INDIAN SOFT POWER IS ON THE WANE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE. IT IS TIME NEW DELHI THINKS OUT OF THE BOX TO REVIVE ITS INTERNATIONAL AURA. HERE'S HOW.
In the early days of the Modi regime in India, foreign policy was a policy pillar of the government. The Prime Minister flew across the globe from the nation down under, Australia to imperial masters the UK and from the hegemon United States to arch-rival Pakistan, charming world leaders and celebrating these visits at home. It seemed like finally, the South Asian giant had a leader who wanted to augment India's soft power and use diplomacy to advance on the rungs of the global ladder.
However, since 2019, the rise of right-wing nationalist elements within the country & the same ruling party has turned years of hard work to dust. India's soft global image has taken a battering due to its handling of the recent farmer's crisis & rising minority concerns within the diverse nation. In today's blog, we analyse how foreign policy analysts can think out of the box & regain the ceded ground:
A SPACE ODYSSEY
India's space exploits are no secret. The world is aware of ISRO's awe-inspiring feats at mid boggling budgets (refer to the chart below). Despite having one of the world's lowest budget, ISRO has outperformed its peers (except NASA) time & time again with regards to successful satellite launches, mars mission and rocket navigation.
India can utilize its space edge to co-operate with developing nations who need a reliable & economic partner to fulfil their space ambitions. This can cement bilateral relations, boost the popularity of India among the local population & also create commercial opportunities for the nascent Indian private space sector in the future. The recent launch of Amazonia-1 of Brazil on ISRO's PSLV-C51 is a great case study.
THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
Indian engineers, scientists & doctors are renowned over the world. They are famous for their work ethic & efficacy. Already a large number of Indian skilled workers (the ones mentioned above) migrate to developed nations like the United States, Canada & the UK for higher pay. The government can capitalize on this trend & encourage the skilled workforce to go on "foreign expeditions" (short stays) at other developing nations where there is a scarcity of such a working class. Similar compensation & service to the nation can attract more skilled individuals towards government services. Taking a leaf out of Cuba's book, such an initiative will build goodwill for India & expose Indian professionals to world-class infrastructure. For India's benefit, a 3-year working stint in rural Indian should be made mandatory to qualify for such government postings abroad.
HOWZZAT!
India is a cricket crazy nation. Cricket is one of the few sports where India has enjoyed storied success on the global stage. It has a world-class infrastructure and a well-set ecosystem. Although Cricket's global reach dwarfs that of other sports like Football, it has a considerable fanbase in the commonwealth nations & in Asia. India can bank on the same & invite the national team of emerging nations like Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Netherlands & even Ireland to utilize the facilities and paly against India's best youth talent. India has already assisted the Afghan national team in many ways & adopting a similar approach can pay rich dividends in terms of people to people relations, global image as well as international exposure to budding Indian cricketers.
BANKING ON THE DIASPORA
Indians are everywhere. The Indian diaspora has cemented itself in every nook and corner of the world. The nation can encourage these migrants to set a good precedent abroad and participating in community activities and social service. Further advancement in setting up cultural centres around the world maintained by Indian immigrants showcasing India's cuisine, heritage, history & culture can act as a booster for Indian credibility. Greater participation in civic polls & state elections in Western democracies can also set a good support base at the base level of such foreign governments.
CHAMPION OF THE UNDER-DEVELOPED
India has recently shied away at the global stage in taking a stand for the smaller nations. For instance, when China barred Taiwan's entry into the WHO in 2020 despite its splendid COVID handling, India abstained from voting. It is time India take a stand for such nations and lend them a helping hand. The world has enough autocrats for now. The rest of the world has also shied away from providing the vaccine to under-developed nations across the Asia-Pacific & Africa. India can fill the void by virtue of its robust pharma industry and insane production levels.
India is in dire need of revamping its foreign policy doctrine. A credible soft power can work wonders in India's bid for a permanent seat at the UNSC and a larger voice in global summits. The global socio-political climate is strikingly sino-phobic (anti-China). The time is ripe for India to seize the initiative.