PM Narendra Modi successful on foreign policy front: Former NSA Shivshankar Menon

NEW DELHI: Shivshankar Menon, who had served as National Security Adviser and Foreign Secretary under UPA government, today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been "very successful" in pursuing the foreign policy and observed there was continuity in dealing with India's external engagement.

The former diplomat said there has been much more activity on the foreign policy front in the last few months and that the Modi dispensation ensured continuity of foreign policy adopted by previous governments.

"I think the answer is yes. It has been a very successful foreign policy. But I think that's because it's India's foreign policy. For me, this is very reassuring," Menon, who had relinquished office as National Security Adviser in May last year after Modi government assumed power, said.

Asked whether Modi stepped into Manmohan Singh's shoes and carried on working in the same direction, Menon said while doing it the Prime Minister may be "projecting it more vigorously."

"We are seeing an Indian foreign policy which successive governments, whether it is UPA, the NDA under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, (were pursuing) and that has been expanded and grown," Menon told Karan Thapar in Headlines Today.

He said Modi was gaining from the fact that India itself was doing well as the economy was on the rebound and the world was looking at the country with great expectations.

"The net result is good for the government and for Modi. Because he is the face of India. He is the one who represents India and the Indian foreign policy," Menon said.

Asked about problems in implementation of Indo-US civil nuclear deal, he said issues were always "exaggerated" and observed that companies from both India and US will have to take some risks to do business in atomic power.

On the boundary problem with China, he said it was a very complex issue. He said despite the border dispute, the two countries successfully moved ahead in the overall relationship.

Asked about Pakistan, he said for India, terrorism and state-support to it were the main issues with the neighbour.

Menon also complimented formation of government in Jammu and Kashmir.