But I love it……

I know it’s been too long since a wrote a blog. It’s hard to think of subjects any readers might be interested in (as always, feedback welcome!) and to prioritise the time. But I’m very conscious that I’m halfway through my posting (sorry, you’re stuck with me to Summer 2018), which is a real driver for thinking about those philosophical questions like, Why Am I Here?

I love India. I fell in love with India in 1992 (in July 1978, steamy Mumbai with dog-sized rats and 2 rooms for 7 people was a considerably less attractive place for an 8 year boy from calm, genteel Kentish village used to his own bedroom), and have been a regular visitor since. I’ve wanted to work in India – since I joined the Foreign Office. I knew nothing about Chennai, but then I fell in love with my Mumbai-born wife, Bhakti, in 1996 who has always insisted she’d only come to the South given her own long love affair with Dravidian temples with their astonishing gopuras and, even more importantly, masala dhosas. So when this job came up, there was a definite sense of the hand of fate shoving me towards applying.

But it’s also true that, like every job and overseas posting – and as Bhakti warned me – it’s been nothing like I expected. As always (don’t get me started) she was right. India can be, no is, extremely frustrating. The easy things aren’t anywhere as near as simple as they could or should be and nobody – although everyone has a personal theory – quite knows why. From getting relatively simple paperwork like driving licenses and visa extensions, to getting mutually beneficial business deals signed, everything takes longer than you could ever expect (in the same way that when you’re in a taxi, everything is always 5 minutes away, half an hour later…….). Barriers appear where you least expect them. The hard things are nearly impossible, but occasionally frighteningly easy in that they happen for no obvious reason.
But. in the words of The WeekNd “And I know she’ll be the death of me, at least we’ll both be numb, And she’ll always get the best of me, the worst is yet to come. But at least we’ll both be beautiful and stay forever young….But I love it.”

Here’s why.

– India works. Given its sheer size and complexity, it sometimes feels as if India shouldn’t function. But function she does, although I suspect that nobody – from politicians to Godmen to fruit sellers to rickshaw drivers – know how or why, although everyone has a personal theory. India feels like a glacier that continues to move forward against all the odds. I regularly remind myself that in 1947, few external observers believed India would survive independence: most expected she would fall victim to caste and religious pressures, or to a military take-over. But that same India – more-or-less – is still here. More than that, in the 21st Century India remains fiercely democratic and a bright spot on a stubbornly grey global horizon, with increased economic and political confidence. And when India moves, she’s unstoppable

– Her people: It’s no secret, but Indians are awesome. That’s not just about their intelligence or education. It’s also about their passion to change the world. A few weeks ago, I sat on a number of interviews for Chevening Scholarships, the UK’s flagship scholarship programme. Chevening is unique. Not because it seeks to develop the best and brightest, but because it insists that these students come back to their county of origin to contribute to her growth. India has the largest programme in the world. During those interviews, I was struck not just by the quality of those students, but by their commitment to returning with new skills to be a part of delivering a better India and a better world. Conclusion: India’s human capital is awe-inspiring.

– India matters: I loved being an Ambassador in Africa, a continent where hope and resilience are worth their weight in gold, and I learnt loads as a diplomat and as a person. But there’s no question that India has the power to be a force for good in the world beyond most countries I have worked in. That’s reflected in the width and depth of the UK network – 8 Missions and 1400 staff, our largest anywhere – and the resources that we have to influence India. That includes people – brilliant ones – to help deliver UK objectives, as well as funds, including ODA and GREAT funding that will help us retain our position as a key strategic partner for India by helping her reach her full potential.

What’s not to love?