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91-608: The region is contested by China, America, and Japan, with India recently engaging as well as part of its Act East policy and overall rise on the world stage. In ancient times, the central country in much of the region was China, with the Chinese diaspora creating economic integration throughout. Columbus's 1492 voyage to the Americas marked the beginning of the European expansion which would lead to trans-Pacific contact between Asia and

182-420: A Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with Malaysia and an Early Harvest Scheme with Thailand, while it is negotiating agreements with Japan , South Korea , and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. Ties have been strengthened with Taiwan , Japan and South Korea over common emphasis on democracy, human rights and strategic interests. South Korea and Japan remain amongst

273-577: A regional power and a counterweight to the strategic influence of the People's Republic of China . Initiated in 1991 as the Look East policy during the government of Prime Minister Narsimha Rao (1991–1996), it marked a strategic shift in India’s perspective of the world. It was rigorously pursued by the successive administrations of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998–2004) and Manmohan Singh (2004–2014). In 2014,

364-584: A BJP conference in Mumbai in November 1995, BJP President Advani declared that Vajpayee would be the party's prime ministerial candidate in the forthcoming elections. Vajpayee himself was reported to be unhappy with the announcement, responding by saying that the party needed to win the election first. The BJP became the single largest party in Parliament in the 1996 general election , helped by religious polarisation across

455-728: A Hindu right-wing political party associated with the RSS. He was appointed as a national secretary of the party in charge of the Northern region, based in Delhi. He soon became a follower and aide of party leader Syama Prasad Mukherjee . In the 1957 Indian general election , Vajpayee contested elections to the Lok Sabha , the lower house of the Indian Parliament . He lost to Raja Mahendra Pratap in Mathura , but

546-646: A Master of Arts in political science from DAV College, Kanpur , Agra University . His activism started in Gwalior with Arya Kumar Sabha, the youth wing of the Arya Samaj movement, of which he became the general secretary in 1944. He also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1939 as a swayamsevak , or volunteer. Influenced by Babasaheb Apte , he attended the Officers Training Camp of

637-572: A major and stable source of energy for its growing domestic needs, countering Chinese monopoly over Burmese resources and reducing dependence on oil-rich Middle Eastern nations. Although China remains Burma's largest military supplier, India has offered to train Burma's military personnel and has sought their cooperation in curbing separatist militants and the heavy drug trafficking affecting much of Northeast India . Meanwhile China has won contracts harnessing more than 2.88–3.56 trillion cubits of natural gas in

728-558: A part of China, which was welcomed by the Chinese leadership, and which, in the following year, recognised Sikkim as part of India. China–India relations improved greatly in the following years. Vajpayee's government introduced many domestic economic and infrastructural reforms, including encouraging the private sector and foreign investments, reducing governmental waste, encouraging research and development and privatisation of some government owned corporations. Among Vajpayee's projects were

819-672: A result of attempts by the region to balance China's growing influence in the area. Notably, Japan brought India into ASEAN+6 to dilute the ASEAN+3 process, where China is dominant, while Singapore and Indonesia played a significant role in bringing India into the East Asia Summit . The United States and Japan have also lobbied for India's membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Numerous infrastructure projects also serve to tie India closer to East Asia. India

910-413: A role in conquering Pacific Asia around the same time, reaching the peak of its power when it drove European powers out of the region during World War 2 . In the aftermath of World War 2 and Allied victory over Japan , America participated heavily throughout Pacific Asia, tolerating the authoritarianism that characterized the regimes in the region due to its need for anti-communist allies to prosecute

1001-744: A speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. In 1979, Desai and Vajpayee resigned, triggering the collapse of the Janata Party. The erstwhile members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh came together to form the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980, with Vajpayee as its first President. Leading up to Operation Bluestar , there were several protests by Sangh Parivar , including a march led by LK Advani and Vajpayee of

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1092-520: A tool for forging strategic partnership and security cooperation with countries in that region in general and Vietnam and Japan in particular. While the Look East Policy aimed to build allies beyond the Soviet Union, it overlooked alliances with smaller border nations, such as Myanmar and Bangladesh. China leveraged this oversight, increasing trade rates with Myanmar and Bangladesh more so than India

1183-755: Is participating in the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the Pacific initiatives for an Asian Highway Network and the Trans-Asian Railway network. Discussions are also proceeding on reopening the World War II -era Stilwell Road linking India's Assam state with China's Yunnan province through Myanmar . Road and trade connectivity projects like Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project , India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway etc have been taken up under

1274-517: The 2001-2002 military standoff . A terrorist attack on an army garrison in Kashmir in May 2002 further escalated the situation. As the threat of war between two nuclear capable countries and the consequent possibility of a nuclear exchange loomed large, international diplomatic mediation focused on defusing the situation. In October 2002, both India and Pakistan announced that they would withdraw their troops from

1365-628: The Andaman Sea since 2002. Japan and India were also members of the tsunami relief regional core group in the Indian Ocean in 2004 along with Australia and the United States of America. While India and China remain strategic rivals, India's "Look East" policy has included significant rapprochement with China. In 1993, India began holding high-level talks with Chinese leaders and established confidence-building measures . In 2006, China and India opened

1456-663: The Cold War , India had a relatively hesitant relationship with many states in Southeast Asia as such diplomatic relations were given relatively low priority. India's "Look East" policy was developed and enacted during the governments of prime ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991–1996) and Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998–2004). Along with economic liberalisation and moving away from Cold War-era policies and activities, India's strategy has focused on forging close economic and commercial ties, increasing strategic and security cooperation and

1547-622: The Cold War in Asia , and later for the War on Terror . Deng Xiaoping's reforms in late-20th-century China led to the country becoming more economically important, re-assuming a central role in Pacific Asia by the 2007–2008 financial crisis . In the 21st century, Pacific Asia has become an economically interconnected region, trading more within itself than the EU or America, having significant intermigration throughout

1638-561: The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and BIMSTEC , forging extensive cooperation on environmental, economic development, security and strategic affairs, permitting the growth of influence beyond South Asia and without the tense and obstructive presence of Pakistan and China that has stalled its efforts in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation . India became a sectoral dialogue partner with ASEAN in 1992, in 1995

1729-643: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution . After the fall of the two United Front governments between 1996 and 1998, the Lok Sabha was dissolved and fresh elections were held. The 1998 general elections again put the BJP ahead of others. A number of political parties joined the BJP to form the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and Vajpayee was sworn in as the prime minister. The coalition

1820-726: The Nathu La pass for cross-border trade for the first time since the 1962 war. On 21 November 2006 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Chinese President Hu Jintao issued a 10-point joint declaration to improve ties and resolve long-standing conflicts. Trade between China and India increases by 50% each year, and is set to reach the $ 60 billion target set for 2010 by both Indian and Chinese governments and industrial leaders. However, China's close relations with Pakistan , skepticism about India's integration of Sikkim , and Chinese claim over Arunachal Pradesh have threatened

1911-656: The National Highways Development Project and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana . In 2001, the Vajpayee government launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign, aimed at improving the quality of education in primary and secondary schools. In 2003, news reports suggested a tussle within the BJP with regard to sharing of leadership between Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani. BJP president Venkaiah Naidu had suggested that Advani must lead

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2002-531: The Padma Vibhushan in 1992, India's second highest civilian award by the Government of India . The administration of Narendra Modi declared in 2014 that Vajpayee's birthday, 25 December would be marked as Good Governance Day . In 2015, he was honoured India's highest civilian honour - Bharat Ratna , by the then President of India , Pranab Mukherjee . He died in 2018 due to age-related illness. Vajpayee

2093-516: The Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. Vajpayee sought to improve diplomatic relations with Pakistan , travelling to Lahore by bus to meet with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif . After the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan, he sought to restore relations through engagement with President Pervez Musharraf , inviting him to India for a summit at Agra . Vajpayee's government introduced many domestic economic and infrastructural reforms , including encouraging

2184-527: The Prime Minister of India , first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004 . He was the first non- Congress prime minister to serve a full term in the office. Vajpayee was one of the co-founders and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party . He was a member of the RSS , a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation. He

2275-896: The A-1 Shwe field in the Rakhine State and has developed naval and surveillance installations along Burma's coast and the Coco Islands . This has provoked great concern and anxiety in India, which has stepped up its investment in port development, energy, transport and military sectors. India has also established strong commercial, cultural and military ties with the Philippines , Singapore , Vietnam and Cambodia . India signed free trade agreements with Sri Lanka and Thailand and stepped up its military cooperation with them as well. It has numerous free trade agreements with East Asian economies, including

2366-651: The BJP. Under him, the BJP returned to a policy of hardline Hindu nationalism. It became the political voice of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Movement, which sought to build a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Rama in Ayodhya . The temple would be built at a site believed to be the birthplace of Rama after demolishing a 16th-century mosque, called the Babri Masjid , which then stood there. The strategy paid off for

2457-665: The BJP; it won 86 seats in the Lok Sabha in the 1989 general election , making its support crucial to the government of V. P. Singh . In December 1992, a group of religious volunteers led by members of the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), tore down the mosque . He served as Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, for various terms starting at Balrampur from 1957–1962. He served again from Balrampur from 1967–1971, then from Gwalior from 1971–1977, and then from New Delhi from 1977–1984. Finally, he served from Lucknow from 1991–2009. During

2548-584: The Bhartiya Janta Party to protest against the lack of government action and to demand that the Indian Army be sent into the Golden Temple . The 1984 general elections were held in the wake of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. While he had won the 1977 and the 1980 elections from New Delhi, Vajpayee shifted to his home town Gwalior for the election. Vidya Razdan

2639-509: The Congress, leading to a massive victory at the polls. The BJP won only two seats in parliament. Vajpayee offered to quit as party president following BJP's dismal performance in the election, but stayed in the post until 1986. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1986 from Madhya Pradesh, and was briefly the leader of the BJP in Parliament. In 1986, L. K. Advani took office as president of

2730-531: The Human Resource Development Minister (now called Education Minister) Murli Manohar Joshi were indicted in the 1992 Babri Mosque demolition case for inciting a mob of activists. Vajpayee himself came under public scrutiny owing to his controversial speech one day prior to the mosque demolition. These years were accompanied by infighting in the administration and confusion regarding the direction of government. Vajpayee's weakening health

2821-560: The Indian parliament, during which India had severed diplomatic ties with Pakistan. Although diplomatic relations did not pick up immediately, visits were exchanged by high-level officials and the military standoff ended. The Pakistani President and Pakistani politicians, civil and religious leaders hailed this initiative as did the leaders of the United States, Europe and much of the world. In July 2003, Prime Minister Vajpayee visited China and met with various Chinese leaders. He recognised Tibet as

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2912-566: The Jan Sangh, the precursor to the BJP, because of their discontent over Vajpayee's rule. Former president of the Jan Sangh Balraj Madhok had written a letter to the then-RSS chief Rajendra Singh for support. The BJP was, however, accused of "saffronising" the official state education curriculum and apparatus, saffron being the colour of the RSS flag of the RSS, and a symbol of the Hindu nationalism movement. Home Minister L. K. Advani and

3003-576: The Kashmir Valley, where they had taken control of border hilltops and unmanned border posts. The incursion was centred around the town of Kargil , but also included the Batalik and Akhnoor sectors and artillery exchanges at the Siachen Glacier . The Indian army responded with Operation Vijay, which launched on 26 May 1999. This saw the Indian military fighting thousands of militants and soldiers in

3094-473: The Kashmir dispute and other conflicts with Pakistan. The resultant Lahore Declaration espoused a commitment to dialogue, expanded trade relations and mutual friendship and envisaged a goal of denuclearised South Asia. This eased the tension created by the 1998 nuclear tests, not only within the two nations but also in South Asia and the rest of the world. The AIADMK had continually threatened to withdraw from

3185-529: The Pacific Rim incentivized America to expand westward , with its borders and influence reaching Asia by the mid-to-late 19th century in a kind of extended " Manifest Destiny ", and America taking over Guam and the Philippines and dispelling the Spanish Empire from Pacific Asia in 1898. Japan, having been forced to open up by American naval force in the 1850s, became an industrial power and also played

3276-814: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's administration announced the action-oriented, project- and outcome-based Act East Policy as a successor to the Look East Policy, emphasizing a more proactive role for India. Ever since the Sino-Indian War of 1962, China and India have been strategic competitors in South and East Asia . China has cultivated close commercial and military relations with India's neighbour Pakistan and competed for influence in Nepal and Bangladesh . After Deng Xiaoping 's rise to power in China in 1979 and

3367-426: The RSS during 1940 to 1944, becoming a pracharak (RSS terminology for a full-time worker) in 1947. He gave up studying law due to the partition riots. He was sent to Uttar Pradesh as a vistarak (a probationary pracharak ) and soon began working for the newspapers of Deendayal Upadhyaya : Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly), and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun . By 1942, at

3458-699: The Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Gwalior and high school education from the Gorkhi School, Gwalior. In 1934, he was admitted to the Anglo-Vernacular Middle (AVM) School in Barnagar , Ujjain district , after his father joined as headmaster. He subsequently attended Gwalior's Victoria College, (now Maharani Laxmi Bai Govt. College of Excellence ) where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Hindi, English and Sanskrit . He completed his post-graduation with

3549-519: The South China Sea and Indian Ocean. On net, the Act East Policy is a departure from India's previous non-alignment and equidistance positions, and a move toward infrastructure-based "soft power". Atal Bihari Vajpayee Premiership [REDACTED] Atal Bihari Vajpayee (25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician, statesman and poet who served as

3640-688: The United States against each other for its own benefit during the Cold War, and that trying to do the same with China and Japan by strengthening its ties with the latter would also fail. A columnist at the China Internet Information Center criticized the Look East policy as being borne out of a misguided "fear of China" and as reflecting "a lack of understanding of the PLA 's strategic ambitions". India has developed multilateral organisations such as,

3731-465: The VHP and the Government engaging in a major standoff in Ayodhya over the Ram temple . On the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Babri mosque , the VHP wanted to perform a shila daan , or a ceremony laying the foundation stone of the cherished temple at the disputed site. Thousands of VHP activists amassed and threatened to overrun the site and forcibly perform the ceremony. A threat of communal violence and breakdown of law and order owing to

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3822-494: The West. Europeans began colonizing Southeast Asia from the 16th century onwards (though the vast majority was only colonized starting in the mid-19th century), with China also having some of its territory split up between the colonial powers. The Chinese artisans found themselves losing out to Western mass production , with China becoming an insignificant economic player in Pacific Asia. The allure of easier access to and spreading civilizing influence over territories throughout

3913-477: The aftermath of the Kargil operations. The BJP-led NDA won 303 seats out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, securing a comfortable and stable majority. On 13 October 1999, Vajpayee took oath as the prime minister of India for the third time. A national crisis emerged in December 1999, when Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Taliban -ruled Afghanistan. The hijackers made several demands including

4004-410: The age of 16 years, Vajpayee became an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and joined it shakha in Gwalior along with his elder brother. Although the RSS had chosen not to participate in the Quit India Movement , in August 1942, Vajpayee and his elder brother Prem were arrested for 24 days during the Quit India Movement. He was released after giving a written statement that while he

4095-426: The border. The Vajpayee administration brought in the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 2002. The act was aimed at curbing terrorist threats by strengthening powers of government authorities to investigate and act against suspects. It was passed in a joint session of the parliament, amidst concerns that the law would be misused. Another political disaster hit his government between December 2001 and March 2002 with

4186-416: The building was sealed off swiftly and security forces cornered and killed the men who were later proven to be Pakistan nationals. Vajpayee ordered Indian troops to mobilise for war, leading to an estimated 500,000 to 750,000 Indian soldiers positioned along the international border between India and Pakistan under Operation Parakram. Pakistan responded by mobilising its own troops along the border leading to

4277-498: The coalition and national leaders repeatedly flew down from Delhi to Chennai to pacify the AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa . However, in May 1999, the AIADMK withdrew from NDA, and the Vajpayee administration was reduced to a caretaker status pending fresh elections scheduled for October 1999 . In May 1999 some Kashmiri shepherds discovered the presence of militants and non-uniformed Pakistani soldiers (many with official identifications and Pakistan Army 's custom weaponry) in

4368-447: The country as a result of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Indian president Shankar Dayal Sharma invited Vajpayee to form the government. Vajpayee was sworn in as the 10th prime minister of India, but the BJP failed to muster a majority among members of the Lok Sabha. Vajpayee resigned after 16 days, when it became clear that he did not have enough support to form a government. In this short period, he also created and administered

4459-406: The creation of jobs, a rising high-tech and IT industry and urban modernisation and expansion improved the nation's international image. Good crop harvests and strong industrial expansion also helped the economy. In May 2003, he announced before the parliament that he would make one last effort to achieve peace with Pakistan. The announcement ended a period of 16 months, following the 2001 attack on

4550-414: The defiance of the government by a religious organisation hung over the nation. The incident, however, ended peacefully with a symbolic handover of a stone at a different location 1 km away from the disputed site. In February 2002, a train filled with Hindu pilgrims returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya stopped in the town of Godhra . A scuffle broke out between Hindu activists and Muslim residents, and

4641-448: The emphasis of historic cultural and ideological links. India sought to create and expand regional markets for trade, investments and industrial development. It also began strategic and military cooperation with nations concerned by the expansion of China's economic and strategic influence. Although it had traditionally supported Burma's pro-democracy movement for many years, India's policy changed in 1993, making friendly overtures to

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4732-493: The ensuing vote of confidence motion in the Lok Sabha by a single vote on 17 April 1999. As the opposition was unable to come up with the numbers to form the new government, the Lok Sabha was again dissolved and fresh elections were held. In May 1998, India conducted five underground nuclear tests in the Pokhran desert in Rajasthan , 24 years after its first nuclear test, operation Smiling Buddha in 1974. Two weeks later, Pakistan responded with its own nuclear tests making it

4823-433: The impossible and inconceivable" and likened him to Hindu god Rama . Vajpayee's oratorial skills won him the reputation of being the most eloquent defender of the Jana Sangh's policies. After the death of Upadhyaya, the leadership of the Jana Sangh passed to Vajpayee. He became the national president of the Jana Sangh in 1968, running the party along with Nanaji Deshmukh , Balraj Madhok and L. K. Advani . Vajpayee

4914-407: The improvement in bilateral relations. India is currently providing asylum to the political-spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama also causes some friction in bilateral ties. Chinese state media commentators have been critical of India's Look East policy. A People's Daily editorial opined that the Look East policy was "born out of [the] failure" of India's trying to play the Soviet Union and

5005-417: The influence of other powers, notably China. Driven by the fact that more than 50% of India's trade passes through the Malacca Strait , the Indian navy has established a Far Eastern Naval Command off Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . India has also been conducting joint naval exercises with Singapore ( SIMBEX ) since 1993, with Vietnam in 2000 and has engaged in joint patrols with Indonesia in

5096-450: The international sanctions imposed failed to sway India from weaponising its nuclear capability. US sanctions against India and Pakistan were eventually lifted after just six months. In late 1998 and early 1999, Vajpayee began a push for a full-scale diplomatic peace process with Pakistan. With the historic inauguration of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999, Vajpayee initiated a new peace process aimed towards permanently resolving

5187-570: The look east policy. Currently these projects are ongoing. According to Rejaul Karim Laskar , a scholar of Indian foreign policy, the 'Look East' policy has strengthened India's political, economic and cultural relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Pacific and has ensured that India becomes an important part of the emerging economic and security architecture of the region. Commerce with South and East Asian nations accounts for almost 45% of India's foreign trade. Although its efforts have met with considerable success, India trails China in

5278-539: The major sources of foreign investment in India. While India has remained a staunch supporter of the " One China " policy and recognised the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China on the mainland over the Republic of China authorities on Taiwan, India has nevertheless pursued a policy of increasing engagement with Taiwan. India has stepped up engagement with East Asia fueled by its need for cooperation on counter-terrorism, humanitarian relief, anti-piracy, maritime and energy security, confidence-building and balancing

5369-401: The midst of heavy artillery shelling and while facing extremely cold weather, snow and treacherous terrain at the high altitude. Over 500 Indian soldiers were killed in the three-month-long Kargil War, and it is estimated around 600–4,000 Pakistani militants and soldiers died as well. India pushed back the Pakistani militants and Northern Light Infantry soldiers. Almost 70% of the territory

5460-450: The military junta. India signed trade agreements and increased its investments in Burma; although private sector activity remains low, India's state corporations have landed lucrative contracts for industrial projects and the construction of major roads and highways, pipelines and upgrading of ports. India has also increased its competition with China over the harnessing of Burma's significant oil and natural gas reserves, seeking to establish

5551-445: The newest nation with declared nuclear capability. While some nations, such as France, endorsed India's right to defensive nuclear power, others including the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain and the European Union imposed sanctions on information, resources and technology to India. In spite of intense international criticism and steady decline in foreign investment and trade, the nuclear tests were popular domestically. In effect,

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5642-577: The party politically at the 2004 general elections, referring to Vajpayee as vikas purush , Hindi for development man, and Advani as loh purush , iron man. When Vajpayee subsequently threatened retirement, Naidu backtracked, announcing that the party would contest the elections under the twin leadership of Vajpayee and Advani. The NDA was widely expected to retain power after the 2004 general election . It announced elections six months ahead of schedule, hoping to capitalise on economic growth, and Vajpayee's peace initiative with Pakistan. The 13th Lok Sabha

5733-538: The principal architect of the Kargil War in India. By accepting him as the President of Pakistan , Vajpayee chose to move forward leaving behind the Kargil War. But after three days of much fanfare, which included Musharraf visiting his birthplace in Delhi, the summit failed to achieve a breakthrough as President Musharraf declined to leave aside the issue of Kashmir. On 13 December 2001, a group of masked, armed men with fake IDs stormed Parliament House in Delhi. The terrorists managed to kill several security guards, but

5824-413: The private sector and foreign investments, reducing governmental waste , encouraging research and development and privatisation of some government owned corporations. During his tenure, India's security was threatened by a number of violent incidents including 2001 Indian Parliament attack and 2002 Gujarat riots which ultimately caused his defeat in 2004 general election . Vajpayee was conferred with

5915-443: The region as a counterweight to Japan. The desire of Pacific Rim countries to counterbalance China has led to India's increasing involvement in multiple coalitions throughout the region as part of the broader Indo-Pacific . Act East policy The Act East policy is an effort by the Government of India to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia to bolster its standing as

6006-463: The region, and having significant solidarity in its votes and stances at the UN . Tensions have emerged between Pacific Asian countries around the South China Sea (such as regarding Taiwan ) and regarding the Korean conflict , with Japan having somewhat of a leadership role in the region but also being rejected at times due to other Pacific Asian countries' reaction to colonial-era Japanese war crimes , with America being asked to maintain influence in

6097-499: The release of certain terrorists like Masood Azhar from prison. Under pressure, the government ultimately caved in. Jaswant Singh , the then minister of external affairs, flew with the terrorists to Afghanistan and exchanged them for the passengers. In March 2000, Bill Clinton , the President of the United States, paid a state visit to India. This was the first state visit to India by a U.S. president in 22 years, since President Jimmy Carter's visit in 1978. President Clinton's visit

6188-696: The site of the most violent riots. He announced financial aid for victims and urged an end to the violence. While he condemned the violence, he did not chastise Modi directly in public. When asked as to what his message to the chief minister in the event of the riots would be, Vajpayee responded that Modi must follow raj dharma , Hindi for ethical governance. At the meeting of the BJP national executive in Goa in April 2002, Vajpayee's speech generated controversy for its contents which included him saying: "Wherever Muslims live, they don't like to live in co-existence with others." The Prime Minister's Office stated that these remarks had been taken out of context. Vajpayee

6279-407: The state of emergency in 1977. A coalition of parties, including the BJS, came together to form the Janata Party , which won the 1977 general elections . Morarji Desai , the chosen leader of the alliance, became the prime minister. Vajpayee served as the minister of external affairs , or foreign minister, in Desai's cabinet. As foreign minister, Vajpayee became the first person in 1977 to deliver

6370-403: The subsequent Chinese economic reform , China began reducing threats of expansionism and in turn cultivated extensive trade and economic relations with Asian nations. China became the closest partner and supporter of the military junta of Burma, which had been ostracised from the international community following the violent suppression of pro-democracy activities in 1988. In contrast, during

6461-500: The train was set on fire, leading to the deaths of 59 people. The charred bodies of the victims were displayed in public in the city of Ahmedabad , and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a statewide strike in Gujarat. These decisions stoked anti-Muslim sentiments. Blaming Muslims for the deaths, rampaging Hindu mobs killed thousands of Muslim men and women, destroying Muslim homes and places of worship. The violence raged for more than two months, and more than 1,000 people died. Gujarat

6552-548: The volume of trade and economic ties it enjoys with the nations of the region. In her visit to Hanoi , Sushma Swaraj stressed the need for an Act East Policy, which she said should replace India's over two decade-old Look East Policy to put India in a more proactive regional position. The Modi administration stated that India would focus more on improving relations with ASEAN and other East Asian countries as per India's 1991 Look East Policy which focused on improving economic engagement with eastern neighbors. This policy became

6643-499: Was recalcitrant and Nawaz Sharif asked the remaining militants to stop and withdraw to positions along the LoC. The militants were not willing to accept orders from Sharif but the NLI soldiers withdrew. The militants were killed by the Indian army or forced to withdraw in skirmishes which continued even after the announcement of withdrawal by Pakistan. The 1999 general elections were held in

6734-515: Was a part of the crowd, he did not participate in the militant events in Bateshwar on 27 August 1942. Throughout his life, including after he became prime minister, Vajpayee has labelled the allegation of participation in the Quit India Movement to be a false rumour. In 1951, Vajpayee was seconded by the RSS, along with Deendayal Upadhyaya , to work for the newly formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh ,

6825-621: Was able to. The Act East Policy introduced infrastructure projects, such as the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Project (the first railroad connecting North Eastern India and Bangladesh) and the Asian Trilateral Highway (a new highway connecting Moreh, India to Thailand via Myanmar). These Look East Policy alterations improved strategic partnerships with the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam to counter Chinese dominance in both

6916-603: Was accused of doing nothing to stop the violence, and later admitted mistakes in handling the events. K. R. Narayanan , then president of India , also blamed Vajpayee's government for failing to quell the violence. After the BJP's defeat in the 2004 general elections, Vajpayee admitted that not removing Modi had been a mistake. In late 2002 and 2003 the government pushed through economic reforms. The country's GDP growth exceeded 7% every year from 2003 to 2007, following three years of sub-5% growth. Increasing foreign investment, modernisation of public and industrial infrastructure,

7007-647: Was also a Hindi poet and a writer. He was a member of the Indian Parliament for over five decades, having been elected ten times to the Lok Sabha , the lower house, and twice to the Rajya Sabha , the upper house. He served as the Member of Parliament from the Lucknow constituency , retiring from active politics in 2009 due to health concerns. He was among the founding members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh , of which he

7098-573: Was also a subject of public interest, and he underwent a major knee-replacement surgery at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai to relieve intense pressure upon his legs. In March 2001, the Tehelka group released a sting operation video named Operation West End which showed BJP president Bangaru Laxman , senior army officers and NDA members accepting bribes from journalists posing as agents and businessmen. The Defence Minister George Fernandes

7189-597: Was an uneasy one, as apart from the Shiv Sena , none of the other parties espoused the BJP's Hindu-nationalist ideology. Vajpayee has been credited for managing this coalition successfully, while facing ideological pressure from the hardline wing of the party and from the RSS. Vajpayee's government lasted 13 months until mid-1999 when the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) under J. Jayalalithaa withdrew its support. The government lost

7280-671: Was arrested along with several other opposition leaders during the Internal Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. Initially interned in Bangalore , Vajpayee appealed his imprisonment on the grounds of bad health, and was moved to a hospital in Delhi. In December 1976, Vajpayee ordered the student activists of the ABVP to tender an unconditional apology to Indira Gandhi for perpetrating violence and disorder. The ABVP student leaders refused to obey his order. Gandhi ended

7371-425: Was being ruled by a BJP government, with Narendra Modi as the chief minister. The state government was criticised for mishandling the situation. It was accused of doing little to stop the violence, and even being complicit in encouraging it. Vajpayee reportedly wanted to remove Modi but was eventually prevailed upon by party members to not act against him. He travelled to Gujarat, visiting Godhra, and Ahmedabad,

7462-590: Was born into a Kanyakubja Brahmin family on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior , Madhya Pradesh . His mother was Krishna Devi and his father was Krishna Bihari Vajpayee. His father was a school teacher in Gwalior. His grandfather, Shyam Lal Vajpayee, had migrated to Morena , Madhya Pradesh from his ancestral village of Bateshwar in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh . Later he shifted to Gwalior from Morena for better opportunities. Vajpayee did his primary schooling at

7553-667: Was dissolved before the completion of its term. The BJP hoped to capitalise on a perceived 'feel-good factor' and BJP's recent successes in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh . Under the " India Shining " campaign, it released ads proclaiming the economic growth of the nation under the government. However, the BJP could only win 138 seats in the 543-seat parliament, with several prominent cabinet ministers being defeated. The NDA coalition won 185 seats. The Indian National Congress, led by Sonia Gandhi , emerged as

7644-465: Was elected from Balrampur . He was influenced by Jawaharlal Nehru to the extent that he mirrored his style, diction, and tone of his speeches. Nehru's influence was also evident in Vajpayee's leadership. In the Lok Sabha his oratorial skills so impressed Prime Minister Nehru that he predicted that Vajpayee would someday become the prime minister of India. On the occasion of Nehru's death on 27 May 1964, Vajpayee termed him as "the orchestrator of

7735-505: Was forced to resign following the Barak Missile scandal involving the botched supplies of coffins for the soldiers killed in Kargil, and the findings of an inquiry commission that the government could have prevented the Kargil invasion. Vajpayee initiated talks with Pakistan and invited Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf to Agra for a joint summit . President Musharraf was believed to be

7826-680: Was given an advisory status, a member of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum in 1996, and a summit level partner (on par with China, Japan and Korea) in 2002 and World cup 2002. The first India-ASEAN Business Summit was held in New Delhi in 2002. India also acceded to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2003. In many cases, India's membership to these forums has been

7917-455: Was hailed as a significant milestone in relations between the two nations. Vajpayee and Clinton had wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional and international developments. The visit led to expansion in trade and economic ties between India and the United States. A vision document on the future course of Indo-U.S. relations was signed during the visit. Domestically, the BJP-led government

8008-533: Was influenced by the RSS, but owing to its dependence on coalition support, it was impossible for the BJP to push items like building the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, repealing Article 370 which gave a special status to the state of Kashmir, or enacting a uniform civil code applicable to adherents of all religions. On 17 January 2000, there were reports of the RSS and some BJP hard-liners threatening to restart

8099-641: Was initially tipped to be the Congress candidate. Instead, Madhavrao Scindia , scion of the Gwalior royal family , was brought in on the last day of filing nominations. Vajpayee lost to Scindia, managing to secure only 29% of the votes. Under Vajpayee, the BJP moderated the Hindu-nationalist position of the Jana Sangh, emphasising its connection to the Janata Party and expressing support for Gandhian Socialism . The ideological shift did not bring it success and Indira Gandhi's assassination generated sympathy for

8190-659: Was president from 1968 to 1972. The BJS merged with several other parties to form the Janata Party , which won the 1977 general election . In March 1977, Vajpayee became the Minister of External Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Morarji Desai . He resigned in 1979, and the Janata alliance collapsed soon after. Former members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh formed the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980, with Vajpayee its first president. During his tenure as prime minister , India carried out

8281-405: Was recaptured by India. Vajpayee sent a "secret letter" to U.S. President Bill Clinton that if Pakistani infiltrators did not withdraw from the Indian territory, "we will get them out, one way or the other". After Pakistan suffered heavy losses, and with both the United States and China refusing to condone the incursion or threaten India to stop its military operations, General Pervez Musharraf

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