‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’: As world looks at India for leadership, how New Delhi should set its course

On 14th February, the French President Macron, at the virtual launch of Air India-Airbus deal, lauded the leadership of PM Modi, stating “India, under your leadership clearly can be the one to mobilise the whole world and help us to address the tremendous issues (Ukraine war) we have in front of us”. Earlier, on 11th February 2023, during a press briefing, the US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby reiterated that the US will welcome any efforts of PM Modi to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. Just days earlier, on 9 February, President Putin made an exception from usual protocol and held a closed door meeting with India’s NSA, Ajit Doval, who was in Moscow for the 5th Multilateral Meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils/NSAs on Afghanistan. Here too the conversation was reported to focus on the current war in Ukraine as well as the Afghanistan situation and how India can pitch in to help in both the situations.     During the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022, PM Modi’s assertion to President Putin earlier in the year during the SCO Summit, stating, “Today’s era must not be of war”, was prominently included in the ‘ Bali Declaration’ . It is not often that the P-5 countries like the US, France or Russia call upon India to take leadership role in resolving crisis/situations of global implications. It definitely was not the case a few years or decades back, but the wheels of global geo-politics are turning fast, and re-orienting towards India with each passing day. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and India’s stated position on it has certainly accelerated it. The rush of global leaders to Delhi last year is a testimony to it. Rise of India Rise of India in its global stature is owed to a number of factors. India’s traditional foreign policy approach of being non-intrusive and non-prescriptive in other country affairs and the fact that India is recognised as a power with no extra territorial ambitions is an important contributory factor.     In a world threatened by WMD, India’s declared “no first use” on the use of nuclear weapons too is a strong and significant foreign policy statement. India’s sustained fight against terror, consistent in approach and yet restrained in execution has often set an example to the world towards this global threat. India’s insistence on exercising ‘strategic autonomy’ in its relations with countries is perhaps unparalleled.   It must be the only country to independently have strategic dialogues/partnerships with opposing poles like the US and Russia. It has also been able to deftly navigate its relations in the turbulent West Asian region between arch rivals 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’..  Also, the resolute and firm manner in which India stood up-to China during and after the Galwan Valley military stand-off in 2020 made the world stand up and notice, not only the military might but also the political resolve of rising India. Rise of India’s economy in scale and size is equally important, with India soon poised to become the third largest economy in the world. The IMF and World Bank have projected India as the fastest growing global economy for the next few years, if not more. Innovation and manufacturing are being aggressively pursued in India. It is encouraging startups and emerged as thehome to the world’s largest number of Unicorns (startups valued at US $ one billion or more) in year 2022, surpassing China.   Taking cue from the disruptions in global supply chains due to Covid-19 as also tensions with China, India has launched a massive drive towards manufacturing and self-reliance. It is due to set up its own semi-conductors manufacturing facility, which very few countries in the world have and which is extremely important for all modern electronic devices and equipment, both for civilian as well as military use. Its aggressive drive towards encouraging digital payments through UPI and e-wallets has breached many records. At 48 billion, India accounted for the largest number of worldwide real-time transactions in 2021, almost three times that of nearest challenger China ( 18 billion), and 6.5 times greater than the US, Canada, UK, France and Germany combined, according to a report by ACI Worldwide . It has also forged Rupee trade agreements with countries like Iran and Russia and is in talks with UAE too, which will not only help overcome western sanctions (Iran, Russia) but also reduce dependence on dollar trade in the long run, another significant step in slowly reshaping the global economic order. Energy supply has traditionally been India’s Achilles heel but it has taken concerted efforts to diversify energy supply aggressively. Joining hands with France, it spearheaded the launch of the International Solar Alliance in 2015 to harness solar energy, which now has over 100 countries as members. India’s solar power installed capacity has already reached around 61.97 GW as on 30 November, 2022. Wind, hydro and nuclear power complement India’s drive towards reduced dependence on fossil fuels.   India is presently the world’s third largest producer of renewable energy, with 40% of its installed electricity capacity coming from non-fossil fuel sources, and a mandated target to achieve 50 percent of energy requirements from non-fossil fuels by 2030. The recent discovery of5.9 million tons of Lithium in Jammu & Kashmir region makes it the seventh largest lithium deposits in the world, a mineral crucial for electrification of cars and vehicles, another important contributor towards Indian economic growth. With greater focus on self-reliance, India is taking huge steps in taking the lead in defence and security too. It possesses the world’s third largest armed forces and has one of the most advanced space and missile programs in the world. With indigenously built weapon platforms like fighter aircraft Tejas, combat and utility helicopters, naval aircraft carrier Vikrant, Arjun Main Battle Tanks, K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery guns, Brahmos Cruise Missile and many more, India has joined a very small and exclusive group of nations which manufacture as well as sell such technology intensive and heavy duty military equipment. With an ambitious target of US $ 5 billion defence exports by 2025 , India is looking at a major global role in arms trade too,  another important facet to note while discussing the rise of India. While rapid developments in economy and defence are the hard factors, it is the political stability and strong political will which have complemented India’s rise in the past decade. The current government has been in power for the past nine years with full majority, a far cry from the past governments for over two decades which were formed in coalition and often tended to be conservative and less decisive/bold. Add to that is the personal rapport that PM Modi has developed with leaders across the globe which makes collaboration and cooperation easier. His global leadership standings have been on the top for the last two years and he topped the list in February 2023 too with an approval rating of 78 percent . India is being prominently sought at important global platforms too. Calls for India’s inclusion in the UN Security Council are not new but are now gathering momentum rapidly. During the recent visit to India on 29-30 January 2023, the President of the 77th Session of United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Korosi too raised the issue of India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. India already forms part of ‘Quad’ comprising India, US, Japan and Australia and I2U2 comprising 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. India leads the world in contribution in UN peacekeeping missions and its record in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) is fast emerging as a model to emulate. India’s ‘no strings attached’ aid to Turkey during the recent earthquake despite Turkey not being India’s best allies due to its overtures to Pakistan and its regular statements on Kashmir have been lauded globally.   India was the first to respond and send its HADR teams both to Turkey and Syria as well as in Nepal in 2015. While discussing HADR, how can one forget ‘Operation Raahat’ conducted in Yemen in March 2015 where, while evacuating Indians from Yemen, India also evacuated 1,950 foreign nationals from 48 countries. Why? Because India was the only country trusted and permitted by the warring parties to evacuate people! India’s vaccine diplomacy where it rapidly supplied Covid-19 vaccines across the globe, often gratis, is still fresh in memories of the governments and minds of people across the world. Conclusion Four important pillars; rising economy, robust defence, political stability and tactful diplomacy have contributed to India’s rapid growth. But, all this has not happened overnight. It has been a result of hard, well focused and sustained efforts by India over several years.   India is now at the cusp of history. 75 years after independence, it is now in a position to set the global agenda and take the lead. More importantly, instead of imposing its agenda and ideas on the world, it is the world which is seeking India out, recognising its power and influence. The US may still be the economic and military powerhouse, China may continue its belligerent posturing across our borders and in the Indo-Pacific, but none enjoy the trust, goodwill and influence that India enjoys across the globe. In 2023, India also has the unique privilege of holding the presidency of two powerful global forums, the G20 and the SCO. In fact, in December 2022, in addition to the two, India held the presidency of the UN Security Council, making it three prestigious presidencies simultaneously The world is looking at India to lead it in the 21st Century. India has laid the foundation, it now needs to seize the moment and set its course on an agenda which may perhaps echo 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. 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