that India gets international recognition as a "responsible state with advanced nuclear technology" in addition to bringing to an end the "three decades of technology denial to India". Laskar also claims that the UPA government has made "great strides" in India's Look East policy and at the same time ensured that this policy "contributes substantially" to India's national interest-both economic and security. As regards neighborhood policy, Laskar argues that the UPA Government's diplomacy strived for a "stable, prosperous, democratic and peaceful neighborhood" by means of "sustained political engagement, economic partnership, enhanced connectivity, developmental assistance and people-to-people contacts". On economic diplomacy of the UPA Government, Laskar argues that the factors which helped India to be largely unharmed by the financial crisis of 2007–2008 include not only the good management of the domestic economy by the government but also the success of the UPA government's diplomacy in "maintaining an external environment" conducive to India’s "sustained economic growth”. Laskar has also written on foreign policies of previous Congress governments of India. On the foreign policy of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Laskar argues that the adoption of the policy of Non-alignment and its "deft implementation" by Nehru has "secured" for India "a leadership role in world affairs" although India was neither major economic power nor a major military power at that time. On Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s foreign policy, Laskar maintains that former’s neighbourhood policy was based on the belief that "the pre-eminent position" of India in South Asia gives it "unique and special responsibilities" for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. He is also a critique of the foreign policy of the AB Vajpayee led NDA Government that ruled India from 1998 to 2004. Apart from foreign policy, he has also written on other policy initiatives of the UPA Government such as the MGNREGA, Direct Benefit Transfer as well as its other economic and social policies. He is also a critique of the economic policies of the Narendra Modi led NDA Government. He is a staunch supporter of Rahul Gandhi, who he says, is "giving voice to the youth in decision-making". Recent Developments In October 2016, Laskar was entrusted by the Minority Department of All India Congress Committee to develop a strategy for attracting religious minorities (Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, etc.) belonging to the North East region of India towards the Congress party. In April 2017, he submitted his