"...it is a catapult moment for countries like India that occupy what I call the zone of liminality. They are strategically autonomous, communicate with both sides and align with the global good.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi could seize this moment to catapult India from a regional player to a leading power and global guru, outshining Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy," writes former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, who has been a critic of the incumbent ruling dispensation in the past.
In an article under the catchy headline : "How PM Modi can out-Nehru .. Nehru on the global stage", for 'The Indian Express', she says - "Global politics is at the crossroads today"; but hastens to add that Ukraine in 2025 could be a "statement" as India's conduct vis-a-vis Korea under Nehru was a "gesture".
She points out: "Jawaharlal Nehru sent 1,000 troops to Korea in 1953. This was a young, newly independent India playing the role of peace-whisperer under the UN flag. This is the hour for India to turn that whisper into a roar. Imagine 5,000 Indian peacekeepers stabilising Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
How does it unfold? Remember Vijayalakshmi Pandit’s advice to the UN General Assembly: “The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war.” Today, it is time to turn that slogan into a reality where India’s peacekeepers stand tall – bigger than ever before. We do not dream small any longer, India delivers big."
"In the style of Lady Gaga, self-assured, unapologetic, and poised to rewrite history. Who knows? By 2026, India could take a bow as the better angel and a vishwaguru for all seasons — if we play it right," she notes.
Rao suggests: "It is time to out-Nehru Nehru, and PM Modi can do so. As the peace talks in Riyadh go on, 5,000 Indian troops, Gorkhas, Rajput Regiment — all UN-hardened — can be ready for a peacekeeping role.
Of course, US President Donald Trump is the wild card. He has cut Ukraine aid and is pushing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to talk. PM Modi’s line to him should be: “Donald, you’re the deal king, let me help make it happen with India’s contribution.”
To that I can imagine Trump, mid-golf swing, as he posts on Truth Social: “Narendra’s my guy, peace coming.”
Nirupama Menon Rao (born 6 December 1950) is a retired civil servant of 1973 batch Indian Foreign Service cadre who served as India's Foreign Secretary from 2009 to 2011.
She also says: "As Russia’s spring offensive stalls — mud, drones, fatigue — Trump could twist arms and the peace talks may bloom. A ceasefire could be sketched out by July-end — it could perhaps be a 50-mile buffer. Then, in August, some 3,000 Indian peacekeepers land – blue helmets and tricolour patches. The contingent could be scaled to 5,000 by fall.
A triumphant Trump would boom: “I made this”. Europe funds it — $1billion from Macron and Starmer, desperados for stability. X crowns the deal, the Trump-Gaga-Modi trio as the stars of 2025.
By November, Ukraine’s shaky peace holds. Indian medics and schools dot the buffer. “India’s the glue”, social media hums.
Modi’s star rises as Nehru’s ghost fades, his star is bolder, bigger, better. And he plays Trump right. Trump leads the peace, India delivers it.
It is peacemaking swagger that can hook the world. By November, India becomes the act to watch. It is no longer risk averse. It can crash the party and own it.
Rao maintains India should "Go public with a statement: “India stands ready to deploy peacekeepers to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes and as border monitors, post-ceasefire once the guns go quiet, under a UN mandate or coalition framework, to ensure that peace endures”.
It will need to be firm on intent even if keeps the details vague. Pair the move with a nod to India’s peacekeeping credentials over the years (Congo, Sudan) to remind everyone that New Delhi is serious.
It will need to reassure Russia that it’s not a NATO ploy and pitch Europe on co-funding: “You want security guarantees? We’re your boots.” Ukraine will gets a heads-up too: India has enough goodwill there to build on.
It could start small, a few battalions for civilian protection or ceasefire monitoring, pairing it with tech (drones, surveillance) showing that our troops are no cannon fodder but a modern force. Our military can adapt and deliver far from home.
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| Nirupama Rao |
"By 2026, India’s not just the player — it’s the better angel and guru for all seasons.
Ukraine’s peace showcases India’s moral heft — no guns that maim and kill, but more roses. Europe is grateful (funds flow), Russia’s quiet (the oil keeps coming) and Trump has all bragging rights.
“Peace is our dharma,” preaches India with a true cause. Narendra Modi’s India is “vishwaguru 2.0”, tougher and more tangible than Nehruvian India ever was. Talks on permanent membership of the Security Council heat up.
ends
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