The number of under secretaries, political analysts and mission officials who have landed in Gujarat in the last few weeks from New Delhi-based embassies is an indicator of how closely the whole world is watching the Gujarat elections.
Officials from North America and Europe have been moving around Ahmedabad trying to get a sense of whether the man they have declared persona non-grata would sweep back to power.
Sources in the hospitality industry say that they have had a number of guests from embassies of western countries in recent weeks.
For many countries, a win for Modi would mean that while their governments cannot have official links with the Modi establishment, their companies are allowed to do business with a state which, recent surveys show, is the best investment destination in India, even though it may still be struggling with FDI inflows.
USA has denied Modi a visa and Canada will probably do so if Modi wanted to take a peek at Montreal. UK has told him that he can visit the country as a commoner. They won’t give diplomatic or security cover to him.
For European Union governments, having debated the Gujarat riots in the European Parliament and found government complicity in the genocide, it is not a very comforting thought that they can’t do business in such a promising state if Modi remains at the helm for the next five years.
The only place Modi goes to in Europe is Davos because Switzerland is not part of European Union.
Modi has tried to cultivate goodwill abroad through top lobbying firm, Apco International. A top Modi aide said, "We think that once he wins, strong commercial factors will make Modi more acceptable to EU countries."
The West is also watching closely how Modi has switched over his attention to the East and opened up dialogue with governments in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore during his visits, with huge business delegations in tow, to these ‘Tiger Economies’.
Says the Modi aide, who has planned some of his foreign tours, "Our focus on Asia has a regional advantage. These countries recognise openly the tremendous potential which Gujarat has." A Media Report