- विज्ञापन -
Why India Doesn’t Receive the Support It Deserves: A Strategic Reflection
India’s rising global presence often sparks a pointed question: Why does the international community remain hesitant to fully support India, despite its consistent humanitarian outreach and principled democracy and diplomacy? While a few foreign parliamentarians occasionally praise India, consistent international support during critical moments remains lacking, and much of the foreign media continues to amplify anti-India narratives. The answer lies not in a lack of merit, but in the strategic calculus of geopolitics—where interests trump gratitude, and alliances are shaped more by leverage than life values.
A Nation on the Rise
India’s ascent on the global stage is both transformative and visible. The IMF ranked India as the fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP and third by purchasing power parity. A burgeoning digital economy, cutting-edge innovation, and a vast skilled workforce position India as a key engine of inclusive growth.
Under PM Modi’s leadership, India has steadily bolstered its international profile. Initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and its pioneering work in Digital Public Infrastructure have earned international recognition. Space missions such as Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 demonstrated high-impact science delivered with fiscal prudence, enhancing India’s technological credibility.
Global acknowledgment has followed civilian honors from Russia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, landmark events like “Howdy Modi” and “Namaste Trump,” and growing cooperation with major powers all reflect India’s expanding influence. Yet, in moments of international tension or conflict, the world’s support for India often remains cautious or conditional.
India’s Civilizational Ethos: Power Guided by Principle
At the heart of the Indic civilization lies the principle of “We”—a deep-rooted belief in collectivism, harmony, and the shared pursuit for prosperity. The civilizational vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam continues to define India’s global engagement. Unlike expansionist or coercive powers, India has repeatedly chosen the path of diplomacy and restraint. It has acted responsibly even in the face of provocation—an approach rooted not in weakness, but on strength of civilizational discourse.
A Tradition of Compassionate Diplomacy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, India emerged as the “pharmacy of the world,” delivering vaccines to over 90 countries through the Vaccine Maitri initiative. In 2023, Operation Dost saw Indian relief teams promptly reaching earthquake-struck Turkiye and Syria. In 2024, Operation Brahma brought swift aid to Myanmar following a massive earthquake, while Operation Sadbhav extended support to Vietnam and Laos after a typhoon. Whether in Afghanistan’s humanitarian collapse, Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, or development assistance in Africa, India has consistently acted without conditions—often filling gaps left by wealthier nations. In fact, India’s response to sufferings in foreign countries is shaped by compassion, not calculation.
The Pakistan Paradox: From Reconciliation to Realism
India’s efforts to nurture peace with Pakistan are well-documented. From the Indus Waters Treaty and the Shimla Agreement to Vajpayee’s Lahore Bus Yatra and Agra Summit, India has always extended a hand of friendship. Yet, these gestures have often been met with hostility: the Kargil War, the Parliament attack, the 26/11 Mumbai, Pulwama and Pahalgam terror attacks and other persistent cross-border terrorism.
This duplicity has necessitated a change in India’s strategic posture. The age of one-sided magnanimity is over. Today, India recognizes Pakistan as a proxy actor for larger adversaries like China, who cannot accept India’s emergence as a global power. The defense preparedness of India in modern warfare has to be second to none to safeguard her civilians and territorial integrity. We should be patriotic enough not to pose any internal security threat. Citizens should be willing to pay a Defense Cess, similar to Health and Education Cess.
Operation Sindoor: The Paradigm Shift
Operation Sindoor marked a turning point in India’s strategic doctrine. In response to a major terror provocation, India targeted terrorist camps with precision while deliberately avoiding civilian areas—a show of calibrated strength and restraint. India also acted on the diplomatic front, dispatching teams to Western capitals and Islamic nations to mobilize opinion and expose the terror intent of Pakistan. For the first time, India moved beyond bilateral retaliation to shaping global narratives—redefining its stance from reaction to proactive deterrence.
India used the operation to put Pakistan on notice by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty—a strategic lever rarely tightened. Simultaneously, it sent a strong signal to China, which had been using the Brahmaputra River as a pressure tactic. The myth of Pakistan’s nuclear blackmail was decisively debunked. Thus, Operation Sindoor exemplified a new maturity: combining military preparedness with diplomatic outreach, strategic clarity, and narrative control.
Why the World Often Remains on the Fence
Despite such a decisive and ethical leadership, the international response remains cautious. Turkiye, for instance, supported Pakistan even after India’s humanitarian assistance. Many nations prioritize their current alliances over past generosity. This pattern highlights a hard truth: goodwill is rarely reciprocated in geopolitics.
India has also faced wavering loyalty even in its neighborhood—with countries like Nepal and Maldives oscillating between India and China. Gratitude, shared history and values are often sidelined in favor of short-term economic or political gains. There is also a subtle bias in global discourse. What is praised as leadership in the West is often questioned or criticized when India displays the same assertiveness—despite its foundation in rightful self-defense. Colonial-era stereotypes continue to color perceptions.
From Non-Alignment to Strategic Multi-Alignment
India’s historic non-alignment policy was grounded in moral clarity but often lacked strategic leverage. The shift to multi-alignment—engaging with the U.S., Russia, France, ASEAN, and the Global South—gives India flexibility and autonomy. India’s ties with France and Russia remain deep-rooted in trust and technology cooperation. Concurrently, India’s role in the Quad helps shape an open, rules-based Indo-Pacific.
At the 2023 G20 Summit, India redefined global development priorities by championing inclusive growth, climate justice, and digital equity. It positioned itself as the voice of the Global South, bridging divides between North and South, East and West.
Building Strategic Sovereignty Through Narrative
India’s challenge now is to assert narrative sovereignty. Its humanitarian missions—from solar electrification in Africa to rapid disaster response across Asia—must be communicated not just as acts of goodwill, but as expressions of leadership. India must ensure that its story is heard on its own terms: a democracy that blends tradition with innovation, a civilization that acts with responsibility, and a future-ready nation that stands for equity and peace.
Recalibrating for 2047: Staying the Course Amidst Distractions
India’s rise is not without enemies or envy. Distractors may attempt to provoke India into overreach—whether through border tensions, terrorism, or economic pressure. Operation Sindoor showed how India can avoid these traps by acting with clarity, restraint, and resolve.
India’s commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat further underscores this transformation, with unprecedented progress in defense manufacturing—from the indigenously developed BrahMos missile to the Akash air defense system—signaling its resolve to build strategic autonomy across critical sectors. As India approaches its centenary of independence in 2047, it must consolidate gains, deepen alliances based on reciprocity, and invest in both hard power and soft power. Strategic generosity must now be part of a coherent leadership doctrine—one that expects and builds mutual trust and respect.
Conclusion: The Path of Dharma and Strategic Leadership
India’s global vision remains rooted in dharma — the righteous path. This is not mere idealism, but a strategic alternative to coercive diplomacy. The civilizational wisdom of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah” is not weakness, but a strength that offers a fractured world an inclusive, ethical model of global engagement. By fusing compassion with strategic clarity, India affirms a leadership that is principled, resilient, and enduring. Operation Sindoor marked the beginning of a paradigm shift—a message to the world that India is no longer a balancing player, but a leading one. The time has come to walk the final mile to 2047 with resolve, vigilance, and visionary purpose—as a strong, developed, and dharmic nation shaping the future of the world.
Srinivas Murthy* and
Raghavendra P. Tiwari
Ex Banker, IT Professional
Vice Chancellor, Central
University of Punjab,
Bathinda
(Views are personal)
