NEW DELHI: In a recently published opinion piece on the website of Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece Global Times, the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has found praise for its improved approach towards various issues including global trade, culture, economy and politics. The article written by Zhang Jiadong – whose bio on the Global Times website credits him as the Director of the Center for South Asian Studies at Fudan University in China’s Shanghai city – highlights the sweeping transformation that has unfolded over the past few years in India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India has not only solidified its position as a major global player, but has also crafted a distinct “Bharat narrative” that reflects its ambition to become a pivotal pole in the multipolar world, the author opined.
Economic and Social Achievements
Further in the article, Jiadong highlights how India’s economic and social landscape has witnessed remarkable changes, positioning the nation as one of the fastest-growing major economies in the modern world. The author credits improved levels of Urban Governance – a critical aspect of development – with the evident reduction of haze, and the amelioration of the public environment in the Indian cities, including the nation’s capital: New Delhi.
In the backdrop of reports of India-China relations dropping to a new-low in the recent past, Jiadong says “the economic momentum [in India] has prompted a shift in focus, with the Indian scholars now actively exploring ways to reduce the trade deficit with China by emphasizing on India’s export potential”.
Diplomatic Strategies
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Jiadong said, “India’s foreign policy has rapidly evolved into a great power strategy”. Reflecting a more assertive stance on the global stage, the Modi-led government – in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict – distanced itself from the West, aligning more closely with the developing world. Around the same time, India witnessed an increase in diplomatic activities with Western countries.
Jiadong further praised the Modi government’s “multi-alignment strategy”, and wrote that the country “has evolved into a great power strategy, [eventually] showcasing its confidence in shaping international alliances”.
Political and Cultural Reshaping
Further in the article, the author goes on to explain how the political and cultural spheres in India have “witnessed a significant shift” from emphasizing democratic consensus with the West to highlighting the “Indian feature” of democratic politics.
An excerpt from the article reads:
The recent “Knowledge India Visitors Programme,” organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, marks a pivotal moment in India’s cultural diplomacy, where it seeks to position itself as a world mentor, emphasizing the importance of the “Bharat narrative” in shaping its global image.
Challenges and Implications
While cautioning that India’s rapid transformation into a more assertive global player “poses challenges both domestically and internationally”, Jiadong goes on to laud the Modi government’s ambitious approach to becoming a pole in the multipolar world, saying that it “reflects a departure from historical norms, and has set the stage for India to assert its influence on the global stage”.
The speed of these changes is unprecedented, Jiadong says in the article, as he points towards India’s “recalibration” that he feels is a “crucial factor” that other nations should “consider in their geopolitical calculations”.
“As India continues on this trajectory, the world watches with keen interest, recognizing the emergence of a transformed, stronger, and more assertive India as a geopolitical force to be reckoned with”, Jiadong says while concluding the article.
The Modi government’s strategic shift and the crafting of the “Bharat narrative” mark a new chapter in the country’s role in the global arena, Jiadong opines while noting that India “has set the stage for its dynamic and impactful presence on the world stage”.
