Nonaligned, a non commital ???

I believe non-aligned policy of India is the best one which doesn't interfere with other countries policies. But I also get the feeling that non-aligned made India less aggresive, toothless in voicing opinion against other countries. India got the mindset that voicing opinion on something will make itself align with or against other countries. India's foreign policy has become more of noncommittal these days.

Atleast India's approach towards smaller, neighbour countries like Srilanka, Tibet or Malasiya could have been different. India took dont care whatever happens approach towards all these countries problems. In outer picture it gives good image for India for not interfering these countries. But India's image would have been different if it was involved in resolving resolving conflicts by mediating peace negotiation, atleast by voicing strong condemns. I am not sure why India couldn't have done better than Norway involvement in Srilanka !? I dont understand what is the problem in expressing condemn while another country killing Tibet freedom protestors? what will go wrong in suggesting Malasian govt to treat its foreign nationals better?

Even if small steps cannot be taken at regional level, what can be done by taking major role in UN? With this mindset,what it is going to achieve after getting permenant seat in UN? Being noncommittal in UN is waste of permenant seat which could be utilized better if given to another country.

I dont remember any significant achievement of MEA in the past decade. Kashmir issue with Pakistan, border issue with China, infiltration problem with Bangaladesh still exists. There is no policy shift happens in successive goverments atleast to resolve its own problems. Foreign ministry acts as a helping dept for finance and commerce ministries to establish trade and commerce relationships.
India has to come out with strong foreign policies and proactive in resolving in regional conflicts; otherwise it will be considered like a big guy with frightening moustache who finally makes comic by speaking in lady voice with drooping shoulder in vadivel-vivek comedies.

Credit Crisis...

Sub prime crisis drew many bloods -

- CITI wrote off $8-11 billion due to subprime.
- UBS lost $10 billion
- Morgan Stanley by $6 billion
- Barclays took hit by £1.5 billion

... and it is believed that lot more await.

Here is the sample news to indicate how deep the crisis is ...
JP Morgan Chase is buying Bear Sterns for $236 million which was valued at $20 billion two weeks back. [News]

Size of the subprime market based on outstanding loan is $1 trillion and out of that $200 billion defaults are expected. Finance companies which were trying to capture the lion's share in subprime market will have to take lion's share in losses too.

Closed Economy...

When I got down in Massachusetts, I was able to open an account with Bank of America real quick, using my passport alone. I was happy to know that system of BoA is created in keeping expatriates in mind. They provided two checking (current) account, one for debit card purchase and another for online purchase, and one savings account; and there are lot of ATMs. Life made simple w.r.t to handling money.

But when I reach Missisippi, it was contrastive experience. There is only one BoA ATM and no branches in 100 mile circle (If I searched for 200 mile circle, results might have been the same). So I went to local banks to open an account. No one could help us without SSN number. So later I went to the same bank with SSN. After I spent 1 hour in filling applications, they realized that their banking system doesn't allow opening an account without state approved ID card like State ID card or Driver License. Next we went to Highway Patrol Office to get State ID card where my application got rejected as I dont have DoB certificate. So only options left out is getting driver license for which I need to wait three or four weeks atleast.

Then we realized that the banking system which we develop for our clients does allow opening an account without SSN. So we thought of going to a local bank which uses our banking product. And that idea was also dropped as they dont have many branches and online facility.

While thinking of ditching account opening idea, we decided to check with another small bank. Suprisingly their software allowed to create an account without a State ID. But this account comes with some cost for Cheque processing and have no option of inter bank transfer. With no options left out, we opened an account finally. "Banking since 1890" was printed on the promotion cards of the bank!!!


Within two month time, I got to live with contrasting USA. One with virtually no barriers, another without knowing a customer type 'Expatriates'. I was surprised to know that no big banks setup their branches in Mississippi. Later I came to know thru my colleague that Mississippi does not allow big banks to protect the interests of small, local banks.

Recently I read an article which critized USA for not allowing Indian banks branches in USA to create pressure on India to open financial sector market bit more. And there are lot of pressure on other sectors, like agriculture, to be opened up apart from financial sector which is the sole reason for recent WTO trade talk failures.

I wondered how a country can mount pressure on other country which is not able to persuade its own state to open market for their own banks!!!!

Enna koduma saravanan ithu ?!?!!!??

Ownership, Responsiblity and Winning...

Traditionally, ownership will be with seniors, managers and responsiblity flows down to the junior level. What if ownership is given to juniors and responsiblity is pushed up to senior people?

I dont know this contra thinking will work in any other fields but it works with indian cricket team. A guy with the batting style of gully cricketer is donning captainship and a guy who has no clue against spin bowling is given vice-captainship, seniors with not so bad time with bat recently were shown doors. Grand old man (?) of the team, Sachin, was given the responsiblity of just batting.

Though donning the captaincy at younger age is not new to cricket world, the complete makeover of filling all positions with yougsters along with most experienced player in the world is new thought. This whole new thought fetched favourable result, winning a series in Aus after 23 years.

I thoroughly enjoyed every game of this series.