Tarun Chugh
Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in office an outstanding feature of India has been its recognition as a global power. The Prime Minister, with his vision of making India rise to the top of the world, has made diligent and earnest efforts to realise the dream of our forefathers who had anticipated that India would one day become a ‘Vishva-Guru’. And in many ways, the prime minister himself has measured up to become a global leader who would not only set the agenda on the global issues but the one whom other international leaders would like to consult and seek guidance. Any global leader is defined as a leader who leads people of the world across various regions, cultures and time zones. In International relationships, a never-ending debate goes on as to who influences diplomacy: Is it the influence of the nation or is it the influence of the leader of the nation? In diplomatic terms a global leader is a term used in two senses: Personal-specific global leader in which the leader-statesman is having a global influence far more than the influence of his country in the world affairs; Country-specific global leader is the national leader who wields influence in the world because he represents a powerful country.
There have been very rare occasions in the world history when both the personal-specific and global-specific leadership merge and work in tandem. It depends upon many factors like the understanding and interests of the world affairs of the national leader, his pro-activity in diplomacy, his charisma, his views on common global problems and solutions, his personal relationship with the leaders of the other countries so and so forth. To take a middle path, a healthy combination of diplomacy, as well as personal leadership, can be used to influence international relations in favour of the national interest.
After Narendra Modi took over there has been a perceptible change in Indian Foreign policy over the past few years which has a combination of dynamic leadership riding on emerging super-power. It is driven by personal diplomacy with the ultimate aim of maximizing the national interest of India through the use of diplomacy. Ever since Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister, India’s diplomacy has emerged as one of the core areas of his leadership. The key ethos of his foreign policy can be enumerated as under:
Global-leader based diplomacy is the combination of personality and national power. Pro-active diplomacy with its different aspects of Economic-diplomacy, cultural-diplomacy, defence-diplomacy which is used with the only aim of enhancing Indian Nation-Interest.
Use of Geo-politics to strengthen India’s economy. Making India self-independent and self-sustained in defence needs.
India’s rightful place in the world order. India is a Global-leader that has the potential to give many things to the world.
Having a good Neighborhood policy. Taking a firm stance when it comes to India National Integration and Sovereignty. Work closely at proactively at the regional, sub-regional and global levels.
Highlighting and following the key global issues which need cooperation and solution at the global level.
Global Leader: There is a 180-degree shift In India’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is the most followed statesman of the world be it on Twitter or on any other social media platform. He has domestic support from all quarters of the population. There is pro-active diplomacy on all the issues. The leader of the nation himself is touring the whole world; and addressing India’s concerns and National Interests. He is also rewiring and rebranding Brand-India from a soft state to a Nation with the power that can influence the world’s affairs in a positive manner.
He is using India-Diaspora to the maximum advantage of India’s national interests. He is the leader who enjoys maximum support and following by Indian Diaspora. Wherever he goes, he meets the NRI or PIO so as to re-attach them with India at a new level. The success of these events can be gauged from the successful and impactful conducting of the Howdy-Modi event.
The other perceptible thing which he has done in making India a superpower is in the field of defence. Our defence basket is now expanded to multi-players and multi-groups and from various countries ending India’s reliance on few countries.
With his extensive tours and meeting the leaders of the world, he has developed a personal level rapport with many of the leaders which is helping India further its point of view on many issues and debunking many stereotypes.
He is also projecting India’s culture through its cultural diplomacy. None could imagine that the world will celebrate India’s gift to the world in the form of Yoga as an International yoga day. It has been done following hectic cultural diplomacy.
The way Narendra Modi brought to the front the new challenging issues of Religious-extremism, Global-terrorism, Environmental-concerns; highlights the fact that India is influencing and shaping the world’s events on global issues facing the entire humanity.
True to its ethos of Vasudev- Kutumbkam (Universal-brotherhood), India has helped the world with its Vaccine-Maitri diplomacy. India has shown the path to the world as how to move ahead in vaccination with one day record of 2.26 crores vaccination in a day. India is emerging as a global leader in the leadership of a true Global-Leader.
(The writer is National General Secretary, BJP).