India under Modi has come very close to Global North, without souring ties with Global South

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-nation to the Indo-Pacific can be regarded as successful, as he was able to convey the message at the G7 Summit outreach session that dialogue and diplomacy is the only way to resolve the Ukraine conflict. That India was among eight guest nations participating in the three outreach sessions is a testimony to the rising international clout of the country. His message was as convincing as his pledge to resolve the conflict was emphatic. His 10-point call to action at an outreach session in Hiroshima was one of the highlights of the summit, as he underlined such crucial global challenges as food and health security, developmental issues and gender equality. Modi also met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit and reportedly told him: “Over the past one-and-a-half years, we have spoken on the phone but… after a long time, we have an opportunity to meet. The war in Ukraine is a very big issue for the whole world. It has had many different impacts on the whole world… But I don’t see this as a political or economic issue, for me this is an issue of humanity, an issue of human values.” Zelensky later tweeted, thanking “India for supporting our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, in particular, at the platforms of international organisations, and for providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.” This is important, because his Government had earlier expressed dismay over India’s refusal to condemn Russia for its attack on Ukraine.

Some have said very unpleasant things about India over its neutrality in the Ukraine war, even hinting at profiteering by buying cheaper Russian oil; all such remarks emanate from bias, not facts. The reality is that the entire world is purchasing oil from Russia. At any rate, India’s neutrality makes India’s position unique in the world: it is the only major country in the world that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be willing to trust. As for Modi’s visit to Papua New Guinea, we must remember that it was not just about optics and sentiments, though his admirers would cherish the picture of Prime Minister James Marape touching Modi’s feet. Quite apart from the fact that Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country, the visit signifies India’s growing strategic interest, along with that of its Quad partners’, in the region. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling Modi “The Boss,” which thrilled the Indians at a grand community event in Sydney on Tuesday, was more than a platitudinous plaudit; it is a tribute to the efforts made by Modi to bring closer to Australia. Indeed Modi has done a lot to align India’s interests—economic, strategic, military, political—with those of developed countries. India was seldom closer to the Global North as it is now; and yet this has not been at the expense of ties with the Global South, which have actually improved under him. This is no mean achievement.