By Sushil Kutty
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual speech to the Global South leaders has come in for a degree of praise not expected for a leader under siege in his home country. A large constituency of Indians consider Prime Minister Modi’s nearly nine years in power not worth the calendars they were published in.
But how can it be that the same man gets bouquets overseas, and brickbats at home. Narendra Modi has done the impossible. For millions of Indians, Modi was what the doctor ordered; for millions other Indians, there couldn’t have been a worse prescription for India’s ailments.
And it is to this global leader that the Global South was looking for inspiration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of what the 21st Century held for the Global South, which is an amalgamation of developing, and lagging behind, economies that includes India, the “Great Hope” of the 21st Century.
Note also that the ‘Indian right’ to which Modi belongs believes India doesn’t have “enemies without”, only enemies in the crevasses inside. That should explain why Modi faces a tough year and a half in the months right up to when India goes to polls in 2024.
The question topmost in mind is whether Modi would notch up victory third time in a row? Much of Modi’s global recognition is due to his invincibility at home. India’s Opposition pins hopes on Modi biting the dust in 2024. Modi told the Global South “this is our century…”
Clearly Modi should have factored in how he and his party would fare in India’s general elections in 2024 before giving impossible dreams to the Global South. The general idea propagated in India these days is that the “21st Century would be ours” only if Modi takes ‘sanyas’ and retreats to a Himalayan retreat!
That said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a familiar face at global events. And heads of state of developed nations look at Modi as an equal. The US President, the UK Prime Minister, the German Chancellor, President of China, and the Russian President.
All of them are Modi’s chums. For Modi, global events, even those held virtual, are to bask in. And Global South is a grouping/forum to shine in. From what we learn, the Global South is a grouping of developing nations which wouldn’t figure in the ‘G20’, not in the 21st Century.
Whatever is left of the century, that is! Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the 21st century will be great for India. But that will be only if China slides because of its “big demographic problem”. India’s rise at China’s expense will be a peculiar brand of pettiness to look up to.
The question is will China do India the favour of its economy sliding? Also, India can have a “big future” only if future Indian governments act with “vision and follow policies based on tolerance, diversity, equity and social justice”.
Shouldn’t that leave Modi and his party BJP out in the cold? The growing consensus in India is that Modi would not be Prime Minister after the general elections 2024. Will that bode well for the Global South?
Modi addressed the Voice of Global South Summit twice on the first day, championing the cause of the developing world. From what he spoke of, India seeks to play a big brother role and address the concerns of the Global South; “share their perspectives and priorities on a whole range of issues”.
The two-day summit revolved around ‘Voice of Global South-for human centric development’ and 10 countries participated: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guyana, Mozambique, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Not surprisingly, Modi came up with another of his trademark slogans: “Your Voice is India’s Voice. Your Priorities are India’s Priorities.” Stating that the world currently was “in a state of crisis”, Modi asked the Global South to shape the emerging order and give it an ‘equivalent voice’.
“We, the Global South, have the largest stakes in the future. Three fourths of humanity lives in our countries. We should also have an equivalent voice. Hence, as the eight-decade old model of global governance slowly changes, we should try to shape the emerging order,” the Prime Minister said. “In the last Century, we supported each other in our fight against foreign rule. We can do it again in this Century, to create a new World Order that will ensure the welfare of our citizens.”
And just so that it registered to the Opposition in India, Modi spoke as if he would continue to lead India for the foreseeable future, when he would play his part in re-energising the world with the global agenda of “Respond, Recognise, Respect, Reform.”
Not surprisingly, the summit was said to have drawn inspiration from Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas & Sabka Prayas’. Modi spoke as if the BJP would continue to rule India for the entirety of the 21st Century. (IPA Service)
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