Even as India tries to work out how to emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown, it needs to shore up its international ties. This is necessary bo...
Even as India tries to work out how to emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown, it needs to shore up its international ties. This is necessary both to rebuild the country’s shattered economy and to participate in global health initiatives. In doing so, however, India must also deal with widespread international criticism of its domestic politics, including condemnation from its allies in the Gulf region and a scathing report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom about the country’s treatment of minorities These negative reactions matter because they directly affect India’s soft power.
Soft power, the appeal of a country’s culture, history, institutions, and values, is an important element of modern diplomacy. The Indian government knows this. Since 2014, it has invested substantial resources into building up India’s soft power, even developing a soft power measurement matrix. But its efforts are unraveling because of the country’s hardline politics at home.
More than any other Indian political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party has wooed Indian diaspora communities, particularly in the United States. Its efforts have included a vast network of social and religious organisations, all of which advocate pride in the homeland from a religious and nationalist vantage point. This outreach has persuaded the Indian diaspora community to extend vociferous support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi....
