Diplomacy as a millstone

The article dissects India’s increasingly awkward foreign policy balancing act, spotlighting the ideological and strategic contradictions Prime Minister Modi faces on the global stage. Through the lens of a recent Pew survey, the piece reveals that India’s middle class, driven by communal leanings and a longing for Western validation, has developed an unusual fondness for Israel, bucking global disapproval over Gaza. This alignment is not just diplomatic window dressing but rooted in Hindutva’s ideological kinship with far-right Zionism. Modi’s vocal support for Israel and silence on its war crimes put India at odds with BRICS partners, many of whom condemn Israeli aggression. With Modi gearing up to host the BRICS summit next year, the article warns that his pro-West tilt, embodied in his cozying up to Trump and Netanyahu, could backfire in a bloc where China, Iran, and even Pakistan command growing influence.

The article also exposes Modi’s diplomatic dilemma as India juggles its loyalty to the US and Israel with its formal membership in anti-Western platforms like BRICS and SCO. With BRICS pushing de-dollarisation and challenging Western hegemony, Modi’s continued tilt toward Washington looks increasingly out of step. Trump’s recent snub of inviting Pakistan’s army chief for lunch after India’s failed Operation Sindoor, only rubs salt in the wound. Meanwhile, Modi is finding it harder to justify a ceasefire that seemingly yielded no strategic wins. The article ends on a sharp note, questioning whether Modi’s foreign minister speaks for India or Washington and hinting that backroom pressures like US investigations into Indian tycoons may be pulling strings. At its heart, the article sounds an alarm that India’s tightrope diplomacy, weighed down by ideological baggage and elite interests, may soon snap.

Overview:

This article is a critical take on India’s current foreign policy, especially under Modi’s leadership, and how it’s becoming a burden rather than a strategic advantage. The piece connects India’s ideological drift towards Zionist Israel and its dependence on the US with its discomfort inside platforms like BRICS and SCO, which represent a more anti-Western stance. It raises serious questions about whether India’s diplomatic choices are sustainable or self-sabotaging.

NOTES:

The article underscores how India’s foreign policy under Modi is increasingly coming apart at the seams due to its conflicting ideological leanings and strategic alliances. While publicly aligning with anti-Western blocs like BRICS and SCO, India’s actions reveal a deep-rooted affinity with Western and Zionist powers, notably the United States and Israel. The middle class shaped by a post-Soviet identity crisis and influenced by Hindutva ideology is shown to glorify leaders like Bush and Netanyahu despite global criticism, further muddling India’s diplomatic posture. The article brings attention to India’s awkward silence on humanitarian issues like the Gaza invasion which is in direct contradiction to the collective stance of BRICS and the unease this creates within the bloc. It highlights Modi’s diplomatic missteps, including his handling of the failed Operation Sindoor, Trump’s symbolic snub by hosting Pakistan’s army chief, and the questions raised in India’s own parliament about these developments. The piece also suggests that Modi’s reliance on foreign-pleasing rhetoric and elite interests could be setting India up for isolation within alliances meant to promote multipolarity. The mention of corruption probes tied to Modi’s inner circle adds further complexity, hinting at coercive pressures shaping India’s international decisions. The narrative stitches together a web of ideological confusion, elite entanglements, and strategic imbalance that could ultimately cause India’s diplomatic standing to unravel under the weight of its own contradictions.

Relevant CSS Syllabus Topics or Subjects:

• International Relations: US-India-Israel axis, BRICS-SCO alignment, bloc politics, strategic balancing
• Pakistan Affairs: India’s foreign policy and regional behaviour
• Current Affairs: Middle East conflicts (Gaza), India’s role in global diplomacy, emerging multipolarity
• Political Science (optional): Ideology in diplomacy, nationalist influence on international relations

Notes for beginners:

This article discusses how India’s foreign policy seems to be caught between two stools: on one hand, it’s part of global groups like BRICS and SCO that challenge Western dominance, but on the other, it’s clinging to close ties with the US and Israel. For example, Modi is expected to host the BRICS summit next year, but many members especially China and Iran disagree with India’s silence on Gaza and its friendship with Israel. These contradictions make India look confused and weak. Even Trump added to Modi’s troubles by supporting Pakistan’s army soon after a conflict. This shows how India’s middle class love for the West and its right-wing ideology are getting in the way of clear and strong foreign policy decisions.

Facts and Figures:

• India is one of the few countries with a favourable view of Israel, according to a 24-nation Pew survey
• Modi will host the BRICS 2026 summit amidst rising tensions
• Modi faced backlash over Operation Sindoor and Trump’s alleged snub involving Pakistan’s army chief
• BRICS earlier passed a resolution condemning Israeli actions in Gaza—India stayed silent
• The article references India’s past support for Bush’s Iraq war as part of a longer ideological pattern

To sum up, the article shows the ideological tightrope Modi is walking. It’s a timely critique of how nationalism, when mixed with personal loyalties and elite interests, can turn diplomacy into a noose. With mounting global challenges and shifting alliances, India’s foreign policy is starting to look more like a burden than a blueprint. The message is clear: if India doesn’t drop its obsession with pleasing the West and start listening to its regional allies, it may find itself friendless in the very clubs it helped build.