Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US and the rousing reception he received by the US President Joe Biden is sure to rewrite a new chapter in Indo-US relations. Co-production in defence equipment besides achieving a partnership in Artificial Intelligence would be a major breakthrough.
To be treated as equal you don’t need to genuflect. Modi has shown that India can stand its ground and it need not compromise on its interest to get the respect it deserves. On the one hand it has a trusted friend in Russia, on the other it has achieved ideological-based trusted relations with the United States.
However, the visit would not go down well with the Leftists and so-called Liberals who have been trying to ensure that the US establishment keeps its distance from the ruling party in India. They tried all the tricks from newspaper reports to demonstrations but have miserably failed. Their match was found only in Patna where rejected leaders of the country were meeting to strategize how to dethrone Modi in 2024.
But in the calculations of world leaders, Modi is coming back to power with a far greater majority than ever before. They know that it is much easier to learn and listen to Modi than to other leaders of India who at times look lost while talking about India. The latest case is Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the US where he tried to undermine Indian democracy and the Government by hurling unwanted criticisms.
Long before Modi had become the Prime Minister of India in 2014, China had calculated that he would become the Prime Minister. Chinese leaders were very friendly with Modi and gave him a red carpet welcome even when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. However, they failed to capitalise on the goodwill and dared to challenge his government by becoming aggressive on the borders. China lost a golden opportunity.
The US, the entire Western world and also Europe are aware that they would need to deal with Modi who is many more years senior to most of them in terms of delivering governance to a much larger population than any other country. If the world has to become a better place, the democracy with the largest population cannot be ignored.
The attitude and dynamics of foreign relations is likely to be dictated by new challenges from facing human existence: Terrorism, Climate Change and a belligerent China. These are issues of far greater importance than talking of some stray incidents that some organisations claim to be violations of Human Rights. And if lectured, India is bound to give them back.
China’s disregard for Human Rights, expansionism and its belligerence in not following international norms is going to anger many. Biden has already called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator”. During Modi’s visit to the US, he clarified that his remarks were not inadvertent.
Only a confident nation sure of its righteousness can talk so straight. During an interview to a newspaper, Modi stressed that all nations should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries. He clarified that peace and tranquillity on the borders were essential for normalisation of bilateral ties with China. Modi has consistently maintained this and had raised similar concerns at the G7 meeting in May this year. “All countries must respect the UN Charter, international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations”, he had stressed.
Whosoever is in power in the US – Joe Biden or someone else – the reality of India being the largest populated country with a formidable military, the country’s immense potential due to a youthful population and its survival as a robust democracy cannot be ignored. The whole world is recognising the experience and leadership of Modi to give solutions to a new world order.
Whether it is solar alliance, climate change or tackling disasters, Modi has emerged a clear winner. India did not depend on the US Dollars to fulfil its commitment on climate change. India’s stand and action as Modi told the press in Washington is not due to convenience but a commitment rooted in its culture. “We can milk the nature but cannot exploit it,” he said.
One should not forget that it was Narendra Modi who first spoke of the need for the International Solar Alliance in his speech at Wembley Stadium in London in November 2015. Soon after, the ISA was launched in collaboration with France. The idea is to unite all countries that fall within the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Modi referred to these countries as ‘Suryaputra’ (Sunshine countries). The alliance has 123 countries as signatories. This is surely going to decrease dependence on fossil fuel.
The biggest threat facing mankind today is terrorism in the form of Al Qaeda, ISIS, and other organisations operating in different parts of the world. Without mincing words, Modi called for strong action against any country sponsoring terrorism. In a strongly worded joint statement released by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi, both countries called for concerted action against all UN-listed terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Modi had told the US Congress that there could not be “if and buts” while dealing with the enemies of humanity.
India and the US share the same common ideology of democracy and a close touch in bilateral human relations. But the US has often stayed away when India has faced difficulties such as the recent stand-off with China. When the Chinese aggression happened, the US and many other countries were silent spectators. Modi knows that the US would not come running to support India, but the country can be leveraged for global peace and stability.
If this part of the world has to become peaceful and balanced, India must be allowed to play its role. Whether to face terrorism boldly or to give a befitting reply to ambitious neighbours, India must be strong militarily. India’s survival as a proud nation depends on its defence preparedness and the readiness to fight two plus half front wars. India’s strength must be recognised and strengthened. India has behaved very responsible and its military has not gone out to capture territories.
Indo-US defence cooperation should be seen in that context. It is not just transfer of technology but also manufacturing some of these weapons in India. This is a giant leap from earlier agreements that created dependence on the suppliers. This will have an economic spinoff for both the countries.
Human Rights activists would be particularly disturbed because they have failed to implement their agenda of turning the US hostile towards India under Modi. When a lady journalist put the question before Biden and Modi on Human Rights violations in India, they both stressed that democracy was in the DNA of both countries. Modi stressed there is no space for discrimination:
“We are a democracy…India and America both have democracy in our DNA. Democracy is in our spirit and we live it and it’s written in our Constitution…So no question of discrimination on the grounds of caste, creed or religion arises. That is why, India believes in sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayaas and walks ahead with it…” he said.
Modi has turned the Marxist dialectics on its head. He has replaced conflict with assimilation. The Leftists and so-called Liberals are at their wits end trying to find an answer to the Modi magic that world leaders feel when they embrace him or shake hands with him.
The fallout of the anti-Modi brigade in Patna was for all to see when senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Shivanand Tiwary said that Hindu society has never believed in equality and democracy. This is opposite to what Modi said in the US. And such a blasphemous statement from Tiwary came from Bihar which has been a cradle of civilization and which witnessed democracy long time back in India’s ancient past.

This data comes from MediaIntel.Asia's Media Intelligence and Media Monitoring Platform.