莫迪帶領印度活躍在國際舞臺

NARENDRA MODI is a masterful salesman. On his frequentforeign tours the Indian prime minister touts his brand not only in words butphysically. The beatific smile, the warm hugs and the trademark folkloric dressproject the reassuring humility of a big but benign country. Yet behind thesoft-focus India that Mr Modi personifies, the contours of a harder-edgedregional power are emerging under his leadership.

莫迪是一個嫺熟的推銷員。在頻繁的外交行程中，這位印度總理不僅用言語，而且還用行動來誇耀他的品牌。幸福洋溢的笑容，溫暖的擁抱以及標誌性的民族特色的衣着，凸顯了一個龐大卻溫和的國家令人安心的謙遜。然而，在被莫迪人格化的模糊的印度形象背後，一個地區強國的輪廓正在他的領導下漸漸清晰地顯露出來。

For many Indians, it is about time. Traditional Indiandiplomacy has been “non-aligned”. In practice this has often meantdisengagement from the wider world and skittish caution closer to home. Suchhas been the case in India’s dealings with China: its generous economic andmilitary aid to Pakistan, India’s eternal rival, and its energetic efforts toprise smaller neighbours such as Nepal and Sri Lanka from India’s orbit haveuntil recently resulted in little more than head-scratching in the Indiancapital, Delhi. C. Raja Mohan of the Carnegie Endowment for InternationalPeace, a think-tank, says there has been a shift in Indian diplomatic thinking:“Now the word is: ‘We will push back.’”

對很多印度人來說，是時候這麼做了。傳統的印度外交政策已經不受青睞（注：指不結盟政策）。實際上，不結盟通常意味着把自己隔絕於更廣闊的世界，並對附近的地區過分敏感。像印度與中國的交易已經成爲例子：中國慷慨地給印度的死對頭巴基斯坦提供經濟和軍事援助，並積極拉攏諸如尼泊爾和斯里蘭卡這種印度勢力範圍內的小國直到最近導致新德里感到頭疼。來自智庫卡內基國際和平基金會的C.拉賈莫漢說，印度的外交思維已經發生轉變：“現在的想法是：“我們要絕地反擊。””

Mr Modi has signalled this on his recent travels. Lastmonth saw him in Iran where, between cuddly photo-sessions with similarlygrizzled Iranian leaders, India pledged to develop port and rail links betweenIran and Afghanistan. It is no coincidence that this route, which will easetraffic between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea, runs parallel to China’s own$46 billion scheme to build energy and transport infrastructure through thelength of Pakistan, linking China to the sea.

莫迪最近的出訪暗示着這一點。上個月看到他在伊朗，與相像的頭髮花白的伊朗領導人進行有親和力的合影之後，印度承諾開發伊朗和阿富汗之間的港口及鐵路連接。這條緩解中亞至阿拉伯海交通壓力的路線並非巧合，它和中國擁有的460億美元建設能源和運輸基礎設施的計劃十分相似，這一計劃穿越整個巴基斯坦，將中國連接到海洋。

On June 4th Mr Modi stopped in Afghanistan to inaugurate ahydroelectric station. One of numerous Indian aid projects, it is intended notonly to shore up Afghanistan’s Western-backed government, but also to show offIndia’s generous, responsible behaviour, in contrast with that of anotherneighbour, Pakistan, whose intelligence services have long been accused ofcovertly sponsoring the Taliban.

6月4日，莫迪經停阿富汗，爲一個水電站剪綵。作爲印度衆多援助項目中的一個，它的目的不僅僅是鞏固西方扶持的阿富汗政府，還爲了展示印度的慷慨以及負責任的行爲。相比之下，它的另一個鄰居巴基斯坦的情報機構則一直被指責暗中資助塔利班。

From Afghanistan he went to Switzerland, America andMexico. His aim in these countries was to put the seal on what has been a longand complicated Indian diplomatic effort. India has been trying for decades togain international recognition as a nuclear state. It will soon gain entry tothe 34-nation Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), whose aim is to keepirresponsible countries from acquiring missiles with which to deliver weaponsof mass destruction.

莫迪從阿富汗出發，先後到訪瑞士、美國和墨西哥。他去這些國家的目的是爲印度長期而複雜的外交努力收穫成果。印度數十年來始終致力於成爲一個獲得國際公認的擁核國家。它將很快獲准進入34個國家組成的導彈及其技術控制制度（注：MTCR是美國等西方七國建立的集團性出口控制制度，中國未加入。），這一制度旨在防止不負責任的國家獲取可運載大規模殺傷性武器的導彈。）

China worries about signs that Western countries arecosying up to its giant neighbour. It fears that Mr Modi will exploit betterties with America as a source of advantage. For years the Pentagon has pursuedIndia as part of an effort to counterbalance growing Chinese strength, but onlyin recent months have Indian military officials begun to show eagerness for month the two countries will hold their annual naval exercises not inIndian waters, but in the Sea of Japan, with the Japanese navy, near islandsclaimed by both Japan and China. In a wide-ranging speech before a jointsession of Congress on June 8th, Mr Modi said that America was India’s“indispensable partner”. An outright military alliance between India andAmerica remains unlikely, but even the remote prospect of one will concentrateChinese minds.

中國擔心西方國家正討好它的巨大鄰國的跡象。它擔心莫迪將與美國更緊密的關係利用爲優勢資源。多年以來，五角大樓一直致力於將印度作爲制衡中國不斷增長實力的努力的一部分，但只是在最近幾個月印度軍方纔開始展現對合作的渴望。本月，兩國將舉行的年度海軍演習不在印度洋，而是和日本海軍一起，在臨近與中國爭議的島嶼附近的日本海海域。在6月8日國會聯席會議之前的一個涉及多領域的演講中，莫迪說美國是印度“不可或缺的合作伙伴”。印美之間的直接軍事同盟仍然希望渺茫，即便遠景是其中一國將專注於中國的想法。