2G scam case: Narendra Modi may have just lost his most-used political weapon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi might also have simply misplaced his most-used political weapon his anti-corruption campaign.A court docket in New Delhi acquitted a former telecommunications minister in India s biggest graft case wherein federal investigators alleged had value the government as plenty as Rs 309.84 billion ( four.8 billion). All others concerned in sale of airwave licenses in 2008 were also acquitted.With eight states going to polls within the coming yr the verdict is seen as a blow to Modi s Bharatiya Janata Party which has gained a sequence of elections in view that 2014 capitalizing on corruption costs in opposition to the preceding Congress-led government.It might also spark off Modi to hunt for fresh troubles going into the provincial votes earlier than in search of re-election in 2019. His boldest actions an unheard of coins ban and a nationwide sales tax (GST) were also aimed at rooting out corruption but precipitated disruptions to the economic system. This is a totally awkward moment for Prime Minister Modi his complete campaign turned into built around allegations about this multi-billion scam and that the previous government turned into corrupt stated Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay a political analyst and creator of a biography on Modi.This week Modi lower back to electricity in his home state Gujarat but it turned into a difficult-fought war. The election considered a bellwether before the 2019 vote was seen as an early indication that Modi s mythical reputation has taken a success specifically in rural regions.The Gujarat verdict that confirmed that Modi isn't always all that invincible said Mukhopadhyay.No ScamThe lower court acquitted former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja on prices of corruption and cheating in the sale of airwave licenses in 2008 that derailed the-then Manmohan Singh-led government.Justice O.P. Saini stated Thursday that investigators couldn't show that Raja in conjunction with a few officers from organizations that won the licenses for telecom offerings had conspired to get hold of kickbacks from the sale of cellphone allows causing a loss to the authorities. Reliance ADA Group officials Gautam Doshi Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara and promoters of D B Realty Ltd. Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka were additionally permit off with the aid of the court. The fees against Essar Group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia were additionally scrapped. This is a big setback for BJP s anti-corruption plank stated Arati Jerath a New Delhi-based totally writer and political analyst. They have lost a prime political weapon and now need to re-strategize for 2019. There was a massive bit of arbitrariness inside the allocation of 2G airwaves leading to a sales loss to the government Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after the decision. He added investigating companies will determine on in addition course of movement within the remember.The court docket ruled the spectrum sale turned into a notional loss and not a scam said Mohan Guruswamy chairman at New Delhi-based totally Centre for Policy Alternatives and an adviser inside the preceding BJP authorities. It s dubious if the authorities will go for robust enchantment towards the judgment. Politicians don t like to prosecute feasible destiny allies or corporates. The telecom scandal led India s top court docket to cancel 122 licenses offered to organizations such as the nearby joint ventures of Norway s Telenor ASA UAE s Etisalat and Russia s AFK Sistema.Shares of agencies whose officers were acquitted surged after the court verdict. Unitech jumped 12.Seventy seven in line with cent at three:16 p.M. In Mumbai Reliance Communications was up three.Eighty two per cent even as D B Realty surged 19.Ninety four in line with cent. New Delhi / Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to KP Sharma Oli over the cellphone who will succeed Sher Bahadur Deuba to grow to be Nepal s subsequent Prime Minister and congratulated him at the Left alliance s fulfillment inside the currently concluded elections. He pledged India s aid to Nepal in its pursuit of balance and inclusive development over the phone name.The top minister also spoke with Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda who is the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal and the outgoing top minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and congratulated them on their currently performed a hit parliamentary and first-ever provincial election the Foreign Ministry stated.The Ministry of External Affairs issued a assertion which said that PM Modi has reiterated India s aid to Nepal in its pursuit of balance prosperity and inclusive development . The announcement further examine that the Indian prime minister stressed at the timeless human beings to people contact that's on the center of the Indo-Nepal ties and stated Our open border is a reflection of our precise bonding. PM Modi has also devoted to paintings collectively with the new authorities that is set to take price in Nepal on a wide range of developmental and reconstruction tasks.The overseas ministry additionally stated that election in Nepal held at all 3 levels of the authorities in 2017 is a commendable achievement.The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) also issued a announcement in Kathmandu on the primary touch between the leaderships of the 2 countries after the Left alliance beneath the route of KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda swept the elections in Nepal.The declaration quoted PM Modi as pronouncing The results of the these days held elections will beef up democracy convey political balance inside the u . S . And lead Nepal towards financial prosperity. It also stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his eagerness to welcome and host Mr Oli in New Delhi soon after the formation of the brand new government.Thanking PM Modi for reaching out and his suitable wishes Mr Oli said he intends to maintain exact relations with all neighbouring international locations.The CPN-UML chairman said he would really like to specially collaborate with India and China for financial development and prosperity. Mr Oli congratulating PM Modi on BJP s win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh said Nepal might soon expand an invite to the Indian Prime Minister to visit the Himalayan state.Nepal s Left alliance won 116 seats out of the whole 165 below the primary-past-the-publish machine even as the ruling Nepali Congress bagged 23 seats within the recently concluded elections that many wish will convey the a good deal-wished political balance to the Himalayan country. KP Sharma Oli s triumph is being widely seen as a victory for the pro-Chinese elements in Nepal. With inputs from PTI New Delhi/Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held telephonic talks with top Nepalese leaders such as KP Sharma Oli who's set to emerge as the most appropriate of the Himalayan country and conveyed India s help to Nepal in its pursuit of balance and inclusive improvement.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Modi spoke with Chairman Communist Party of Nepal (UML) Oli Chairman Communist Party of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Nepalese top minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and congratulated them on their successful participation in the currently conducted parliamentary and first-ever provincial elections.In his telephonic conversations top minister Modi reiterated India s support to Nepal in its pursuit of balance prosperity and inclusive improvement an MEA declaration said. Modi also recalled that timeless people to people contacts are at the heart of the India-Nepal ties. Our open border is a mirrored image of our precise bonding. He (the PM) reaffirmed India s dedication to bolster these bonds of friendship and work with the incoming authorities on a vast variety of improvement and reconstruction projects the assertion said.File picture of KP Oli and Narendra Modi. PTIThe MEA additionally said that Nepal s holding of elections in any respect three levels of the authorities in 2017 is a commendable achievement.Modi congratulated Oli at the Left alliance s grand achievement inside the recently concluded elections stated a assertion issued by way of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) in Kathmandu.The conversations were the primary highest-degree touch among the leaderships of the two countries after the Left alliance of Oli and Prachanda swept the elections. The outcomes of the lately held elections will give a boost to democracy deliver political stability within the country and lead Nepal toward financial prosperity the declaration quoted Modi as announcing.It said Modi additionally invited Oli to go to India straight away after the formation of the new government saying he become eager to welcome him in New Delhi. Modi said his government is willing to work collectively with the Nepalese authorities in step with the declaration.Oli thanked Modi for his precise needs and stated precise members of the family can be maintained with neighbouring international locations. The CPN-UML chairman stated he would really like to collaborate with neighbouring countries in particular India and China for economic development and prosperity. He stated that quickly after the formation of the new government invitation can be despatched to Modi to visit Nepal.Oli additionally congratulated Modi on his birthday celebration s achievement in the current elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.Nepal s Left alliance won 116 seats out of a total one hundred sixty five below the first-past-the-post gadget even as the ruling Nepali Congress bagged 23 seats in the country s these days concluded ancient polls that many desire will carry the tons-needed political balance to the Himalayan kingdom.Oli s triumph is being broadly seen as a victory for the pro-Chinese elements in Nepal. NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal communist chief and in all likelihood new Prime Minister K P Oli and congratulated him on CPNUML s victory within the current polls. Modi also spoke to P K Dahal Prachanda Maoist leader and Oli s alliance companion. The PM also spoke to Sher Bahadur Deuba the outgoing high minister said MEA spokesperson Ravish Kumar. According to a record in Kathmandu Post Modi invited Oli to go to India after the formation of government. PM Modi instructed Oli over telephone that the left bloc s success will enhance democracy in Nepal at the same time as expressing wish that the alliance s victory will keep political stability and economic development stated the report. Oli is likewise stated to have invited Modi to Nepal. The Left alliance won 27 seats even as the ruling Nepali Congress bagged five in the polls that many wish will convey a whole lot-needed political stability to the united states. 2017 will be remembered as a 12 months while India s prime minister grew to become the united states into a information set. Both the aftermath of demonetisation and the implementation of the GST positioned information on the centre of the authorities policy and governance. The profits-tax department going after evaders with the help of facts analytics the government deregistering 2 lakh shell companies and Aadhaar being linked to a number of authorities services and schemes had been a number of the symptoms that India had entered the age of governance through facts. Big Data is at the back of Prime Minister Narendra Modi s every flow. He rode on Big Data to electricity in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and now seeks to convert India through it. How Big Data is remodeling the government A few years ago the word authorities evoked the picture of sluggish-transferring babus inside the backdrop of tall almirahs bulging with bundles of files that seemed as antique as parchments. Today most ministries have websites that song tasks in actual time. The government is geotagging MGNREGA property to stop leakages and produce transparency. The tagging will assist identify the paintings the cash spent on it the number of folks who worked on it amongst different things. A scheme that evoked a great deal evaluation and counter-analysis for the duration of the UPA government might turn out to be transparent enough for everybody to see what it achieves. Another location nearly untouched via digital technology is being mapped through the authorities to generate Big Data. In order to keep a track of agricultural property inside the united states of america thru on-line recording and monitoring the government plans to geo-tag all such infrastructure. The agriculture ministry has signed a address the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to apply satellites for mapping of assets. Demonetisation might not have worked out the manner the government desired but the statistics it has generated is a goldmine for the tax branch. Deregistration of lakhs of shell groups is one outcome of such facts. The large statistics thrown up via GST Network can remodel policy with the aid of producing new insights. Now coverage-makers use Big Data The Economic Survey made a clean destroy with the past this year. It used Big Data generated with the aid of GST Network and the railways to look the flow of goods and people within India in a brand new mild. With some immodesty we claim that this Survey produces the primary estimate of the flow of goods across states inside India primarily based on analyzing transactions level information provided by means of the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian wrote. The new Big Data analysis revealed that eight to nine million humans migrate each year inside India nearly double what the authorities had formerly idea. With this one massive soar policy-making in India moved a long way far from the Census-primarily based analysis. The survey additionally discovered that Bengaluru become now not accumulating as much property tax as its capacity. How? It used modern day satellite tv for pc pics of the city to analyse the constructed regions. Niti Aayog has employed two pinnacle information-mining experts consisting of Pulok Ghosh of IIM Bangalore to examine the big go with the flow of statistics and assist the government arrive on the right policy choices in phrases of objectives and implementation. Though the preceding UPA II authorities took step one toward Big Data by way of launching Aadhaar Modi has made statistics analytics an critical part of government from coverage-making to implementation to monitoring. The Jio revolution The newcomer Reliance Jio set the telecom zone on hearth with enormously low fees and freebies. It even got here out with a information-enabled mobile cellphone that become in reality unfastened. The incumbent businesses too delivered down charges. Low quotes of internet statistics are placing a big numbers of Indians at the internet taking India closer to its intention of making a virtual financial system. This facilitates the government deepen the attain of its schemes even as also producing colossal quantities of data as millions begin the use of smartphones to avail of various offerings. 2017 can be remembered because the yr when unexpectedly a huge number of human beings in the hinterland took to transacting at the phone. The government s own tasks including the BHIM app additionally played a outstanding role in integrating humans in far flung regions into the virtual economic system. Risks and promises Big Data turning into the cornerstone of governance and coverage also generated plenty of discussion. A host of felony challenges to mandatory Aadhaar linkages highlight the issues over use of data infringing on privateness. Several incidents of leakage of Aadhaar records underlined the need for the government to boom security and protection of data it collects from residents. Yet the privateness argument does no longer delegitimise using extensive data by way of government. All over the developed global Big facts has started driving coverage. As the range of cellphone users upward push in India ooodles of records trails could be available to the authorities to examine and then use them for making effective rules. Modi s governance via facts is the future in a country in which the sheer numbers and diversity make it almost not possible to glean true empirical insights or effectively put in force and reveal authorities plans. In a global in which governments in addition to businesses now rely greater on new-age records resources which includes satellite tv for pc imagery parking photos and night time lighting fixtures Modi s Big Data governance could be a game-changer for India wherein guidelines have for lengthy did not effect trade on the ground. 2017 will pass down in records as a yr whilst Big Data held out the promise of inclusion in a rustic with deep financial divides. For a person who turned into once dubbed as India s first social media prime minister Narendra Modi appears shaken up by means of the huge cyber backlash Bharatiya Janata Party confronted inside the current Gujarat elections.While addressing the BJP parliamentary celebration assembly on Wednesday Modi asked birthday celebration leaders not to fall prey to social media propaganda and stressed on the need to step up birthday party s digital campaigning for 2019 Lok Sabha election.This was Modi s first interaction with the BJP s parliamentarians after the party scraped thru the Assembly elections in his domestic kingdom of Gujarat. Modi-ji requested celebration leaders now not to be tormented by the social media propaganda established by means of the opposition a BJP MP who became found in meeting instructed Scroll.In. He additionally stated that the Lok Sabha election of 2019 could be very crucial and that the birthday party s social media campaigning would require a major development to fulfill the brand new mission. The issue that the BJP could not correctly meet the social media undertaking posed by the Congress during Gujarat elections has been haunting the celebration brass for pretty some time.#VikasGandoThayoChe has taken social media via hurricane!What ails bad Vikas? Watch the video to find out!#GujaratElections p.C.Twitter.Com/WjJvW3dAfF Congress (@INCIndia) September 18 2017 As early as in September nearly at the beginning of the election campaign in Modi s domestic kingdom the celebration changed into left perturbed whilst messages vital of the Gujarat version of development commenced turning into viral on social media. The situation have become so alarming that celebration president Amit Shah had appealed to teens of Gujarat not to consider the anti-BJP propaganda being hooked up with the aid of the Congress on social media. I attraction to the kids now not to blindly believe the anti-BJP propaganda being unfold on WhatsApp and Facebook. Before making any judgment you want to do analysis of what was Gujarat before the BJP got here to energy and what's the situation these days Shah had said on September 10.All the at the same time as since the Lok Sabha election of 2014 which turned into dubbed as India s first social media election the BJP had remained in large part unchallenged in digital campaigning. No other political outfit other than Aam Aadmi Party in the course of Delhi Assembly elections were capable of healthy the BJP on this critical the front.However for the primary time in Gujarat elections the BJP seemed to be getting outsmarted by using its combatants in this battlefield.Though the BJP received the election in Gujarat with a reduced margin Modi s trendy issue only shows that the concerted attempt by way of his combatants to target the birthday celebration on social media has left its mark. Written through Updated: December 21 2017 7:18 am PM Narendra Modi Amit Shah Rajnath Singh on the BJP parliamentary birthday celebration assembly in new delhi on wednesday. (Express photo/Anil Sharma) Related News Parliament Winter Session LIVE UPDATES: Lok Sabha to speak about Cyclone OckhiVirat Kohli-Anushka Sharma s reception photographs become hit memes on Twitter in no timePM Modi congratulates Nepal PM-opt for K P Oli PrachandaTwo days after his birthday party retained strength for the 6th time in Gujarat after staving off a stiff undertaking from the Congress Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded BJP MPs on Wednesday that they shouldn t be beneath any illusion that the prevailing streak in the nation was an smooth task. Modi was talking on the BJP Parliamentary birthday celebration assembly where he become felicitated for the assembly election wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. While the BJP swept the polls in Himachal its tally in the 182-member Gujarat House fell by way of sixteen seats to ninety nine whilst the Congress progressed its remember through 16 to assert seventy seven seats. The Prime Minister reminded the MPs that it became no longer an smooth success. The winning streak in Gujarat has include plenty of tough work and commitment. He said no person have to have the phantasm that it was an smooth challenge sources who had been present at Wednesday s assembly instructed The Indian Express. Modi but instructed the MPs that he changed into no longer worried approximately the fall inside the BJP s tally in Gujarat as its vote percentage had gone up and it may win the accept as true with of virtually half of of the nation s electorate said resources. PM Modi turns emotional at birthday party meet says Indira Gandhi had 18 states BJP has 19 At one degree at some stage in his address resources said the Prime Minister grew to become emotional even as referring to the birthday celebration s increase and his courting with former top minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In his address Shah who become congratulated by the Prime Minister at the meeting praised Modi s function in BJP s victory saying that he worked like a karyakarta (Express Photo/Prem Nath Pandey) The Prime Minister additionally known as for advertising of younger faces inside and out of doors the party resources said. In this context Modi noted his affiliation with Amit Shah who became gift at the assembly and spoke about how he had groomed the party president who is 14 years more youthful stated resources. In his deal with Shah who turned into congratulated with the aid of the Prime Minister at the assembly praised Modi s function in BJP s victory pronouncing that he worked like a karyakarta (birthday party employee) in the course of the marketing campaign and in no way declined a request to deal with a public assembly. Shah additionally attacked the Congress over its claim of a moral win in Gujarat pronouncing it become a laughable exercise for the Opposition party to look victory in defeat. Sources stated the principle focus of Modi s speech was on how properly the BJP has been doing . The Prime Minister reminded the MPs that even former prime minister Indira Gandhi had started dropping nation elections despite the Congress being in its prime. The BJP Modi said has been prevailing most of the assembly elections held since 2014 and brought extra to its kitty even after being in power for extra than three years resources said. Also Read: Five motives why BJP won in Gujarat; one is MODI right here are the opposite four Striking an emotional be aware assets stated Modi recalled how Vajpayee who's to celebrate his 93rd birthday on December 25 patted him on his again and hugged him warmly after BJP won 21 of the 26 seats inside the early Nineteen Nineties. The Prime Minister talked about that Vajpayee s gesture came at a time whilst he turned into a distinctly new entrant to the BJP from the RSS and now not well known in the birthday party resources said. He also recalled how the birthday celebration agency changed into built in Gujarat with the hard work of some of leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted with flowers on the BJP Parliamentary assembly in New Delhi on Tuesday (Express Photo/Renuka Puri) Party assets stated Modi additionally spoke about the hard work he's installing for the BJP. He spoke at length about how he had to come again from Gujarat on December 12 itself after strenuous campaigning and attend authentic work. He stated he had travelled to at least 5 states together with in the south and northeast after the marketing campaign ended in Gujarat and attended numerous conferences which includes the all-birthday party meet. Sources quoted Modi as pronouncing I am running hard for you all day and night. What else I can do now? Speaking to journalists after the meeting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the Prime Minister also driven for selling the brand new generation for a new India a imaginative and prescient for 2022 promoted via his authorities. He entreated birthday celebration leaders not to be affected by the Opposition s disinformation campaign towards the BJP said Kumar. Booth-stage paintings that's the basis of a poll campaign is the mom of an election victory Kumar quoted Modi as saying. Modi known as for strengthening the celebration at its roots throughout the country. He said the work on the sales space level is most critical beside people s benefits to the celebration for growing a wave in its favour Kumar stated. For all of the state-of-the-art India News down load Indian Express App More Related News Congress asks PM Modi to shed raaj-hatth make clear feedback in opposition to Manmohan Singh PM Modi talks to pinnacle Nepalese leaders K P Sharma Oli Pushpa Kamal Prachanda Tags: amit shah BJP Narendra Modi SS ashokDec 21 2017 at 10:25 amWinning elections doesn t give legitimacy to moves that are typically and ethically incorrect. If I begin a silent public marketing campaign to boycott a specific Khan movie for the reason that he does no longer exercise a religion I do I might not be breaking the law however I am indulging in unethical behaviour. If I show up to be in a cons utional role while I am indulging in such innuendo I am now not being true to the Cons ution I swore on as I took my role. The PM threw all such cons utional norms to the wind in his now not so subtle messaging alluding to how if the opposition wins a selected Ahmed miya will become CM and how Pakistan is assisting the opposition in that goal and how he can not enroll in such Mughlai Sanskriti. We are blindly aping the western international locations playbook on Islam forgetting that it is the Anglo Saxons who p ered our economy transported all our wealth overseas and on the time of our independence we have been simply living hand to mouth lives as a nation.(1)(2) ReplyJigsaw KemertonDec 21 2017 at 12:forty five pmOh really? What a warped version of records!!! Do you agree with historic India (even though there wasn t one) turned into an egalitarian society? What approximately wealth that turned into concentrated in the hands of some? What about the f_u_c_k_i_n_g priest magnificence that bathed tje society in supers ion? What about the inhuman and inhumane discrimination brewed out of the despicable caste system? What approximately the brahmins and bakhts who used to eat meat consisting of cows crows or even pigs until they have become vegetarians out of fear of growing Buddhist reputation? The Barbarian clowns like your self have to be laughed off.(zero)(0) Reply Jigsaw KemertonDec 21 2017 at 10:03 amGaylord Modi admits that prevailing will become hard as greater human beings see the true shades of the Barbarians.(seventy six)(1) Replyvikas vivekDec 21 2017 at 12:08 pmrofl muslim caught u modi is Pm today because he taught train burners lesson which they would never forget about. 15 years and it nevertheless hurtz some slap(2)(1) ReplyJigsaw KemertonDec 21 2017 at 12:34 pmYou sound like you ve eaten cow s_h_i_t for lunch.(zero)(zero) MMKDec 21 2017 at nine:50 am Not clean is an understatement considering the unscrupulous no-holds-barred method that was used by BJP for campaigning. If it's miles the manner that they normally perform then in all likelihood not easy changed into suitable.(nine)(2) Reply Rajesh NDec 21 2017 at nine:44 amBJP getting decrease number of seats is mainly due to the defeat in Sourashtra in which Patels and Dalits voted for Congress. Anandiben and Rupani are answerable for this. While Patel agitation turned into mishandled by Anandiben Mr Rupani failed to take powerful action at once after the Una Dalit flogging incident. Its high time BJP finds a younger dynamic face for Gujarat CM submit.(30)(four) Reply vikas vivekDec 21 2017 at 8:37 amhyrnas hunt in packs lion hunt by myself. The manner modi gained gujrat with 50 percent vote proportion after 22 years in strength is ideal information for india. Followers of pedo will keep sulking... No concerns India is doing correct underneath able leadership of Modi(eight)(22) Replyvikas vivekDec 21 2017 at nine:41 amfollowers of dessert cult down balloting cheers(2)(23) Reply Load More Comments ALSO READ AIADMK doesn t need BJP s assist claims birthday celebration chief K P Munusamy Yashwant echoed our grievance of Modi executive: Chidambaram Cabinet reshuffle: Meet P P Chaudhary the minister who dons numerous hats PM Modi asks BJP to promote young leaders span.P-content material div id =div-gpt line-peak: 0px; font-length: 0px; Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had a telephonic conversation with K P Sharma Oli who is poised to emerge as Nepal s new Prime Minister and is considered as leaning towards China. Modi also spoke with former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Chairman Communist Party of Nepal-MC and with present day Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba President of Nepali Congress. Prime Minister had a telephonic verbal exchange with K.P. Sharma Oli Chariman Communist Party of Nepal-UML also with Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Chairman Communist Party of Nepal-MC and also with Sher Bahadur Deuba President of Nepali Congress and the present Prime Minister External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in his weekly media briefing here. Kumar could not proportion info of what transpired within the communique. Oli is ready to turn out to be Prime Minister after the Leftist alliance mustered two-thirds majority in the parliamentary and provincial elections in Nepal. On Tuesday Oli had paid a marvel visit to Nepal s border with China in Rasuwagadhi and inspected the most effective exchange and transit point between the 2 international locations. During his earlier stint as Prime Minister in 2015 he had been crucial of India and was seen as close to China.