The implications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term for the global community. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India is secure...
The implications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term for the global community.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India is secured a third term, leading a nation with the largest population and the most rapidly expanding economy in the world.
At 73, the Hindu nationalist leader, who seeks a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, has garnered support from the United States and European allies as a balance to China's influence.
Despite concerns from human rights activists about increasing authoritarianism, India, the fifth-largest and swiftly growing major economy, remains popular among Western leaders.
Modi leveraged India's G20 presidency in 2023 to enhance his international stature and aims to further this by bidding for the 2036 Summer Olympics, following the cricket World Cup hosted last year.
A third term for Modi could further his decade-long diplomatic goals.
Last year, President Joe Biden welcomed Modi with a state dinner, highlighting the Indo-US relationship as the "defining partnership of the 21st century."
In February, the US sanctioned a $4 billion sale of advanced drones to India, reinforcing its defense against China.
This strengthening bond persists despite rights groups' alerts on India's democratic threats and the growing discrimination against its Muslim minority, numbering over 200 million.
However, the alliance has faced challenges.
An Indian national was indicted by the US Justice Department last year for allegedly conspiring to carry out an assassination in New York, purportedly sanctioned by India's intelligence agency.
India maintains strong ties with European nations, aspiring to expand multi-billion-dollar agreements with France, including the sale of Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene-class submarines.
The relationship between the world's two most populous countries, India and China, deteriorated in 2020 following a deadly skirmish along their extensive 3,500-kilometer border. Despite the ongoing presence of thousands of troops from both nuclear-armed nations and persistent territorial disputes, China remains India's second-largest trading partner.
India's historical connection with Russia dates back to the Cold War, with Russia continuing to be its predominant arms supplier. India has refrained from openly criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine, abstaining from UN resolutions condemning Moscow, and has capitalized on discounted Russian oil.
Prime Minister Modi has avoided dialogue with Pakistan, accusing it of cross-border terrorism. The nations, which have engaged in three wars since their partition in 1947, primarily over the contested region of Kashmir, saw a dip in relations after 2019. However, Modi's recent congratulatory message to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signals a potential softening of their historically tense relationship.
Modi's administration has also sought to position India as a key global player.
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