To say that Narendra Modi has led India to a decisive moment of history in the new century is an understatement.
India, that is Bharat, is today a major global strategic power. Both Russia and Ukraine want India's Prime Minister to play a role for truce is no incidence. It is also not a case because India's Prime Minister is a man called Narendra Modi. It is also no coincidence that both China (a rival) and the United States (a geo-strategic friend) are busy finding faultlines with the Modi regime. The truth is India matters.
It is also well understood today in the 'real world', strategic or political issues are not separate from the economic, cultural, and ideological factors.
Hence Hindutva is an asset that influences relations among nations and also a matter of concern as arrival of Bharat or 'new India' that is too assertive and 'independent' does not go well either in Beijing or Washington.
Given the edge the west had for various reasons, the Americans and others are also concerned about Hindutva factor vis-a-vis Christianity. Lobbies will be upset in the US as many shops are not able to function (practically nothing) in India's northeast and other vulnerable pockets.
The changes in FCRA laws have upset many who for some reasons or the other may not like Congress party, but are able to draw any consolation prize in the fact that Modi or Yogi Adityanath will be in play in future. Sonia Gandhi suited them best irrespective of corruption and an era of remote controlled Prime Minister.
Moreover, even unimaginative things had happened like giving an affidavit that Ram was an imaginary figure. Minorities continued to have the laugh at India's majority -- who were told to behave otherwise 'minorities' can get angry. In other words threats were like Vatican will get angry, the Arab world can get angry and so on.
So when Modi talks about development and infra developments; the spin doctors will raise environmental crisis, joblessness and threat to 'secularism (read SICKULARISM)'. There is another twist in the new tale - Indians and Hindus are 'more democratic' than anyone else and yes ...to be 'democratic' also means lampoon at your own Hindu tradition and culture. And the ultimate target will be to VOTE OUT Narendra Modi.
How does Modi be so assertive? A tea vendor, a Hindu? All those virtues are for someone else. Rahul Gandhi suits everyone. Even Arvind Kejriwal suits. After all a product of anti-corruption movement could be better even from jail !!
Kejriwal being in jail as a Chief Minister is no threat to democracy! Sandeshkhali .... oh that's a hype by Hindu communalists ?
But Modi and the BJP are trying to change some of rules of the games? The challenge, Modi says, now is to seize the moment. In 1990-91, India's economic conditions have nosedived. The liberalisation by the Narasimha Rao government rescued the country -- also the world's largest democracy. But on the ladder, India had tumbled down.
But corrective measures and certain global situations helped India. The stellar stewardship by the Modi-led dispensation also contributed.
In 2022, India rose at the top 5 for the first time ever. The changing global order has also given Modi a growing geo-strategic significance. It also started around 2017. In November 2017 in the Philippines, the grouping of India, the U.S, Japan and Australia as the QUAD came out with an increasing role as a counterweight to China.
In 2024, look at the assertive foreign minister of Modi. In his new book “Why Bharat Matters,” Dr Jaishankar designates the architecture of the post-World War II multilateral organizations as a “trick” of the victors of WW II to keep them in power.
The consequence of this perspective is an "under-appreciation" of the effect of the nature of generalized war (over 60 million people perished in the second world war) vis-a-vis the structure of the United Nations.
Will the US and other western countries appreciate all that? They know where the trouble is building up. And it is more visible when India is declining to toe the western line and continues to maintain a healthy bond with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
The west and the US are thus seen or rather projected as 'leaders' of only developed countries trying to keep their international power positions from being eroded by such emerging powers as Bharat, Africa and players such as RIC or even BRICS. This factor could in fact cement a greater ties between India, Russia and China despite traditional border issues and rivalries in terms of trade and commerce.
But India is far behind China in manufacturing and exports. Xi Jinping is also aware of these. A article in 'The Diplomat' tries to handle some key issues pretty well.
"Jaishankar lauds the wisdom of Bharat under Modi to reach out to all nations as family members, which draws on the ancient Hindu concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the World is One Family) and was the theme of India’s chairmanship of the G-20. However, the concept of family does not necessarily solve international problems of peace and war. As Jaishankar had shown in the use of another Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, as a paradigm in ‘The India Way,’ some of the most deadly and devastating aspects of relations occur within families." (The Diplomat)
Link
'Foreign policy' is this year an important facet of India’s electoral journey even as the usual Pakistan is not the elephant in the room.
Therefore, in the run-up to the campaign trail, BJP has highlighted Modi’s slogan of positioning India as a “vishwa-guru” or world leader or 'teacher'.
India can be a new role model globally and Americans under Joe Biden's Democratic force will never be too happy with all these.
To add an apparent does of 'insult' to injuries for the west; the term and its philosophy 'Vishwa Guru' was debuted prominently on the world stage when India hosted the G-20 in New Delhi.
If Americans or Germans are unhappy, they have their reasons. Much more drama expected in next few days. Arvind Kejriwal episode may be only a tip of the iceberg.
 |
| Blogger with a group of Buddhist Monks |
At the outset, please accept sincere compliments for a very well articulated article on an extremely important matter. Your forthrightness and upfront calling spade, a spade is noteworthy.
ReplyDeleteIn international affairs, there are no permanent friends or foes. National interest of each nation is supreme.
Unfortunately, India has comprehended this nature of international relations fairly late or else we would not have declined the *possible* permanent membership to Security Council in favour of China in 1950s, formed NAM, etc.
The coalescence of geographical disposition, economic trajectory, adverse relationship with China amongst others make India conspicuously un-ignorable.
But, you have aptly brought to fore that west desires rise of India as a counter to our Northern neighbour but as an absolute ally and not fiercely independent as is the case with Modi-led dispensation. The west probably has failed to assess correctly about a decade plus ago as to what trajectory would India adopt. Obviously, our Northern neighbour is worried to death with turn of events.
- Beni Sahab, India