On top of the mind is India First. A difficult proposition today as every country in the world is also saying they come first in their reckoning. Like MAGA, for instance. How do we reconcile each other’s interests, when we are all saying each one of us comes first.
Globally, we have never felt more inter-connected before as now. There was a saying that when Europe sneezes, various other parts of the world catch a cold. It appeared a cliché, it is now coming home to be understood. The war between Ukraine and Russia has impacted global supply systems, impacted economies, demanding newer supply chains. The war in West Asia has brought new alignments to light. The war rages unrelentingly, while the world looks on, in amazement, both dumbed and numbed.
President Trump has impacted the world like never before in recent history. In an economic war, threatening tariffs, unleashing the strength of America only to assert his mighty power. He has spared no one, usually climbing down, almost settling down to more reasonable levels, so much so, that in some of the deals, the other country feels smug in having got a good deal. Look at the US-Japan deal for instance. China, too, seems to be weathering the storm, so much so, that President Trump is announcing a China trip soon. He has been invited, he has said. The deal with India remains in the offing. It looks like our teams will bargain hard and offer adequate sops. We might end buying more US oil, more defence equipment.
But these are hard times, more importantly, a great opportunity to asses our own strengths, weaknesses, identifying how our India First can be championed to our greater good. When the global order is threatened, we must find it that one big opportunity, to chop a tree or two, grow more leaves on another, water some plants, less others. We must grow a new garden, refreshed, keeping the changing seasons, call it climate change, in every sense of the word.
Changing loyalties, hidden agendas coming to the surface, throwing up lesser-known alignments. Like, for instance, the four-day war launched by India on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. Media reports suggest we might have nearly hit nuclear assets, that could well be American interests left tucked away, against enemies of US. And all this while, we have been thinking of a Pakistan-China axis. Suddenly Field Marshall Munir was a guest at a lunch hosted by none other than Donald Trump. And a few weeks later, Munir was off to Beijing on a state visit. Is he the new go-between the US and China? And how will Pakistan manage relationships with two partners who are thought to be opposing each other, vying for supremacy globally, in every may – economically, militarily, whatever else?
Now, you might well say, how does this matter? Indeed, we all know, it does. For every strategy we devise on our India First Mission. That time when we could go sit meditate in the Himalayas, is long gone. Wars have to be fought – not just militarily, but against hunger, poverty, lack of housing and so much more. And yes, we have achieved much over the years. Decidedly, the speed has been slow, it has picked up more in recent years. Maintaining a growth of 6 and more percent in these times is no mean achievement. Gives us hope, confidence, that we get to do more.
India remains the cynosure of global eyes. Treading our path of multilateralism, treading a path that defies going into defence blocks, invariably is ridden with potholes. Taking on the cause of the Global South, also has its own challenges. Following the doctrine of India First carries its own burdens, which are not easy to shoulder, always a challenge.
So, while the global churning goes on, in perpetuity as it were, what else can we do, this time, at home? National unity, based on shared sense of patriotism, is the first principle.
We need to separate political issues from national concerns. First to remember, not everything is politics. There are issues and concerns over and above politics. We have made two small but tangible and decidedly successful initiatives, scoring national causes above politics. Here again, there can be contrarian views, but the bottom line is that all party delegations did visit some 30 countries, talking about India’s war against terror. One could argue this was lip service, or whatever else anyone may want to describe, the fact is, this initiative was taken, which in itself remains a first such step.
Second, the ongoing initiative of the government to ensure that it is an all-party drive to impeach the judge in the scarred currency case of Justice Verma.
These are definite steps and the onus to continue with them lies squarely on the government, which has done well on both these fronts to involve the opposition. And, not think of them as opposition when it comes to a national cause.
But in the larger scheme of things, such areas need to be identified and the best is that the government spells them out clearly and transparently, where they need the opposition and government together on the same page. This itself can be a major step forward in implementing India First.
Whether we grow 6%, 6 ½, or 7%, regardless the growth in itself is inevitable, we will grow, given the momentum of the 1.4 billion people who are aspiring for better lives. The momentum and the strength come from them, which only needs to be harnessed by the government in power. It is the job of the opposition to oppose and it is the job of the governing party to defend whatever they are doing between the two, but between the two, there must be a common consensus to ensure that growth does not get retarded.
It is most critical that India must hold together, regardless of numerous efforts from all and sundry; the integrity and solidarity of Bharat cannot be challenged. That India must hold together needs a strong, capable and efficient government at the centre. It also needs a constructive and strong opposition to keep the government in check, ensuring peace and prosperity for all. So, both are equally important, we need a strong government and also a strong opposition, for the survival of a vibrant democracy.
In these uncertain times, it may be most desirable to pause the process of social re-engineering on the basis of caste, religion, language, and any other such concerns that can prove to be divisive in our society.
We must respect each other, regardless of who we are – rich or poor, this caste or the other, this religion or that, these are meaningless. If we are to ensure the world is one family, let us start with our neighbours first, then our locality, the city, the state and the country at large. The process must begin from down up, and an ambitious public awareness campaign in all languages must start by promoting this fundamental truism – that we are one.
Navin Berry, Editor, CS Conversations, over five decades has edited publications like CityScan, India Debates and Travel Trends Today. He is the founder of SATTE, India’s first inbound tourism mart, biggest in Asia.