Since the Indian general elections in May this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a phenomenon. Indians appear to be enthralled by the political success of a former tea-seller and the international community intrigued by his phenomenal rise in a country otherwise known for sclerotic political leadership. Both domestically and internationally, he is on the roll. Modi’s rise may weaken the West dominated global order and contribute to the evolution of a more decentralized new order.
Modi’s visit to and agreements with Japan are a clear sign that India is eager to work towards a new world order. During his visit, the two countries signed agreements to expand cooperation in defense, nuclear power, and trade and investment sectors, with …show more content…
European countries shunned him for his role in the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riot in Gujarat. The United States painted him as a Hindu fundamentalist and refused to issue him a visa citing his alleged role in the riot. Modi also openly criticized Washington for mistreating Devyani Khobragade, a junior Indian diplomat in New York, over her the complaint by her maid. America has already sought to mend the fences through friendly gestures. Obama congratulated Modi warmly at his election and sent Secretary of State John Kerry to visit India.
On a broader level too, Washington and New Delhi have had their differences for a long time. During the Cold War, India was closer to the Soviet Union and it pursued socialist economic policies. Relations further soured after India tested nuclear weapon and the US imposed economic sanctions. They began to improve only after President George Bush reversed the course by signing a nuclear cooperation agreement and sought to engage India in his war against terror. However, the bilateral relations have still been far from trouble free and …show more content…
Russia has painted the war in eastern Ukraine as civil war between the pro-West government in Kiev and the Russian speaking local population. The United States has projected the clash as Russian interference in Ukraine’s sovereignty and set up a rapid reaction force under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to protect NATO members of Eastern Europe. It would like India, which has kept quiet in this US-Russian standoff, on its side to transform the crisis from one viewed as the West vs. Russia to Russia vs. the rest. Afghanistan cannot be stabilized without a regional arrangement of which India will have to be
Modi’s visit to and agreements with Japan are a clear sign that India is eager to work towards a new world order. During his visit, the two countries signed agreements to expand cooperation in defense, nuclear power, and trade and investment sectors, with …show more content…
European countries shunned him for his role in the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riot in Gujarat. The United States painted him as a Hindu fundamentalist and refused to issue him a visa citing his alleged role in the riot. Modi also openly criticized Washington for mistreating Devyani Khobragade, a junior Indian diplomat in New York, over her the complaint by her maid. America has already sought to mend the fences through friendly gestures. Obama congratulated Modi warmly at his election and sent Secretary of State John Kerry to visit India.
On a broader level too, Washington and New Delhi have had their differences for a long time. During the Cold War, India was closer to the Soviet Union and it pursued socialist economic policies. Relations further soured after India tested nuclear weapon and the US imposed economic sanctions. They began to improve only after President George Bush reversed the course by signing a nuclear cooperation agreement and sought to engage India in his war against terror. However, the bilateral relations have still been far from trouble free and …show more content…
Russia has painted the war in eastern Ukraine as civil war between the pro-West government in Kiev and the Russian speaking local population. The United States has projected the clash as Russian interference in Ukraine’s sovereignty and set up a rapid reaction force under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to protect NATO members of Eastern Europe. It would like India, which has kept quiet in this US-Russian standoff, on its side to transform the crisis from one viewed as the West vs. Russia to Russia vs. the rest. Afghanistan cannot be stabilized without a regional arrangement of which India will have to be