Prime Minister In US
Posted : July 20, 2005 at 9:43 pm [IST]
I was shocked to read a news item that at a time when western media and business strategists are at long last showing increasing interest in India, Indian authorities have turned down a large number of interview requests with the PM citing lack of time.
“Among those who have got the thumbs down are the widely heard and respected National Public Radio, News hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, Fox News’ Neil Cavuto and the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.”
I only wished the media manager of Dr. would have managed to include them. The media today builds the image of a nation. We can look at the coverage China is getting in American and for that matter in Western media. Recently, US News, Time, and Spectrum published special coverage of China. One can visit NY Times or for that matter any of the Western Newspaper site, particularly, the business section, and see how much coverage China is getting.
Curtsey ‘C-Span’ TV Channe@l, we could see and hear Dr. Man Mohan Singh addressing the joint session of Congress live. As I had hardly seen any significant coverage in newspapers or TV news channels of the visit, it was pleasantly surprising. The economist PM was doing his best to sell why India is a natural partner of US and why US must appreciate and assist in India’s endeavor to develop its economy to a growth rate that eliminates its awesome poverty in process.
He hoped Americans would go for FDI in a large way to participate in those sectors where India has opened out. However, surprisingly he would have mentioned a little of his readiness to remove all obstacles to FDI that the Americans would have loved to be assured. He would have talked of providing similar incentives that the other country is providing. Does he hope and assume entrepreneurs to enter India in a big way just out of its natural advantageous positions because of a cheap workforce and a prospective big market, where China is better?
I wish he would have marketed India a little more to the business community of the country and convinced them to shake off their poor perception about Indian bureaucracy and other drawbacks by talking to them with some data and figures as well as some of his action plans. Dr. Singh should have kept some more business meetings in different parts of US, particularly in Silicon Valley.
I also hope he sends his finance minister who can convince Americans better with his charming personality and Stanford background. A visit of our President Dr. Kalam can also make a great impact on Americans and can help in changing their views about India and its democracy.
@ You can hear the speech yourself.
- Indra
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