PM to lay down ‘Modi Doctrine’ at Second Raisina Hill dialogues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay down the “Modi Doctrine” on Indian foreign policy as he inaugurates the Second Raisina Hill dialogues on January 17 with UK foreign minister Boris Johnson, Nepalese foreign minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, and a host of politicians and military leaders brainstorming in the Capital.

The Raisina Hill dialogues will have participation of over 250 people from 65 nations and will end on January 19.

Top government sources told Hindustan Times that PM Modi apparently sent his confirmation to speak at the dialogue on Wednesday, with his speech expected to focus on economic integration of the neighbourhood as well as increasing the pan-Asian transport connectivity as part of the Act Asia policy. The dialogue will be attended by Sri Lankan military leader-turned-politician Sarath Fonseka, US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry B Harris, former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, former prime minister of Canada Stephen Harper, and former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and power minister Piyush Goyal will also address the gathering along with a host of diplomatic advisers and counter-terror experts.

Styled on the Shangri La Dialogue held annually in Singapore, the theme of the Raisina Hill Dialogues this time is ‘New Normal: Multilateralism and Multipolarity’. The dialogue will begin with foreign secretary S Jaishankar making a presentation on Indian foreign policy and an assessment of the future global trends. India is also planning to start an India-US leadership Forum from next summer where diplomatic and military leaders from both sides can discuss issues of mutual importance.

While the work on PM Modi’s speech has just begun, the Indian leader will focus on the threat of global terror particularly emanating for the neighbourhood and the Islamic State, growing radicalisation as well as reiterate the freedom of navigation on high seas in both Asia and Pacific.