprise. India frankly, needs the UAE more than the other way round. A large market is less important than where the market

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verybody loves a good parade, but can the Soviet-style displays of military might be dispensed with on India’s annual Republic Day parade? Do we really think we can overawe our enemies with tacky tableaux of missiles and ships, along with some real tanks and aircraft, all conjoined with colourful arrays of horse- and camel-mounted troops? Not to mention that the tanks and aircraft on display turn out to be advertisements for the Russian and American military industrial complexes, which may be equally keen to sell the same equipment to India’s enemies as well. Some say such displays are not meant for the sophisticated but for the simple-minded, for whom they suffice to keep the testosterone pumping. India is not Finland or Denmark which can flourish in a friendly neighbourhood – so goes the argument – instead it is surrounded by inimical powers such as Pakistan and China, both of which are security-heavy praetorian states, and it consequently needs a decent intake of young men (and women) to staff its armed forces. In this scheme of things, having a military component to the annual Republic Day parade is an essential device to keep up its morale. That argument does have some traction; moreover it may be a good idea to bring in some variation in the annual ritual by doing such things as having a French marching contingent (as was the case in last year’s Republic Day parade) or one from the UAE (as is planned this year). These are signs of slow change. But sooner or later we must face up to the fact that military march pasts are approaching their sell-by date. After all many other nations also face credible military threats, yet keep their morale up without resorting to archaic military displays.

is headed – high-tech manufacturing, creative industries, innovation pods, not merely consumers. The UAE recognised this ages ago and is investing massively in the future. All you have to do is sit in a driverless pod in Masdar City to get to your destination and see the possibilities of a future where you can store solar energy in batteries not yet invented, or build zero carbon homes for future families. That ought to be our future, we need partners who have already started on this journey. The Saudis only plan to diversify from oil. Dubai’s revenues have already whittled down to only 5% oil, Abu Dhabi is down to the low 60s. It’s important for both India and the UAE to look beyond Pakistan. With 8 million Indians living and working, making tons of money, innovating, creating, and most important, peaceful, it’s inevitable that these countries will compare them to the crime-ridden Pakistanis and come to the only

Gulf Arabs ideally want the marriage of Bollywood and Hollywood on their sands. On the geopolitical level, they say they have been waiting for India to claim its space in the region for years logical conclusion. The UAE too needs to wean itself away from Pakistan’s terror syndicates all of whom had/ have huge business interests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – read Dawood Ibrahim, and a slew of other smaller ones. Senior officials in the UAE swear they have begun. Slow steps, but in the past three years, there have been no high level Pakistani official visits to the UAE. They are beginning to get it. The killing of five UAE diplomats in

Shantanu Nagarkatti

The Devas gathered before Brahma with folded hands and begged him to join them in prayers to the Supreme Lord. “The Asuras now rule Svarga, the home of the Devas. As is the nature of the Demons, they have banished mention of God from schools and public institutions.

They have disabled the access control of Svarga. No longer only home to the Devas, undeserving Trishankus of every description swarm over Svarga. They threaten to outnumber the natural inhabitants and meritorious arrivals.” Unborn Devas cry out in distress, “The Asuras encourage our sacrifice at the altar of Demons of Choice. In the name of these Demons half the

women in Svarga raise their children without men.” From the void came the Voice. “The Saviour of Svarga having already taken birth – enters his seventh decade. He will represent the disempowered, the disenfranchised, the oppressed and the true traditional populace of Svarga. Coming from the ranks of the wealthy Yakshas, tall and large, with hair the colour of the Sun and a face the colour of Mars, he shall repeatedly hold up the Gyan Mudra. Intemperate and harsh in speech, he shall transcend all sweet words to give Voice to the oppressed Devas. With the battle cry of ‘Make Svarga Great Again’ he will rally the Devas and occupy the seat of the next Indra. Empowered by Me, who contains all the Multiverses within, the next Indra unrestrained and not tempered

“Intemperate and harsh in speech, he shall transcend all sweet words to give Voice to the oppressed Devas”

dilbert

Sacredspace Just The Same Culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other better in their soul, it is easier to overcome economic and political barriers. But first they have to understand that their neighbour has the same problems, questions.

The only way to tackle the problem of black money is perpetual demonetisation Jug Suraiya

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by the weight of Office shall remain disruptive and revolutionary. The scribes across the three worlds shall be inimical to this Indra. Yet, he shall speak to the people through 140 characters delivered through a universal messenger. The Devas and the righteous shall hail his victory. The Asuras, and the godless who follow the adharma of neo liberalism shall rail and lament, holding protests in large numbers.” And so it came to pass that a new Indra advanced to victory; a politically incorrect Indra as the voice of people long suppressed, larger than the Office of Indra and larger than life itself. All Hail the new Indra! This Indra shall change not just Svarga (making it great again) but all the three worlds. The writer is a surgeon and spiritual teacher

Dough nuts The PM and FM having a powwow. PM: People are saying i’m a dough nut. FM: A doughnut? Why would anyone call you a doughnut? Because you’re such a sweet guy? PM: No, no. Not a doughnut as in one word. A dough nut, as in two words. A guy who’s become a nut about dough. And what’s made me a nut about dough is black money. FM: I know what you mean. No sooner do you demonetise to get rid of all the black money than the darn thing comes back in some form or the other. PM: It’s like one of those boomerang things – you think you’ve got rid of it and it comes right back and wallops you on the back of your head. It’s enough to make one a dough nut. So we’re going to have monetary Trotskyism. FM: Monetary Trotskyism? What’s that? PM: Trotsky said that there must be perpetual revolution. We must have perpetual demonetisation. That’s the only way to get rid of black money. FM: Perpetual demonetisation? Wow. That’s like a perpetual motion machine. Which science says is not possible. PM: Science, fience. What does stupid science know about these things? FM: So how do we go about setting perpetual demonetisation in motion? I know we’re already planning to demonetise the new 2,000 rupee note once the state elections are over, but what do we demonetise after that? PM: For demonetisation to work, it’s got to come as a complete surprise. Even to us. We can do eenie-meenie-mina-moh and demonetise whatever denomination note we end up with, 100 rupees, 50, 10 bucks, whatever. That’ll put paid to black money. FM: But won’t all the black money simply go to Switzerland? PM: Then we’ll demonetise Switzerland. FM: Demonetise Switzerland? What fun. Then people won’t call us dough nuts. They’ll call us cuckoo – as in cuckoo clocks.

Kandahar by what appears to be a joint operation between the Haqqani network and Pakistan’s friendly neighbourhood ISI has stunned this state. They supported the Taliban, and even today hesitate to criticise them. But they can’t wrap their heads around the fact that Sirajuddin Haqqani is also the top gun of the Taliban today. It brings them uncomfortably close to their other big fear – of being overwhelmed by Daesh or whatever is its successor. The UAE authorities are desperately plugging every loophole they can find. The Friday sermon is written by the government and every imam is expected to read just that, nothing more. Their ministry of tolerance brings together other religions, practices with a message of inclusion. Their 22-year-old minister for youth has started “youth circles” to reach out to the next generation, inculcate values of toleration and moderation, but closely monitor their online activities. Another organisation, Hedayah, working with other countries to clean school textbooks, ropes in families to counter extremism. And they all wonder how so few Indians have joined al-Qaida. The UAE’s vision for itself has a large space for what they see are Indian values. That’s important for us. India itself is looking at playing a greater security role in this region, and therefore defence and security cooperation with the UAE is big. The Gulf Arabs are simultaneously looking at a less-interested US, more belligerent Iran and terrorism challenges that could upend their carefully built economic marvel. That’s where India should come in. Indian initiatives in Yemen and Iraq have displayed Indian capabilities, India now has the space to grow its security footprint further. China is bigger, more efficient, a bigger market. Why then do the Gulf Arabs look at India? First, history. Second, China’s close relations with Iran and Pakistan. Third, China’s strategic rival, US, is India’s strategic ally. It makes a world of difference.

Mythology for modern times: This Indra will make Svarga great again, and change all the three worlds

Republic Day Ritual Does a nation founded by Gandhi really need to parade its military might?

THE TIMES OF INDIA, AHMEDABAD WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017

Starting To Look West

A thought for today Our reliance upon knowledge and scientific thinking is the only way to bring our nation to the stage of qualitative, non-oil production

Bridge The Gulf

OF IDEAS

Chad Crowe

16

Paulo Coelho

Radical But Loving Vision For A Golden Future Talk: Osho

ccording to me, (right now) law is not for protection of the just, it is for protection of the crowd mind; whether it is just or unjust does not matter. Law is against the individual and for the crowd. It is an effort to reduce the individual and his freedom, and his possibility of being himself. The latest scientific researches say that many of those who are termed as criminals are not responsible for their crimes; they inherit that tendency. Now it is almost an established scientific fact that punishing anybody for any crime is simply idiotic. It is almost like punishing somebody because he has tuberculosis – or sending him to jail because he is suffering from cancer. All criminals are sick, psychologically and spiritually. In my vision of a commune, the courts will not consist of law experts;

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they will consist of people who understand human nature and hereditary and other factors. The wrongdoer has to be sent to the right institution; maybe a hospital, or a psychiatric institution, or a psychoanalytic school. He needs our sympathy, love and help. Instead, for centuries we have been giving him punishment. Man has committed so much cruelty behind such beautiful names as order, law and justice. The new man will have no jails, judges and legal experts. There will certainly have to be sympathetic scientists; meditative, compassionate beings, to work out why it happened that a certain man committed rape, for instance. Is it because of lack of spiritual dimension and guidance when dealing with overactive hormones, oppressive poverty or some other psychological affliction? Such offenders need to

be taught to cool down, calm down. By punishing, you cannot change his hormones. Throwing him in jail, you will perhaps create more of a pervert. The new commune of man will be based on science, not on superstition. If somebody does something harmful to the commune, then his body has to be looked into; he needs some physiological/ biological change. His mind has to be looked into – perhaps psychoanalysis. The deepest possibility is that neither body nor mind are of much help; that means he needs a deep spiritual regeneration, a deep meditative cleansing. Instead of courts, we should have meditative centres of different kinds, so every unique individual can find his own way. And instead of law experts, we need scientific people of different persuasions to deal with offenders, because somebody may

the

speaking tree

have a chemical defect, another may have a biological or physiological defect. We need all these kinds of experts, of all persuasions and schools of psychology, all types of meditators, and we can transform people who have been victims of unknown forces ... and who have been punished by us. They have suffered in a double sense. First, they are suffering from an unknown biological force. Second, they are suffering at the hands of your judges; it is so insane that future human beings will not be able to believe it. It is almost the same with the past. The new man (in an ideal commune of the future) can live without any law, without any courts and lawyers. Love will be his law. Understanding will be his order. Science will be, in every difficult situation, his last resort. (Abridged from The Golden Future. Osho Times International, Osho Times International Foundation, www.osho.com)