A 600-word analysis of a 12-second-long Modi-Biden video

G7 Summit is on. Unsurprisingly, PM Modi is once again hogging all the limelight. So much so that, the supposed “leader of the free world” is asking him to take out a few moments from his busy schedule, just to make him aware that he is also there. Here is our analysis of the viral Modi-Biden video.

The 12-second Modi-Biden video goes viral

Rarely does Reuters come up with a gem. But, yesterday it did when it captured Biden shaking hands with PM Modi. In the video, PM Modi was seen interacting with Canadian President Justin Trudeau and other leaders. Soon, Biden felt left behind, and ditching American pride, he walked up to PM Modi and put his hands on PM Modi’s shoulders, effectively asking him, “Did you forget me Mr. Modi? I’m also here”

PM Modi gracefully accepted his invitation and took a step up the ladder to shake hands with Biden.

Joe Biden walks up to PM Modi to greet him.😎 pic.twitter.com/Zf7zDquWFI
— News Arena (@NewsArenaIndia) June 27, 2022

The Modi-Biden video is now viral on social media and news channels. But the obvious question is, why was Biden desperate to seek the attention of the Indian Prime Minister? Why would he shake hands with a country’s leader which is not even a member of G7? After all, India went there only after the invitation. And finally, what’s there in PM Modi and his charismatic leadership which forced otherwise sleepy Joe to consciously have a ‘firm’ handshake with him?

India’s growing stature

Part of the answer is the declining status of the US. But the main factor is India’s cataclysmic rise in the last few years. Economy, Defence, International Affairs, Technology; you name a field and tell me if India has not made a name for itself. All these developments have been fuelled by PM Modi’s initiatives such as Make-in-India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and the PLI scheme among others.

The very fact that India can manage its affairs without the assistance of the US and its allies is what has irked the Biden administration. Uncle Sam tried to subvert India on many fronts, including S-400 deals with Russia, but every time it had to backtrack. Despite taking desperate measures such as lecturing India on religion, it could not stop Russia-India from increasing friendship. On the economic front, India became the only country that remained unscathed during the supply-chain crisis induced by Covid-19. In fact, it is the only country that brought down inequality during the period, something which the western hemispheres have always struggled with and will keep doing.

Biden wants a pie in the Indian economy

The change in the economic scenario was so much rampant that almost every big bull institution in the financial world was forced to appreciate PM Modi’s leadership. Moody’s even increased India’s ratings while others like S&P, World Bank, news agencies like Reuters and even IMF have forecast a strictly uptight growth in the Indian economy.

Apparently, only numbers do not tell the story. It is the visuals as well. India has been constantly present on the big multinational forums like BRICS and G20 among others. G7 invitation to India has become so much common that in one or two years, it won’t even be grabbing the headlines. India may accept Russia’s invitation to join its new G8 initiative as well. An indication of how important India is to the world is the fact that Piyush Goyal emerged as the hero of the developing world when he was able to bring out a required change in WTO’s stand on multiple issues, something that was stuck for decades.

Read more: India conquers the WTO

The Indian market is huge. US economy is dying due to its own sledgehammer called printing excess Dollars. The Biden administration needs India, and that explains why Biden needs PM Modi.