- After USA almost ditched Ukraine, the world is hesitant to believe that USA is a superpower and they are looking for alternative
- India’s record has been impeccable when it comes to standing up for not just its close allies but others as well
- USA is not trustable, China’s diplomacy is predatory. Countries need a friend who can help them in times of need. India is the best alternative they have
In the wake of USA leaving Ukraine on its own in the Russia-Ukraine war, the world is desperately looking for a global superpower to depend upon. No country other than India has the capacity as well as diplomatic clout to take up the space vacated by America.
India’s Maldives outreach
To become a responsible global giant in the modern liberal democratic world order, a country should first stack up the support of its neighbours. India has made some huge progress on this front. In recent years, India has left no stone unturned in doing so. Experts thought that if Taliban captured Kabul, it would be the end of the road for India as the Taliban-China-Pakistan nexus would destabilize India’s outreach to other neighbours.
However, things took a totally different turn. India’s legitimacy among its neighbours was recently vindicated by the Maldives taking up India’s support in curbing radicalism in the country. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently inaugurated the National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE) in the Maldives’ Addu city. The infrastructure of the institution is largely funded by India. Moreover, India will also be taking up the responsibility of providing assistance to the Maldivian police.
Read more: Delhi Dialogue effect: Taliban starts trading through Chabahar dumping China-backed Pakistani ports
India’s relationship with its neighbours
This is hardly the only time when India is helping its neighbours come out of slumber. The fact that Sri Lanka still has a semblance of being a sovereign nation despite being at the epicentre of debt-trap diplomacy of China, can be directly credited to India. Through various kinds of loans, lines of credit and humanitarian aid, India has kept resuscitating Sri Lanka’s economy in the past 15 years.
Read more: Sri Lanka should sign the Instrument of Accession
Without boasting anything publicly, India has been doing something similar in Nepal for uncountable years. India shares a Beti-Roti relationship with Nepal. When the 2015 earthquake seemingly destroyed Nepal. It was India who ran in to save the people of the country. Later, when anti-India Nepali Communists came to power, India did everything to ensure that no matter what happens at the government level, people-to-people relationships between average citizens of both countries do not suffer. The fact that PM Deuba chose India for his first bilateral visit clearly indicated what significance India holds in Nepal’s power circle.
Similarly, India’s bond with Bhutan became unbreakable in recent years. Bhutan became the first country to receive India’s gift of COVID-19 vaccines while the vaccination had just started in India. Additionally, India has been actively investing in Bhutan to build the hydroelectric power plant system. New Delhi has so far constructed four Hydroelectric Projects in Bhutan including the 60 MW Kurichhu HEP; 1020 MW Tala HEP; the 336 MW Chukha HEP; and the 720 MW Mangdechhu HEP.
By galvanizing like-minded forces on its side, India has ensured that it keeps the dual-threat of Islamism and the Chinese Dragon at bay.
Read more: Why PM Modi is getting Bhutan’s highest civilian honor
Gains made during the war crisis
Similarly, on the world stage, India has emerged as a formidable force. The fact that despite India clandestinely stressing that it is on Russia’s side, Ukraine is welcoming India as a peace negotiator clearly tells how much reliability India poses on diplomatic tables.
India has never backed away from provisioning any kind of assistance to the world. Currently, India is helping Ukraine in a humanitarian way, while on the other hand, it is also assisting Russia to develop a currency buffer in the wake of western sanctions.
India is the voice of voiceless in United Nations
In the United Nations, India has increased its dominance in recent years. India is one of the top contributors to the United Nations peacekeeping force. Its recent clear and unequivocal stance on UN’s Islamophobia asking UN to condemn religiophobia just legitimized India’s position. Add to that India decided to abstain from voting against Russia in the UN. India did not even pay heed to possible American sanctions when it chose to abstain.
The world has three options. USA, which is like a schoolyard bully who leaves his friends in tatters when they are in trouble. Another one is China, whose predatory diplomacy makes it impossible to believe them. The third option is India, which stands with its allies in times of need. Obviously, they will choose India over the other two.