Friends don’t snoop on each other: India’s stern message to Obama administration

During her maiden meeting with United States' Secretary of Defence, John Kerry, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has categorically told that alleged snooping of the BJP, which was revealed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, was ‘unacceptable' and asked for an assurance that it will not happen in near future. With this stern message to the Obama administration, the Narendra Modi government has sent clear signals that unlike its predecessors, UPA, it won't tolerate such breach of its privacy laws.

What did Sushma tell Kerry?

"I told Secretary Kerry that this was completely unacceptable to us as India and US are friendly countries. Friends don't snoop on each other," Swaraj told reporters after the 5th India-US strategic dialogue with Kerry.

US has a habit of snooping its friends

Snowden's secret revelations on US National Security Agency's snooping on various countries charted India among its top targets. The documents provided by Snowden further revealed BJP's name, apart from Lebanon's Amal, which has links with dreaded terror outfit Hezbollah, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, Palestine's Hamas and Pakistan Peoples' Party to be snooped upon with the instruction of the US government.

US had a long history of breaching trust of friendly nations by tapping phones of several world leaders. Obama administration recently faced severe criticism after reports of phone tapping of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Beginning of a new era

Starting with this tough moves, India has set the beginning of new era of bilateral relations between the two sides and it will no more bear unnecessary interference from its friend nations.

The Modi Government gave another blow to Washington and other developed European Union nations by sticking to its tough stand over World Trade Organisation (WTO) protocol on the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and notwithstanding the pressure by the Washington.

India's concern on WTO

India has its concern about food subsidy and stockpile of food grains and wants it to be addressed first before signing the TFA. TFA is largely seen as an effort by developed countries to access vast markets of new growing economy of the developing country.

The current WTO norms limit the value of food subsidies at 10 per cent of the total value of food grain production. However, the support is calculated at the prices that are over two-decade old. India is asking for a change in the base year (1986-88) for calculating the food subsidies. India wants a change taking into account inflation and currency fluctuation.

A "shocked" US has blamed India for the collapse of the talks for a TFA and said that New Delhi taking a hardline position has put WTO's future in "uncertain ground".

But, India's firm stand has sent a clear message to the US and other developed countries that unlike Manmohan Singh-led UPA regime, the new NDA dispensation under Modi is not going to appease them at the cost of its own national interest. This bold move has affirmed Narendra Modi government's attitude that for them its people are its priority. And gone are the days when India used to fall in line with Washington's wish.