Does Modi Require A Reality Check On His Foreign Policies?

The attempt to disregard the painstaking efforts of our national leaders is underway. The RSS and its affiliates have every reason to celebrate their success in creating a class of people who adhere to their interpretation of culture and history. However, the time has come for them to conduct a reality check on whether their stance has benefited the country

The Modi government is hardly willing to address the fragility of Indian foreign policy. Its stubborn attitude is the obstacle. Even a layman could decipher the recent developments—Pakistan securing important positions in key anti-terror committees of the UN Security Council—as ominous for India's interests. India seems to have lost the glory it had achieved through a long struggle against colonialism and beyond.

Positioning itself as a credible nation in the post-war world order was not easy for the country. There was a strong ideological divide and a fierce struggle to control resources. The Cold War era witnessed a race to build weapons of mass destruction. India, impoverished by years of colonial exploitation, had little to offer economically. It had to survive in a world with hostile neighbors and dominant global powers.

Though our nation-builders have now become objects of abuse and ridicule, we must realize how difficult it was for them to ensure India's survival as a democratic and secular nation. They deserve all the applause for the miracle they made possible in a country whose independence was forged in the fire of communalism and violence. Though the country will remember the horrors of Partition every year on the eve of Independence Day, following the Modi government’s declaration, no one is likely to acknowledge the tough task of uniting the people after the horrific communal riots across the subcontinent. Pakistan continues to remind us of the colonial plan to divide India on communal lines at a fundamental level. Yet, our national leaders successfully ensured the country’s survival as a democracy where people of different faiths could live without discrimination. Constitutional mechanisms were put in place to eradicate deep-rooted social and cultural distortions, and efforts were made to ensure economic justice for deprived communities.

The attempt to disregard the painstaking efforts of our national leaders is underway. The RSS and its affiliates have every reason to celebrate their success in creating a class of people who adhere to their interpretation of culture and history. However, the time has come for them to conduct a reality check on whether their stance has benefited the country. Have we not failed to convince the world that Pakistan sponsored the terror attack in Pahalgam? Has any country endorsed our response to the Pahalgam terror attack?

The claim by U.S. President Donald Trump that he mediated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan has worsened the situation. It has seriously undermined our sovereignty. Trump does not simply speak of intervention—he asserts that he stopped the war between the two countries through trade threats. The Modi government’s reluctance to firmly deny Trump’s assertions is evident. Russia, our ally in difficult times, has tacitly acknowledged Trump’s claim and complemented him by referring to the mediation as "personal involvement."

The government and the media are not ready to realize that the controversy surrounding Trump’s claim stems from the opacity in governance and an undemocratic decision-making process. The weakness lies in the system itself. The government attempts to showcase that every decision is taken by the Prime Minister, leading to a scenario where he is credited with accomplishments of minor significance. The propaganda surrounding Operation Sindoor has displayed all the hallmarks of a personality cult. The posters in military attire and speeches held away from the national capital suggest an attempt to gain political mileage. Elections in Bihar and other places influenced the choice of venues for public meetings.

The delegation to foreign countries only confirmed this pattern. Opposition parties were completely excluded from the selection of delegation members. The Prime Minister did not share any details about Operation Sindoor with opposition leaders, nor did he agree to a special session of Parliament. One can only guess what impression this gives to other nations. To impress Indian voters, the Prime Minister has compromised the possibility of presenting a united front before the world.

It would be naïve to assume that the ambition to remain in power is the sole motive behind excluding opposition parties from decision-making. One reason for such a move might be the BJP’s attempt to pursue right-wing politics at a global level. Members of the delegation were carefully selected to maintain ideological coherence. Most of its members from opposition parties are known for their views, which often conflict with their official party stance. The best example is Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has supported the Modi government on most issues and frequently shares the stage with Prime Minister Modi. He has defended the government’s position since the Pahalgam terror attack. The same applies to others as well.

It is overly simplistic to believe that it was wise for the government to send only those who agreed with its official stance on Operation Sindoor. This misrepresents reality. No opposition party has ever opposed the anti-terror strike, and all agree that Pakistan perpetrated the terror attack. Their criticism centers on a lack of transparency and the undemocratic nature of the government’s decision-making process. The government’s apparent motive of taking sole credit for responding to the enemy seems to have driven its decision to exclude opposition parties from the opinion-building exercise.

However, the exercise has ultimately proved ineffective. The response from host countries and the celebratory attitude of delegation members make this evident. The delegation has failed to prompt any country to condemn Pakistan on the issue. Will the government impartially assess the entire affair?

(The author is a senior journalist. He has experience of working with leading newspapers and electronic media including Deccan Herald, Sunday Guardian, Navbharat Times and Dainik Bhaskar. He writes on politics, society, environment and economy)