Russian President Vladimir Putin’s effusive praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy during his annual address to the Valdai Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank, on October 27 came as no surprise. President Putin is certainly not the first leader to express his admiration for PM Modi whose style and manner of conducting foreign affairs has earned applause even from leaders such as former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Describing Modi as a patriot working hard to take his country forward, Putin hailed India’s independent foreign policy. Stating that the future belongs to India and that it can be proud of being the largest democracy in the world, the Russian president expressed his immense admiration of India’s growth from a British colony to a modern state.
There is no denying the fact that never before in the history of independent India had the country commanded the kind of global respect that it enjoys today under Prime Minister Modi. His foreign policy has been inclusive, muscular and flexible at the same time. His response to international issues, be it Taliban’s occupation of Afghanistan or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has evoked awe and admiration by turns. He stands tall not only because of his refusal to submit to the diktats of so-called superpowers but also because he has never had any hesitation in taking a principled stand. He has sided with the underdogs on many occasions but never lost sight of the interests of his own country.
When the Taliban reoccupied Afghanistan in the wake of an embarrassing withdrawal of US soldiers from Afghan soil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched one of the most daring missions in the history of India to rescue his countrymen trapped in a hostile zone. At the same time, he kept diplomatic channels open with the new regime in Afghanistan as he wanted political stability to return to that country. He used every possible platform, including the United Nations, to appeal to the Taliban and the rest of the world not to allow Afghan soil to be used as a launch pad for terrorist attacks in any part of the globe.
When the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted, forcing even the NATO countries to take sides, Prime Minister Modi remained firm about not condemning Russia, a long-time ally of India. His stand rattled the NATO countries, including the US and the UK. Fears of international sanctions against India loomed large as it continued to maintain trade ties with Russia. It was more of a psychological war between Modi and the leaders of some of the most powerful countries in the world. But Modi remained firm and finally even these powers were forced to acknowledge that it would be wrong to interpret the Indian Prime Minister’s stand as pro-war. It had been taken keeping in mind the best interests of India. It is this streak of boldness and independence that sets Modi’s foreign policy apart from others and makes him the great leader that he is.
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