Delhi might want to add another geography for its diplomatic lexicon — the Vanilla Islands | The Indian Express

Delhi might want to add another geography for its diplomatic lexicon — the Vanilla Islands | The Indian Express

Written by C. Raja Mohan |Updated: October 8, 2019 10:01:10 am

C. Raja Mohan is Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and contributing editor on foreign affairs for 'The Indian Express'.

Delhi might want to add another geography for its diplomatic lexicon — the Vanilla Islands

Vice-President Naidu’s visit to the Indian Ocean islands should be a moment for Delhi to launch economic, defence cooperation with the littoral.

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu

As Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu heads to the Comoros and other destinations in Africa this week, Delhi might want to add another geography for its diplomatic lexicon — the Vanilla Islands. As India devotes greater attention to the Indian Ocean, many places that have long fallen off Delhi’s political radar are coming into view. The Comoros and the Vanilla Islands, as a collective, are bound to draw ever more interest from Delhi in the years ahead.