Cameron took India relations to new level

LONDON: David Cameron’s announcement on Monday to stand down as MP reminded many of Enoch Powell’s line that all political careers end in failure, but in New Delhi

LONDON: David Cameron’s announcement on Monday to stand down as MP reminded many of Enoch Powell’s line that all political careers end in failure, but in New Delhi and Britain, he will be remembered as the prime minister who took relations with India to a new level.

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Cameron is not yet 50 and has his reasons to quit, but now joins the bench of former prime ministers: John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown - each going their own ways after relinquishing office and politics.

There is always the lucrative US lecture circuit or taking on an international role, but Cameron hasn’t made his plans known yet.

If Blair is remembered as the man who took Britain to war in Iraq, Cameron’s legacy will be of holding a referendum he did not really need to hold, and then failing to convince the British people to stay in the EU. It is called falling on your own political sword.

But from the Indian perspective, there were not a few regrets when he quit as prime minister in the wake of the June 23 Brexit vote. His enthusiasm for India and the Indian community was apparent from the time he was elected Conservative leader in 2005. From the perception that Conservative was the “nasty party”, Cameron wooed the Indian community, appearing at events such as large gatherings addressed by Morari Bapu, or visiting temples with tika on his forehead and gurdwaras with head covered.

A focus on India was often mentioned by previous Labour governments, but it was Cameron who took relations to a new level, which included lifting in 2013 a decade-long boycott of Gujarat under Narendra Modi after the 2002 riots.