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The article primarily focuses on the Congress party's effort to highlight the contributions of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the establishment and development of the BRICS economic alliance, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the BRICS summit in Brazil. Jairam Ramesh, a Congress general secretary, uses Modi's attendance as an opportunity to remind the public of the historical context and the Indian contribution to the formation of BRICS, specifically crediting Manmohan Singh with proposing the establishment of the New Development Bank. This serves as a subtle critique of Modi's administration, implicitly suggesting that the Congress party laid the groundwork for India's successful participation in the BRICS framework. The Congress party is trying to ride off the wave of attention that the BRICS summit is receiving by mentioning their part. It emphasizes that Manmohan Singh played a vital role and should be remembered for it. This might be driven by a desire to reclaim ownership of India's involvement and success within the BRICS initiative, particularly given the current government's emphasis on its own foreign policy achievements. This type of political maneuvering is very common. The article outlines the historical progression of the BRICS concept, starting with Yevgeny Primakov's proposal for a Russia-India-China trilateral forum, and then moving on to Jim O'Neill's Goldman Sachs report that identified Brazil, Russia, India, and China as key emerging economies. Ramesh points out the establishment of BRIC in 2006 and its subsequent expansion to include South Africa and, more recently, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE and Indonesia, stressing that the first BRICS summit hosted by India in 2012 saw Dr. Manmohan Singh proposing the New Development Bank. This bank, established three years later in Shanghai with K.V. Kamath as its first President, has loaned India USD 8 billion for infrastructure projects. This detailed historical account aims to strengthen the Congress party's claim of ownership over the BRICS story in India.
The narrative crafted by the Congress party attempts to establish a clear lineage, connecting Singh's vision with the actual tangible benefits India has derived from the New Development Bank. This is a strategic communication move designed to resonate with the public and portray the Congress party as having foresight and a commitment to long-term economic planning. Highlighting the borrowed USD 8 billion for infrastructure projects emphasizes tangible gains. This tactic serves as a contrast to what the Congress might view as the current administration's tendency to focus on shorter-term gains or perceived achievements. The timing of this political communication, coinciding with Modi's visit, suggests a deliberate attempt to influence the narrative surrounding India's role in the international economic forum. The article does not provide any alternative perspectives on the BRICS initiative or the Modi government's approach to it, focusing primarily on Ramesh's statement. It could have benefitted from including viewpoints from other political parties, economists, or academics to provide a more balanced picture of the BRICS summit and India's engagement with it. Also, including the views of members of the Modi administration may have provided more information on their stance on the summit.
The inclusion of details about Modi's travel itinerary (Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Namibia) serves to contrast Modi’s foreign travel with the Congress's focus on what they perceive as substance. The phrase "Super Premium Frequent Flier Prime Minister" is clearly a derogatory and critical remark aimed at Modi's extensive travel, suggesting that he is prioritizing international appearances over domestic matters. This framing is a common tactic used by opposition parties to criticize incumbent leaders, raising questions about the cost and effectiveness of such diplomatic engagements. The article's reliance on Jairam Ramesh's statements makes it inherently partisan and lacks a comprehensive analysis of India's role within BRICS. While the historical information regarding the formation of BRICS is valuable, the primary purpose of the article is to present the Congress party's perspective and position it favorably in relation to the current government. The omission of viewpoints from other stakeholders weakens the article's overall credibility and impact. The article should try to remain unbiased and just provide the facts without any opinion or spin that favors one viewpoint over another. It should have also covered how the summit will affect the countries involved and the rest of the world.
In essence, the article functions as a piece of political communication, designed to subtly undermine the current government by highlighting the contributions of a previous administration. By connecting Manmohan Singh to the tangible benefits that India has received through the New Development Bank, the Congress party seeks to reinforce its image as a responsible and forward-thinking political entity. The article serves its purpose, providing information from the Congress perspective but could have been more factual and provided a more neutral view. While the article provides a historical overview of the BRICS formation, its primary objective is to politically position the Congress party favorably within the context of the current BRICS summit. To improve the article's objectivity and credibility, it would benefit from the inclusion of diverse perspectives and a more neutral framing of Modi's travel itinerary and the BRICS summit itself. The political spin detracts from what could have been a more informative piece on the evolving dynamics of the BRICS alliance and India's evolving role within the international economic order. By providing only one viewpoint, the article becomes a tool to promote a particular ideology.
The article also touches upon the expansion of the BRICS alliance, including countries like Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE and Indonesia. The inclusion of these countries will bring many benefits as well as challenges. It broadens the economic and political influence of the group but could potentially lead to internal conflicts among the members. This addition is very recent and will take some time before it can be determined if the expansion has been successful or not. This expansion also impacts the original members, including India, as they need to adapt to the changes and establish relationships with the new members. India will need to adjust its strategies and find common ground with the new members to ensure a cohesive and productive alliance. The inclusion of new members also means increased trade opportunities for each member. India has a lot to gain through this expansion as its economic position in the world grows. The success of the expansion will depend on the ability of the members to find mutual interests and to cooperate effectively.
The article also touches upon Prime Minister Modi's travels to other countries. These travels help to establish and strengthen relationships with those countries and to engage in diplomatic discussions. The travel can lead to potential investments and agreements that can benefit India's economic growth. The visits can also help to foster cultural exchange and understanding. The opposition, however, uses this opportunity to criticize Modi, which is a common political strategy. Criticizing the current Prime Minister can help the opposition gain popularity. The article clearly shows this strategy as they point out the Prime Minister's travels to other countries. Overall, the article highlights the contributions of Manmohan Singh to the BRICS alliance while pointing out Modi's current travels. The article seems to favor Singh and the Congress Party and is not neutral.
In summary, the article tries to paint a picture of the Congress party having laid the foundations for India's current BRICS engagement, while subtly criticizing the Modi government's approach to international relations. The Congress party is clearly trying to take credit for the BRICS alliances with their mention of Singh's part in the organization. By recalling Manmohan Singh's contributions to the formation of the BRICS Development Bank, the Congress party aims to position itself as a visionary force in Indian politics. This narrative is strengthened by highlighting the financial benefits India has reaped from the Bank, emphasizing the tangible outcomes of the Congress party's policies. As the BRICS summit continues, the Congress party will likely use this opportunity to further promote its version of history and reinforce its position on India's role in international economic affairs. The political play is evident in their timing and method. By subtly hinting that their approach is better, they may win over the public.
In conclusion, this is primarily a political article that tries to paint the Congress party in a favorable light while subtly criticizing the Modi government. This is achieved through a strategic retelling of the history of BRICS and an emphasis on the contributions of Manmohan Singh. The article serves the Congress party's purpose of trying to influence the narrative around India's role in BRICS and showcasing the legacy of its leaders. The readers, however, should consider that the article comes from a partisan source and may not present the whole picture. The views are not neutral and the article does not provide different viewpoints. In order to get a full idea of the topic, readers should do more research. Also, the reader should use the information that the article provides to come to their own conclusions and not just accept the article as fact.
There could be potential counterarguments to the claims made in the article. The Modi government might argue that its foreign policy has strengthened India's position within the BRICS alliance and has secured additional benefits for the country. They may say that they have expanded partnerships with other countries. They could also criticize the previous Congress government for not fully capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the BRICS framework. The Modi government could point to its own initiatives and investments in infrastructure and development as evidence of its commitment to India's growth and progress. These counterarguments would need to be based on factual data and evidence to be persuasive. The government might highlight specific projects or agreements that have been initiated or completed under its leadership. It could also point to indicators such as GDP growth, foreign investment, and employment rates to demonstrate the positive impact of its policies. By challenging the Congress party's narrative and presenting a compelling case for its own achievements, the Modi government could effectively defend its foreign policy record and maintain public support.
Source: Congress invokes Manmohan Singh's legacy as PM Modi set to join Brics summit