Hindutva’s myopic diplomacy

India’s diplomatic performance under the Hindutva regime has turned into a cautionary tale of how ideology can pull the strings of foreign policy. With one foot stuck in religious extremism and the other trying to tap-dance on the world stage, Modi’s government has turned diplomacy into a showbiz act. The recent BRICS summit was yet another feather in the cap of failure, where India showed up with chest-thumping pride but went home empty-handed. China and Russia are redrawing the lines of global power, yet India is busy playing to the gallery with anti-Pakistan rhetoric and photo-ops. The article lays bare how Indian diplomacy has been reduced to a mix of chest-thumping nationalism, botched secret missions, and toxic neighborly ties all wrapped in a cloak of denial and distortion.

The writer cuts to the chase by exposing how the Nehruvian legacy of moral clarity and strategic neutrality has been left to rot. The focus on religion-based foreign decisions, including hostility towards Pakistan and hostility toward Muslim-majority nations, has backfired badly. Countries like Iran, Afghanistan, and even the US have been kept at arm’s length or pushed away by either arrogance or sheer incompetence. BRICS’ growing alignment with Chinese and Russian leadership exposes how far India has fallen behind in strategic depth. While India’s diplomats dance to the tune of nationalist sentiments, the real diplomatic game is being played without them. The writer’s tone doesn’t mince words: this is not Diplomacy it’s damage control dressed as strategy.

Overview:

The article critically dissects India’s foreign policy under the Hindutva-led government, portraying it as ideologically rigid, strategically shallow, and diplomatically isolated. It highlights the failure of Indian diplomacy in regional cooperation, global platforms like BRICS, and bilateral relations with Iran, the US, and Pakistan. The shift from Nehru’s non-alignment to today’s communal favoritism has led India into a blind alley of missed opportunities and growing irrelevance on the global stage.

NOTES:

This article is immensely useful for building answers in topics like ideological diplomacy, India’s strategic behavior, the changing dynamics of BRICS and South Asian political history. It demonstrates how internal politics shape foreign policies and how religious ideology can damage a nation’s international stature.

Relevant CSS Syllabus Subjects:

• Current Affairs
  • The article touches on India’s diplomatic conduct in the contemporary global arena, particularly in relation to Pakistan, BRICS, and Iran, making it a relevant read for ongoing regional developments.
• International Relations
  • It delves into foreign policy strategies, ideological diplomacy, shifting global alliances, and India’s position in multilateral forums like BRICS, reflecting key IR theories and practices.
• Pakistan Affairs
  • The piece addresses India’s approach toward Pakistan, historical tensions, and current diplomatic postures, offering insights into bilateral relations that are essential for understanding South Asian dynamics.
• Political Science
  • The content discusses the role of ideology (Hindutva) in shaping state policy and diplomacy, linking it to the broader themes of governance, political thought, and nationalism.

Notes for Beginners:

This article explains how foreign policy can go off the rails when religion and politics start calling the shots. For instance, India’s decision to sideline Iran due to Saudi or Western preferences hurt its long-term energy and regional plans. Similarly, its over-focus on isolating Pakistan overshadowed more productive regional partnerships. BRICS, once seen as a chance for India to grow economically, has now become a platform where China and Russia dominate. A beginner can understand that diplomacy isn’t about showing muscle, it’s about building trust and long-term strategy. Countries grow by engaging their neighbors and balancing superpowers not by playing favorites based on religion.

Facts and Figures:

• BRICS now represents over 40% of the world’s population and about 25% of global GDP
• Iran was invited to BRICS while India struggled to influence decisions
• India’s oil imports from Iran dropped from over 450,000 barrels per day in 2018 to nearly zero by 2020 under US pressure
• India’s diplomatic rankings in global indices have slipped in recent years
• China and Russia’s push for BRICS to create its own currency sidelines India’s global financial ambitions

To sum up, this article is a  call for how not to run a country’s diplomacy. When a nation puts ideology before interest, pride before partnership, and politics before pragmatism, it ends up playing a losing hand on the global table.