THE AUDACITY OF OPINION (ENGLISH)

JASWANT SINGH, is one of India's most distinguished and acclaimed politicians, having served eight terms in the Parliament. He was an officer in the Indian Army in the 1960s and an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasta. He has held charge of six ministries including External Affairs, Defence and Finance. Responsible for foreign policy, he dealt with high tensions between India and Pakistan. He was instrumental in the Lahore-Delhi bus initiative in 1999; contributed to the unfreezing of relations and bilateral dialogues with China; helped steer the fifty-day Indo-Pak KargilWar to a conclusion; and effectively and efficiently handled relations with the United States post India's nuclear tests in Pokharan in 1998. As defence minister, he provided an impetus and vigour to India's defence modernisation. During his tenure as finance minister, he stabilised the finance ministry by achieving total recovery, which in time Led to an 8.5 percent growth in its GDP, a strong balance of payments scenario, and a sound accumulation of foreign exchange reserves. Jaswant Singh is a prolific writer, having authored twelve books, including the widely acclaimed Jinnah: India-Partition Independence, and has contributed widely to Indian and foreign magazines, journals on international security, defence and development issues. Singh is a visiting professor at Oxford University, an honorary professor at Warwick University, and a senior fellow at Harvard University. Jaswant Singh is a lover of horses, being a skilled horseman himself, and has been a keen polo player.