(written on 12th Oct. 2014)
In the discourses of foreign
policy there is always an ample scope for new phrases and proverbs. After
coming in power the BJP government at Delhi under the Prime Minister Narender
Modi is on toes to inscribe Hindu cultural-cum-religious attributes to the Indian
foreign engagements. One of the visible dimensions of Modi’s foreign
engagements is introduction of the Hindu cultural ethos in its different modes
to the Indian foreign policy.
In his first speech to the joint
session of Indian parliament, after recent election of its lower house,
President Pranab Mukharji while introducing the Modi’s agenda used the phrase
déjà vu which implies the ‘Enlightened National Interest’ that per se is
assemblage of new priorities of Modi’s government. The highlighted feature of
this new phrase is India’s soft power interms of 5Ts (tradition, talent.
tourism, trade and technology), that to be prioritized while dealing with the
external sphere of the Indian state.
Since coming in power Modi has
visited three countries- Bhutan, Nepal, Japan and his recent concluded visit of
United States. One of the discernible aspects of his visits are Modi’s fluent
Hindi and Temple diplomacy. Modi’s extempore Hindi speeches and his preference
to Hindi language over English is sui-generis in the recent history of India’s
external engagements. The one more dimension of Modi’s external engagements is
‘Vasudharia Kutumbakam’, the entire world is a family, is a spiritual and moral
dimension of Modi’s foreign policy. In Japan Modi quoted that “in 21st
century knowledge is more attractive than weapons”. This ‘Modi Fied’ diplomacy is
an endeavor towards a universal relevance of India’s Hindu culture and its
subsequent soft power dimension in the world.
His visit to Pashopatrinath
Temple in Nepal was nicely maneuvered inorder to accentuate the Indo-Nepal
cultural-cum-religious affinity. Other than some bilateral issues related to
the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, more focus was on
substantiating of India’s soft power in Nepal. Modi while addressing the maiden
address to the constituent assembly of Nepal introduced the phrase HIT
(Highways, infoways and Transmission), that shall be the priority of India while
dealing with the Nepal. Moreover, Modi announced a loan of US $1 billion credit
to the development of Nepal and a scholarship for Nepali students studying in
India. He also talks about establishing the Aeurvedic University in the
Nepal.
The Japan visit by Modi was full of soft power
skills. He gifted his Japanese counterpart Swami Veveknanda’s book and a copy
of Bhagavad Gita, which per se is quite unusual in the recent history of Indian
foreign engagements. In Japan Modi while visiting the Toji Temple, UNESCO world
heritage site, and Togi, eight century Buddhist pagoda said that “Buddhism
reminds deep ties between Japan and India”. He while interacting with the
school children at Tokyo narrated them a story of Lord Krishna. Even he played
Japanese drummers. These all acts are obvious steps towards accentuating of
India’s soft power and to introduce India’s cultural legacy in the domain of
external dealings. The address of Indian Prime Minister during his recent visit
to USA to the “rock star” gatherings in Central Park and at Madison Square
Garden was per se a sue generous in the history of Indian diplomacy. Before
meeting the US President he fully played his soft power cards and skills in the
US. The address to the Indian American Community and his announcement about the
life time visa to the NRIs
There is no harm in building the
soft power and its export to the other countries, after all, in the twenty
first century soft power is more relevant and effective than traditional hard
power. Joseph Nye, Howard professor, in his book ‘Future of Power’ argued that
United States will dominate the world not because it has world’s largest
military power but because of the fact that it is a home of facebook, google, IPod,
amazon etc. what he called a smart power (a new dimension of hard power + soft
power). In that direction Modi’s soft power skill is in a right direction. But
there is a worrying aspect of this policy not in the external sphere but in the
internal domain of the Indian state. India is world’s one of the largest
diverse countries interms of religious and cultural identities. There are some
visible intentions of some sections in the Modi’s government who have
assimilative designs in terms of making India a Hindu Rashtra. This kind of
policy can prove very divisive keeping in view the India’s plural society.
Therefore, it is advisable that exporting India’s Hindu cultural dimension to
its foreign policy is good but it can prove counterproductive if imposed in the
internal sphere of Indian state.
