Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been named "Asian of the Year 2014" for being a "development-focused" leader who also fashioned an impressive victory for his Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in the year's national elections.Under his leadership the nation also picked up the growth baton from China.
Despite being relatively new to the job, Modi had already made a mark on Asia, reaching out to neighbors and receiving national leaders including Xi Jinping of China and Tony Abbott of Australia.He also has had a highly successful visit to Japan for a summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In January, he will receive President Barack Obama of the US, the first time that a US leader will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations of India.
Terming Modi, 64, as the first Indian premier to be born after the nation's independence, the paper said its editors picked him for a host of factors, notably his campaigns such as "Toilets before Temples" and "Make in India" that have energized India socially and politically.
If his "Make in India" campaign is pursued with friendlier investment climate and less rigid labour norms, it could fire the growth of this $2 trillion economy and the region at large, especially when China as number one is slowing and Japan as number two is in recession.
Also given its huge market, the travelers who fill up hotel rooms and cruise ships from Singapore to Sydney, its hunger for capital goods and commodities, a resurgent India will be a boon for the region and the world.
In the six months he has been in office, the country’s key stock index has treaded record highs. Investors are beginning to return to India. If a single person is responsible for this, it is Modi.
As much for Modi's performance as a growth-focused provincial administrator as for the promise of what is to come for India under his leadership, The Straits Times declares Prime Minister Narendra Modi Asian of the Year for 2014.
The editors also noted with satisfaction Modi's priority to build ties in India's much neglected immediate neighborhood, while promising at the Asean summit in Myanmar last month a new era of partnership to translate India's "Look East" policy into an "Act East" policy.
It was also said it was cognizant of the criticism and concern that has been voiced about Modi's handling of the communal violence that took place in Gujarat in his first months as chief minister. Also that Gujarat, under Modi, has had a healthy period of communal peace since, and adding his development focus, the emphasis on cleanliness and the protection of women are helping the vast nation focus on a better life and equal opportunities for all its citizens.
Editor Warren Fernandez said when President Xi and Prime Minister Abe were last year named joint winners; it was in recognition that they will be committed to fulfilling their national aspirations. At the same time, the award came with the call to both leaders to work together to lower tensions between their two nations and to consider a summit meeting and then the two finally shook hands and sat down together in November.
For the same reason,the award to Modi is as much a recognition of his record as a strong administrator who has propelled his home state, Gujarat, to global attention, as for the promise of re-energising larger India.
Modi has got India and the world excited about his country's prospects again.
He has given the people of India a renewed sense of direction and purpose, and there are hopeful signs that he is minded to using his strong mandate to good effect in one of Asia's major powers.
Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com
No comments:
Post a Comment