By Farooq Wani
India, which is globally recognised for its significant soft power contribution, draws heavily from its ancient civilization and rich culture. New Delhi’s interaction with the rest of the world is based on the age-old Indian belief of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“The World Is One Family”. This thought promotes the vision that all individuals have a collective responsibility towards each other in creating a pleasant present and a prosperous future.
It is a no-brainer that in the uncertain and conflict-ridden 21st century, India’s cherished values of secularism, tolerance and inclusiveness assume paramount importance as they show the way to exit the prevailing crisis. It is in this context it would be worthwhile to reflect on this week’s historic visit by a non-Muslim Indian delegation led by Union Cabinet Minister Smriti Irani to the major Islamic pilgrimage site Madina.
Accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, V Muraleedharan, Irani visited the periphery of Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque, Al Masjid Al Nabwi, the Mountain of Uhud (the site of the second battle between troops led by Prophet Muhammad against polytheists of the Quraysh tribe) and the periphery of the Quba Mosque (Islam’s first mosque).
This visit saw the signing of a bilateral Hajj agreement for 2024 between India and Saudi Arabia that finalised a total quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India. Out of this, 1,40,020 seats are designated for pilgrims to participate via the Haj Committee of India. The Indian delegation also engaged with Indian volunteers serving Hajj pilgrims and acknowledged their selfless efforts in making Hajj 2023 a grand success.
Why this visit has been more successful than others due to the fact that for the first time, the Government of India has gainfully used past experience to facilitate intricate identification of the diverse needs and expectations of Umrah pilgrims from India undertaking this religious journey.
Secondly, it has reaffirmed New Delhi’s deep commitment to ensuring a comfortable and spiritually fulfilling Hajj pilgrimage experience for devotees.
Thirdly, we are witness to productive dialogue between Saudi and Indian business professionals with an emphasis on fostering bilateral economic ties. This plays an important role in fostering stronger diplomatic relations between two emerging power centers – one in South Asia and the other in the Middle East.
Fourthly, Saudi Arabia’s exceptional gesture to roll out the red carpet for a non-Muslim delegation in Madina underscores the strength of Indo-Saudi bilateral ties.
A view is now emerging post this visit that both nations are on the path of forging stronger ties, in the religious and cultural realm.
In contrast to this positivity, what we see is the negativity defining the current Indo-Maldivian ties, wherein some junior ministers have made certain uncharitable and unprovoked remarks against India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Till November 16, 2023, Indo-Maldivians shared close ties in the strategic, economic, military cooperation and cultural spheres. India was contributing financial aid to the island nation.
An example is India’s second-largest ongoing plantation infrastructure endeavor, following the signing of the USD 500 million Greater Male Project (which aims to link the Maldivian capital with three adjacent highlands through a 6.74-kilometer-long sea bridge). Delhi has also been assisting Male on security-related issues.
The scenario post the November elections has seen diplomatic tensions rising between Male and Delhi under President Mohamed Muizzu, leader of the Muslim-dominant Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Muizzu favours closer ties with China, which has invested millions of dollars in Maldives as loans and grants for infrastructure and development projects.
While Muizzu is free to decide on the shape the ties Maldives desires to maintain with its neighbours, but analysts opine that his current outlook of trying to please Beijing and India’s cost is diplomatically a suicidal enterprise.
New Delhi has genuine security concerns arising out of Male’s apparent outright submission to Beijing that would provide it complete control to use the Maldives as a base for aggressive activities against India.
Muizzu’s anti-India stance was evident during the election and the irresponsible comments by some of his junior ministers, even though made in a personal capacity, is an indication that the ruling dispensation in Maldives definitely harbors anti-Indian sentiments.
The current state of affairs has the potential of souring relations between India and the Maldives. While New Delhi hasn’t made an issue out of the regrettable comments made by junior ministers of MDP, it has rightly generated immense negative feelings amongst the Indian people.
Tourism is the mainstay of Maldives’ economy and Indians are the largest contributors to this industry. However, the MDP ministers’ personal attack on the Indian prime minister has sparked off a ‘Boycott Maldives’ public campaign the consequences of which could hurt the Maldivian economy.
That’s why the opposition in The Maldives as well as some ruling MDP lawmakers are demanding the removal of President Muizzu through a vote of no-confidence. A demand is also being made for summoning Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer for questioning in The Maldives Parliament for his inaction against ministers and MPs making derogatory comments against Prime Minister Modi.
For now, the India First policy is on the backburner and the ruling MDP is being slammed for its “short-sightedness” in potentially alienating an “age-old relationship” with India. Mass cancellations by Indian tourists will adversely affect The Maldives’ foreign exchange reserves as well as failing to generate jobs. Three ministers — Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid — have been suspended for derogatory comments against PM Modi following the posting of videos and images promoting the tourism industry in the Lakshadweep islands.
The response from India, on the other hand, has been measured. It has only summoned the Maldives envoy to issue a demarche. No public statements have been made either by Modi or Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar so far.
The Indian establishment also believes that what it is doing by way of all-round development in Jammu and Kashmir is helping it to neutralize the behind-the-scenes strategic collaboration between Pakistan and China aimed at reviving terrorism in the Poonch and Rajouri sectors of the union territory. Sources reveal that both Islamabad and Beijing are putting pressure on India to redeploy its troops from Ladakh to the Kashmir Valley by ensuring an upswing in terrorist violence.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been regularly reviewing the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Manoj Pande and intelligence officials.
A review has been done of the area domination plan of security agencies in J&K to eliminate the threat of terrorism. Instructions have been issued to strengthen counter-terrorism operations to eliminate the terror ecosystem. The government’s approach is a zero-tolerance against terrorism.
According to official sources, the rise in violence is due to ‘desperate attempts from across the border’ to revive terror in the region.
India’s cultural and soft Power diplomacy is based on five inter-linked pillars of dignity, dialogue, shared prosperity, regional and global security, and Cultural and civilizational links Seen in the larger geopolitical context, her socioeconomic and political values place a special emphasis on the idea of once again emerging as a “teacher to the world”, or “Viswaguru”.
Promoting the message of peace, brotherhood, coexistence and prosperity to the rest of the world in times of conflict successfully underpins its cultural diplomacy and soft power. Tourism, particularly religious tourism, is seen as an important means of promoting mutual understanding, achieving economic growth and creating jobs.
“Soft power and its dissemination are now linked to the rise of public diplomacy”, as one former Indian diplomat has said while describing India’s positive interaction with external audiences.
The author is Editor Brighter Kashmir, author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist. email: farooqwani61@yahoo.co.in
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