C Raja Mohan and Happymon Jacob offer a comprehensive analysis on Dr. Manmohan Singh’s legacy as Prime Minister in the foreign policy realm. They highlight both positive and negative aspects of his policies, perhaps over-emphasizing the latter.
I agree that Singh had to work under considerable challenges posed by the political and bureaucratic establishment and his own personality’s penchant for being less vocal in public on the rationale of what he wanted to achieve or claiming credit for them. He did not achieve everything he set his eyes on, especially peace in the region. However, the legacy of a leader needs to be studied with respect to the comparative achievements and failures of others who preceded him as well as those followed him. In addition, the key marker should be what he achieved in the long run rather than in the short term. I would argue that Singh’s achievements are underrated, especially their long-term implications, largely because the big picture is missing in many of the discussions on his legacy.
I contend Singh stands out as the key figure in bringing India the recognition of a rising power, more than any other prime minister in India’s history. The systemic opportunities provided by the end of the Cold War, as well as the accelerated economic globalisation, offered India many opportunities for greater status recognition in the world order. Singh actualised many of the earlier efforts in making India accepted as a rising power by the world. He did not achieve everything he aimed at, but his policies helped India both domestically and internationally, and the current regime, led by Narendra Modi, is making full use of those initiatives.
