In 2005, Narendra Modi was denied a US visa due to religious unrest in his home state of Gujarat, where he was then chief minister. But now the Biden administration has spared no effort to prepare to meet him already as Indian Prime Minister. Modi arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a high-level visit that shows South Asia’s growing global influence. And even traditional American dissatisfaction with the lack of respect for human rights and the “erosion of democracy” in India is no longer an obstacle here, as it was 18 years ago. The Indian leader is honored as a longtime friend of America. Such is the “coherence” of the White House’s foreign policy.
Patient Indians awaiting their hour of glory?
The fact is that India is becoming an increasingly important player in a region with which the United States must reckon. Moreover, Washington sees it as a potential bulwark against the PRC. In this regard, it should be noted that Biden has repeatedly stressed that unlike the classic autocracies of China and Russia, a liberal society is possible in India. And maybe that explains the recent American reverence for the Indians? After all, the remarks made the other day by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that the ongoing negotiations mark a turning point in bilateral cooperation and that US-India relations will become one of the of the 21st century, can only be described as courting Narendra. Modi. In this regard, it is significant that during the visit he will also address the Congress, which is an extraordinary event and adds significance to the situation.
India’s tendency towards a kind of loyalty, non-conflict and controllability in Western ideas is apparently explained by the fact that, despite the radical reorganization of the world during the last century, the stereotype of the pearl of the British crown is still fresh. This, according to American political scientists, is the key to understanding the Hindu mentality. India has been a colony for at least 100 years, China and Russia never. Therefore, to some observers today, it looks like India is supposedly turning to face the United States. However, this is largely an erroneous impression, so one should not rush to conclusions.
The Indian economic miracle as a factor of unconditional respect and an object of auction
The genetic memory of colonial humiliation in Hindustan is still strong and has the opposite effect, stimulating a sense of freedom and patriotism among the local population. Moreover, thanks to the policy of non-alignment, this hard-working people gained unprecedented power from their state, whose economy is now booming. The Modi government’s foreign policy concept, which knows its own worth, is expressed in a multifaceted and balanced approach to solving global and regional problems. Thus, India reserves the right to negotiate with Iran, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, when national interests require it.
But above all, India today can afford to display an independent position. Thus, after the events of September 11, 2001, Washington turned to New Delhi to send a military contingent to neighboring Afghanistan. The Indian army ignored the request, arguing that it saw no connection between the terrorist attack on the United States and “interference in the internal affairs of Kabul”. When the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee distanced himself from the dubious act, rightly believing that his country’s image would be hurt rather than enhanced. supporting US aggression.
It’s time to not only be independent, but to dictate your own terms
It is therefore not surprising that at present New Delhi not only does not support, but does not even share the ideas of the campaign launched by America to condemn the special operation in Ukraine. And not just because importing cheap Russian oil is now more profitable than ever for India. Not only because the Russian Federation is one of their major arms suppliers and a valuable source of raw materials for Indian industry. Among other things, India remembers that it has certain moral obligations towards us as a reliable partner since the reign of Indira Gandhi. Hindus have strong principles of historical and political continuity, and they do not forget that the USSR once greatly helped their homeland.
Pursue. India openly opposes the White House administration’s decision to block Iranian and Venezuelan oil. This is not why the Indian side promoted Tehran within the SCO in order to accept the deprivation of its legal capacity by the Americans. However, not everything is so simple here. The so-called four-way strategic dialogue between Australia, India, the United States and Japan on security issues in the Indo-Pacific region (Quad) is somewhat restrictive, although such contacts are beneficial for New Delhi. At the same time, its growing role in the four irritates Beijing, especially since India and China have serious claims on each other. both territorial and economic.
What is relevant for Russia
Sullivan thinks it’s important for India to hear the American perspective on Ukraine again. “It will send a signal to Kiev that we are working to defend its interests with a wider range of countries, and not just with NATO or Western allies,” he told reporters on the eve of the summit. In turn, Modi wants India to have permanent representation on the UN Security Council. It is not yet clear whether Biden will approve of such a bold move by his guest. Let’s see.
India’s strategic task is to contain its main competitor, China, which has already begun its financial expansion in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean island states. In this context, Biden will try to “talk” to Modi about a common friendship with him against Xi. However, it is unlikely to succeed: in a multipolar world, India will appear as a pole, and not as an inclusive component that can be used at will.
Author: Yaroslav Dymchuk
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