Reclaiming India’s Soft Power is the Only Path to Global Leadership
The recent offer by the U.S. President Donald Trump to mediate the Kashmir dispute, following a deadly exchange of missile and anti-missile strikes, has reignited global attention on the volatile India-Pakistan border. While third-party mediation proposals are not new, the U.S. has consistently urged both nations to pursue dialogue. However, the international narrative particularly in the West frames the escalation as part of the broader Kashmir conflict, often overshadowing the terrorism that India cites as the trigger. To much of the world, Kashmir remains a nuclear flashpoint, capable of spiraling into catastrophic warfare.
What is striking is the lack of international solidarity with India, especially when compared to the support Pakistan garners from allies like China, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Even India’s immediate neighbours – Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and recently, Bangladesh appear to be drifting away. This growing isolation is puzzling for a nation with a vast population, a booming economy, and a significant global presence.
India must urgently reflect on its neighborhood diplomacy. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high profile visits and prestigious honors abroad, none of the Muslim-majority countries in the region stand unequivocally with India. Some have even permitted the construction of Hindu temples, an unprecedented gesture in Islamic states, yet their silence in regional crises or global forums speaks volumes.
Western powers, too, seem to tilt away. The IMF’s recent approval of financial aid to Pakistan, despite India’s objections, underscores a potential decline in India’s global influence.
Historically, India’s strength was not rooted in its size or military might but in its soft power, its democratic ethos, cultural pluralism and religious diversity. Few nations can claim to host such a rich tapestry of religions, languages and cultures coexisting in relative harmony. Yet, this defining image is being eroded by an overemphasis on hard power and divisive rhetoric.
While India’s diplomatic outreach facilitates temple construction abroad, the demolition of mosques and shrines within its borders creates a contradiction that does not go unnoticed in the Islamic world and also undermines its moral standing. The national discourse, once focused on economic progress, now often revolves around religious identity, sidelining critical priorities like education, healthcare and inclusive growth.
Even the Indian Army, a symbol of national pride, faces challenges. The Agnipath scheme, with its temporary recruitment model, risks diluting the professionalism of one of the world’s most respected military institutions. Meanwhile, as extremists at home obsess over historical grievances such as digging up Mughal graves, our adversaries across the border focus on modernising their military capabilities, including advanced air combat training.
Also read: Consider Kashmir
India must reclaim the moral high ground that once made it a global beacon of tolerance and democracy. The world admired India not for what it could do, but for what it stood for. To restore its soft power, India must prioritise unity over division, dialogue over confrontation, and reconciliation over conflict. Kashmir, often a flashpoint, could instead become a bridge for peace in the region. By moving away from religious jingoism and political polarisation, India can rise as a true global leader in the 21st century, one that inspires not through might, but through the strength of its values.
If the recent tragic events open a path to dialogue as suggested by comments from leaders like Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, the Modi government must not approach it with hesitation or defensiveness. Dialogue, regardless of who advocates for it, remains the only viable and sustainable way forward. In this too, the opposition parties back at home must rise above partisan interests and wholeheartedly support the prime minister in his endeavour to find a peaceful way out.
This article went live on May fourteenth, two thousand twenty five, at thirty-five minutes past two in the afternoon.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
