India's foreign policy saga: A tapestry of nine sutras woven across nine glorious years in the Narendra Modi era

The Modi government in India recently completed nine years, having come to power by a thumping majority in May 2014 and 2019. Presenting the ‘report card’ for this period, External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, held a customary annual press briefing on 9 June 2023. During this interaction with journalists, he highlighted key aspects of evolution and ‘significant transformation’ of foreign policy over the period of nine years, which is reflected in the country’s higher standing, greater influence, bigger footprint, new concepts and stronger delivery. Some of the areas of key focus in the past nine years were highlighted and can be discussed under ‘Nine Sutras (threads)’ under which India’s foreign policy has flourished, especially in the past nine years. How the world sees India This is perhaps one of the most significant aspects of the India’s success story. The Indian response to the ‘COVID-19’ pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war has obviously been the two major contributing factors in it. During the pandemic, when most of the world closed its doors to the outside world, India presented a completely different outlook. It was the first to provide COVID-19 vaccines to people across countries while still vaccinating its own people. India already supplied 235 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 98 countries of the world by July 2022. It also conducted a 24x7 world vide operation ‘Vande Bharat’ and brought back over 70 Lakh of its citizens from across the globe, running special flights over four months, a feat unmatched by any country in the world. Many countries who received the vaccines from India, especially our neighborhood, Africa, Latin America have expressed their eternal gratitude to India more than once. On the Russia-Ukraine war, India’s position has been clear and unambiguous. Since the Ukraine war broke out in February 2022, New Delhi has become virtually the ‘global capital’, with top global leadership lining up to seek India’s support towards a swift end to the conflict. The fact that India did not bow down to Western pressure to condemn Russia or to stop purchase of crude oil for its energy security, was initially protested by the West, but later reluctantly accepted as an ‘instrument of India’s national interest’, a huge credit to India’s growing stature in the world. India: An economic collaborator India is currently rated as the fifth largest economy of the world and slated to become the third largest, possibly by 2027-28. Gone are the days when India was looked down upon as a poor nation. IMF and World Bank along with major rating agencies have projected India as the fastest growing global economy for next few years, if not more. Innovation and manufacturing under the brand ‘Make in India’ are the key buzz words. India was home to the of the world’s largest number of Unicorns (startups valued at $1 billion or more) in year 2022, surpassing US and China. Its aggressive push to encourage digital payments through UPI and e-wallets has breached all records. In 2021, India accounted for the largest number of worldwide real-time transactions at $48 billion. Technologically advanced nations like Singapore and Japan are seeking collaboration with India to replicate UPI system of digital payments. India’s pursuit of green energy is widely acknowledged and its solar power installed capacity has already reached around 61.97 GW as on 30 November, 2022. Countries are keen to collaborate with India in this green movement and are joining forums like the International Solar Alliance. The recent discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of Lithium in Jammu and Kashmir region makes it the seventh largest lithium deposits in the world, and its successful exploration could become another important contributor towards India’s rapid economic growth and possible collaboration in manufacture of semi-conductor chips in India. India’s developmental collaboration with developing nations too is being widely welcomed. India has a development footprint across 78 nations and is instrumental in establishing, reviving and running of over 600 projects worldwide. India is also attracting record FDI. The year 2021-22 recorded the highest ever FDI at $83.6 billion. It is estimated that it could cross $100 billion for the year 2022-23. With companies worldwide pulling out of China, India is fast emerging as the best place for global manufacturing economic collaboration. Mini-laterals and multilaterals Jaishankar highlighted India’s focus on effective and focused Mini-laterals and Multilaterals as one of the important threads of India’s foreign policy success. India’s position in Quad (India, US, Japan and Australia) has grown over the years. From merely coordinating on trade, technology, climate issues etc., this forum is now slowly taking shape of a more complete mini- lateral in the Indo-pacific. The ‘Malabar exercise’ comprising of all four navies, conducted off the coast of Japan in November 2022, is an indicator of shape of things to come in the future. India is also part of I2U2 comprising of India, Israel, US and UK, popularly called as the West Asian Quad. Very recently, India, UAE and France have formed a trilateral for cooperation in defence, energy and technology. In May 2023, the NSAs of four countries; India, Saudi Arabia, UAE and the US met in Saudi Arabia forming another ‘Quad’ like forum “to advance their shared vision of a more secure and prosperous Middle East region”. India’s candidature for permanent seat at the UN Security Council is a notable inclusion in almost every diplomatic statement referring to UN Security Council reforms. President of the 77th Session of United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Korosi too raised it during the recent visit to India on 29-30th January 2023. India’s key role in SCO and BRICS is also a part of this success story. India’s outreach in the Pacific islands nations by forming FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation) in 2014 is proving useful in developmental cooperation with small and scattered island nations in the Pacific. The current Indian presidencies of G20 and the SCO in setting the global agenda too are key pointers in this direction. An independent and credible force Whether it is the current Russia-Ukraine war where India stood firm on securing its national interests or the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh on the LAC (Line of Actual Control) against China, India has shown that it can stand its ground as a powerful and independent force. The Balakot airstrike in February 2019, deep into Pakistan targeting terrorist camps was a powerful message to Pakistan not to mess with Indian sovereignty. Hosted and chaired by India, the ‘No Money for Terror’ Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing, held in November 2022 in New Delhi drew as much global attention as Modi’s famous statement at 2022 SCO Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan where he called upon President Vladimir Putin and said ‘”this is no time for war” which has made global headlines ever since. India’s annual forum for strategic dialogue ‘Raisina Dialogue’ which commenced in 2016, has slowly caught the attention of strategists all over the world and is now a ‘must follow’ event in most calendars. Mission LiFE movement (Lifestyle for the Environment), launched by India as an India-led global mass movement to protect and preserve the environment, International Yoga Day on 21 June, International Solar Alliance, launched by India along with France in 2015, call for setting up Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), are some of the other global initiatives undertaken by India which have been adapted across the globe and is a testimony of the power and influence of India as a credible force of reason in the world. Domestic transformation and its impact India’s domestic transformation too has made the world sit up and take notice. Dr Jaishankar highlighted aspects like use of digital medium for the delivery of public goods and services, how Indian society is transforming in terms of social development goals, the literacy missions, the gender effort, the Jal Jeevan mission, the electricity connections, Swachh (Clean) Bharat, UPI digital payment system etc. As mentioned earlier, countries like Singapore and Japan have already shown interest in UPI system. Countries like UAE, Singapore, Nepal have even accepted Rupay card payments. India has risen significantly in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) rankings, making it one of the top performers on a global platform. Out of 190 countries, India’s ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report improved from the 142nd position in 2015 to the 63rd position currently. A number of outdated laws have been revoked and many processes refined to ensure smooth and efficient clearances through ‘single window’ to attract international businesses. Political stability at the national level too has been a factor which has helped larger business confidence from around the world leading to greater investments and progress for the people in India. Strategic autonomy Strategic autonomy has always been a key pillar of India’s foreign policy since the days of Nonaligned Movement which was spearheaded by India at the peak of the Cold War. Barring a few moments in the past however, this could not be fully put in practice. Jaishankar too emphasised on it, stating that since 2014 there is ‘strategic clarity’ and a clear attempt to show that ‘we are no longer a prisoner of the past’. In the recent past, India’s insistence on exercising ‘strategic autonomy’ in its relations with countries is clearly noticeable. It has independent strategic dialogues/partnerships with opposing poles like the US and Russia. Despite India’s rather tough and independent ‘anti-West’ stance in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, PM Modi is scheduled to be in the US on a state visit later this month. There are talks on transfer of critical military technology and joint production of important military platforms in India, to be finalized during this visit. At the G20 Foreign Ministers meet in Delhi on 01-02 March 2023 too, India called out Russia and China for the ongoing Ukraine conflict in the outcome document, a clear reflection of its ‘non-aligned’ stance. PM Modi also agreed to meet Ukrainian President Zelensky on the sidelines of G7 Summit in Japan in May 2023. All this, despite continuing trade and strong ties with Russia. India has also been able to deftly navigate its relations in the turbulent West Asian region between archrivals like Saudi Arabia, Israel and Iran, developing special/strategic partnerships with each one of them, a clear reflection that India does not see its relations with them as a ‘zero sum game’. India’s invitation to OIC Summit in 2019 as Guest of Honour, despite it being an exclusive forum of Muslim countries, is yet another example of how India has deftly navigated its way in the region. Indians first This aspect has been one of the most refreshing additions to India’s foreign policy. Credit has to go to Sushma Swaraj for it, who transformed the elite external affairs ministry, into a ‘people’s ministry’. Twitter has become a popular forum to redress of problems of Indians abroad. Issue of passports has gained unprecedented pace. Against 77 Passport Seva Kendras in 2014 there were now over 500 in the country. Against 8.7 million passports issued in 2014, the Ministry is currently issuing more than 14 million passports annually. The success of Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas events and the huge crowds that Prime Minister Modi draws whenever he addresses Indians abroad too is a manifestation of increasing Indian pride abroad. There is also a visible trend where the Indian brain drain may get reversed with better opportunities and policies in India, in the future. One of the other remarkable and visible fact has been how India has focused on the safety of Indians abroad. Whether it was evacuation of over 4,700 Indians from war torn Yemen in March 2015, safety of Indian ships during the 2019 Persian Gulf crisis, getting back over 70 Lakh Indians during COVID-19, evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan after Taliban takeover in August 2021, evacuation of 20,000 Indian students from war in Ukraine or the most recent evacuation of over 3,000 Indians from Sudan in April 2023, India has ensured that its citizens were evacuated from places where many ‘mighty’ nations failed. In the immediate neighbourhood too, steps like the 2015 Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh and the exchange of enclaves (chhitmahals) between the two countries has had a transformational impact on the people in the North-East, easing away many fears and apprehensions of the past. The operationalization of the Kartarpur Corridor, taking the Sikh pilgrims to the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev in Narowal, Pakistan as also the construction of road leading to Mount Kailash in Tibet, across Lipulekh Pass in Uttrakhand, India too are good examples of success of diplomacy in service of Indians. Neighbourhood First The invitation to heads of states of all SAARC nations for the swearing in ceremony in May 2014 was unprecedented and a clear signal on priority of the Modi government towards its neighborhood. This policy has not only sought to allay fears and apprehensions of smaller neighbours, but has sought to bring the nations together, be it the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka, infrastructure development in Maldives or flood relief in Nepal. Even with Afghanistan, despite the Taliban rule, India has continued its humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. There has been a concerted effort by India to change its image in the neighbourhood from a ‘Big Brother’ to an ‘Elder Brother’. In the face of China’s attempts to make deep inroads into India’s neighbourhood, the policy also has vital security and strategic implications for India. Voice of the Global South At the ‘Voice of Global South’ Summit in January 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the “world is in a state of crisis” and told the leaders of developing countries “your voice is India’s voice” and “your priorities are India’s priorities”. In the current G20 presidency too, India has taken upon itself to be the voice of ‘Global South’ and has taken views and concern of almost 125 countries, to be dovetailed into the G20 agenda for the year. India-Africa Forum and India’s increasing engagement with Latin American countries has been an important cog of India’s foreign policy. Jaishankar, in a query during the press briefing, alluded to the importance being accorded to Latin America. He said that during his recent visits to Colombia, Guyana, Panama, and Dominican Republic, he was surprised to know that no Indian foreign minister had ever been there. Even in Mexico, the last Indian foreign minister visit was that of PV Narasimha Rao in the 1980s. The trade with Latin America too has grown fast and stands at approximately US $ 50 billion, which is a great improvement from the past neglect of the region by India. Leadership and the voice of the ‘Global South’ is thus a fast-evolving thread of India’s foreign policy. Conclusion The nine sutra (threads) discussed above may-not be all encompassing, but they give a fair idea how India is rapidly marching ahead. India’s foreign policy has truly evolved and has brought India to the global center stage. As India looks ahead to the next 25 years to its centenary of independence in 2047, India’s aspiration of being the ‘Vishwa Guru’ (Global Leader) can only come about through sustained all round efforts, diplomacy being one of the important ones. The foundation has been laid and it is now upto India to effectively deploy various threads of its national power to seize the moment and set its course on an agenda which could provide vision for a secure and free world, perhaps echoing the theme of its current G20 presidency; ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. The author is Assistant Director, MP-IDSA. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.