A familiar passage jumped out in the 1,186-page Group of 20 statement denouncing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. It echoed what Narendra Modi told Vladimir Putin in September. Media and authorities in the country of 1.3 billion claimed the inclusion showed the world’s largest democracy had helped bridge gaps between an increasingly isolated Russia and the U.S. and its allies.
“How India unified G20 on PM Modi’s notion of peace,” read a Times of India headline. Vinay Kwatra, India’s foreign secretary, said the PM’s message that this is not the era of conflict helped bridge the gap between parties. The declaration came as Indonesian President Joko Widodo handed over the G20 leadership to Modi, who will host the next leaders’ summit in New Delhi in September 2023 – about six months before he is likely to contest a third term as India’s leader.
As New Delhi balances its connections to Russia and the West, Modi is developing as a leader courted by all sides, observers say, garnering him domestic support and consolidating India as an international power broker. “The home narrative is that Modi is using the G20 conference to show he’s a great global statesman,” said Sushant Singh of the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi. “India’s current government sees itself as a powerful country at the top table.”
India’s attendance at the G20 was overshadowed by the meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden and the hurry to investigate the killing of two Polish nationals after a “Russian-made rocket” landed near the NATO member’s border with Ukraine. Biden and Xi met for three hours on Monday to prevent open disagreement. Wednesday, G7 and NATO leaders met in Bali to examine the Polish explosion.
Modi conducted a series of conversations with many foreign leaders, including recently appointed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on food security, environment, health, and economic regeneration — mostly avoiding criticising Putin’s aggressiveness openly while continuing to distance his country from Russia. While India had a “modest agenda” for the G20 involving energy, climate, and economic turmoil from the war, Western leaders “are listening to India as a major stakeholder in the region,” said Happymon Jacob, associate professor of diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi.
New Delhi has strong connections with Moscow dating back to the Cold War, and India remains largely reliant on the Kremlin for military weapons. This is a key link given India’s ongoing concerns with China along the Himalayan border. New Delhi has grown closer to the West to offset Beijing’s ascent, putting India in a critical position. India is one of the few countries that can engage all sides, says King’s College London professor Harsh V. Pant. “India has bridged multiple opponents” Since the crisis began, India has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine but hasn’t condemned Russia’s invasion. Analysts say India’s limitations are being tested as Putin’s aggression kills thousands and throws the global economy into upheaval.
Observers say Modi’s tougher tone with Putin in recent months was due to increased food, fuel, and fertilizer prices, which hurt other countries. India might bring its own agenda to next year’s G20, which was focused on the war this year. “India’s presidency comes as the globe focuses on renewable energy, rising costs, and inflation,” said Jacob from JNU. India is seen as a vital country that can meet South Asian and global needs. As a result of the battle, global oil prices are soaring, hurting consumers who already face rising food prices and inflation. Modi said India is taking leadership while the world grapples with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown, rising food and energy prices, and the pandemic’s long-term impacts. He said India’s G20 leadership will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented.
India’s positioning for next year’s summit is “the voice of the developing countries and global South,” Pant said. Modi wants to portray India as a country that can respond to today’s issues by echoing the worries of the world’s poorest nations,unlike Russia. All eyes are on Modi as he begins his campaign for India’s 2024 national election. His Hindu-nationalist BJP’s populist politics have polarized India. Modi remains popular in a country where 80% of the population is Hindu, but his government has been condemned for restricting free expression and discriminating against minorities. Modi’s political friends have pushed his international credentials, casting him as a global actor. “(The BJP) sees Modi’s G20 meetings as a political message that he’s boosting India’s image overseas and creating strong partnerships,” said Singh from the Center for Policy Research.
This Monday, India and Britain unveiled the “UK-India Young Professionals Scheme,” which will allow 3,000 Indians between 18 and 30 to live and work in the UK for up to two years. Simultaneously, Modi’s Twitter posted pleasant photos and video with Western leaders. Singh said Modi’s domestic image is solid, but it remains to be seen if he can maintain his cautious balance as the battle proceeds. Supposedly his worldwide reputation stems from his domestic reputation. If that continues, worldwide audiences will appreciate him.
Read More Economic News Here
You must be logged in to post a comment Login