The newly elected UPA government announced, through the presidential address, an ambitious domestic agenda of action. But the external affairs agenda lacked new content. The treatment of foreign affairs was perfunctory even as the situation around us is becoming more challenging. The government intends to improve relations with all our neighbours, the major powers as well as Africa and Latin America. Our watchwords will be the pursuit of enlightened self-interest and maintaining the independence of our foreign policy. All this is unexceptionable, but platitudinous.

The message to Pakistan was conciliatory. We are willing to ''reshape'' our policy towards it if it sincerely confronts terrorism on its soil...