संवाद # 168: Vajpayee’s secretary reveals insider details- Pak, Agra Summit, Parliament attack, Modi

Ajay Bisaria joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1987 and, in a career spanning thirty-five years, dealt with some of India's key economic and security relationships. He served as Indian high commissioner to Pakistan from 2017 to 2020. He has been Indian high commissioner to Canada (2020-22), and India's ambassador to Poland and Lithuania (2015-17). He has also represented the country at the World Bank in Washington DC and in embassies in Berlin and Moscow. He has served in various capacities in the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Commerce, and the Prime Minister's Office, where he was a key aide to Prime Minister Vajpayee from 1999 to 2004.

He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from St Stephen's College, Delhi University, an MBA from IIM Calcutta, and a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Princeton University.

Ajay Bisaria's book 'Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic Relationship between India and Pakistan' is out. Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.in/Anger-Managemen...

0:00 Experience of working with Vajpayee
4:31 When Ajay Bisaria told Vajpayee about plane hijacking
6:56 Ajay Bisaria saved Vajpayee from Parliament attack by chance
11:47 Vajpayee Vs Modi against Pakistan terrorism
18:14 India should've done surgical strikes in 1980s
22:26 Insider details of Agra Summit - why it failed
27:26 How PMO deals with PR/media crisis
30:48 Was Vajpayee really a mukhauta?
32:20 Vajpayee was very open about his views
34:06 Vajpayee used to ask opinion from everyone
36:57 Non political discussions with Vajpayee
38:00 How busy is a PM's schedule?
39:27 Vajpayee really liked this foreign leader
40:28 Modi used to meet Vajpayee frequently
41:10 Vajpayee had alzheimer's disease?
43:43 Vajpayee didn't want early elections in 2004