India’s Soft Power

India Possess a countless number of soft power resources that could prove to be greatly beneficial if harnessed properly. In this connection examine India’s soft power – Its challenges and opportunities

India’s Soft Power

Question:

APPSC Group1 Mains 2023

India Possess a countless number of soft power resources that could prove to be greatly beneficial if harnessed properly. In this connection examine India’s soft power – Its challenges and opportunities –
Demand of the question Examiner is expecting the candidate to focus on –

  1. Soft power resources
  2. Advantages of soft power
  3. Harnessing soft power
  4. Challenges in harnessing the soft power
  5. Opportunities in harnessing the soft power
Significance of this topic:

  • In the past 10 years India is projecting its soft power to the world along with its hard power elements like economy and military. The Government of India is successful in influencing the UNO to adopt Yoga and millets for the international years.

Essay Structure

Introduction Any recent example showing the increasing projection of India’s soft power at the international arena including yoga, sports, movies, food, spiritualism etc.
Examples of soft power
  1. The PM participating in the international Yoga Day on June 21st at UNO in 2023.
  2. Various conferences conducted across the country during the G20 presidency 2023
  3. Global Buddhist summit 2023
  4. “Natu Natu” song from RRR receiving Oscar
Main body
  1. History of soft power
  2. Meaning of soft power
  3. Resources of soft power
  4. Opportunities
  5. Challenges
  6. Future ahead
Conclusion Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and India first approach.

Answer Guidelines:

Introduction Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 21st June 2023.
Meaning of soft power
  • According to  American political scientist Joseph Nye Jr. Soft power  is a “power of attraction through culture, political ideas, and policies rather than coercion” that military hard power exhibits.
  • It is the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion.
Hard power 1.       Economic strength

2.       Military strength – Surgical strikes

3.       Nuclear super power

4.       Emergency measures

5.       Space super power
Dimension of the main body – The line of thinking
Historical of India’s soft power 1.       Idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in Upanishads

2.       Ashoka used Buddhism as a means of soft power

3.       Hindu Temples across South Asia

4.       Taxila university – Knowledge exchange among the nations

5.       Chanakya Niti

6.       Gandhian Satyagraha

7.       Nehruvian Panch Sheela & NAM
Soft power Resources of India
Geographical expansion Soft power is displayed by India across all nations and continents including Asia, Middle east, Africa apart from EU, Australia and USA
Cultural Dimension 1.       Movies – Bollywood and Tollywood. Ex: Pathan & RRR

2.       Spiritual Linkages between India & Central Asia

3.       Language – International Sanskrit Award ($20,000)

4.       Yoga – International Yoga Day – June 21 @ UNO

5.       Religious Tolerance

6.       Incredible India tourism campaign

7.       Namaste diplomacy

8.       Holy / Diwali  diplomacy

9.       Literature, music and dance
Political Dimension 1.       Democratic values

2.       Autonomous judiciary

3.       Vibrant Civil Society

4.       Independent media

5.       Medical diplomacy – Through Covid 19 vaccines & Ayurveda promotion

6.       Cricket Diplomacy

7.       Largest contribution to the peace keeping missions

8.       Call for the UNO reforms

9.       PM Modi himself as a promoter of Brand India.
Economic dimension 1.       Promotion of international trade

2.       Mobilising the Indian diaspora

3.       Destination India Program

4.       The 5th largest economy and moving to emerge as the third largest

5.       Largest Populated country in the world

6.       Wheat diplomacy

7.       Central to the Global cricket economy
Technological dimension 1.       Emerging as the third start up eco system

2.       GSAT – 9 – South Asia Satellite – to bestow South Asian countries with space services
Advantages 1)          Projecting the nation as a most desirable country

2)          Transforming the nation as a dream land for the global citizens

3)          Making the country as a tourist destination

4)          Enabling the land as an investment paradise

5)          Good will generation

6)          For a global reach
Challenges in Harnessing the Soft Power
1.           Lack of institutional eco system

2.           Corruption

3.           Poverty

4.           Violence against women

5.           Hostility to business

6.           Pollution in urban areas

7.           Caste-discrimination

8.           Gender-inequality

9.           Failure to handle anti – India propaganda by the opposition

10.        Anti India Civil society including the Soros

11.        Western biased global indexes – ex: Gender index, hunger index etc.

12.        Western biased media

13.        Inadequate budget to promote Brand India
Opportunities in Harnessing the soft power
1.           World recognising India as a tolerant society

2.           Multi-cultural democracy

3.           Global high table – G20, SCO presidency etc. Australian PM call Modi as the Boss & Rock Star

4.           Expanding Global engagement through Multi Alignment – RIC, JAI, i2-U2, QUAD etc.

5.           Continued connect with diaspora – Howdi Modi

6.           Rescue operations around the world – ex: Dosti in turkey 2023
Measures to Harness the soft power
1.           Promote Indie wood beyond Bollywood, Tollywood, Polly wood, Gallywood, Ollywood, Mollywood, Kollywood, Sandalwood

2.           Creating institutional eco system like Confucious institutes of China

3.           Establishing over seas centres of AYUSH

4.           Government support to the Film industry through cash and tax incentives and shoot permissions to promote Brand India

5.           Promoting Corporate food giants. Ex: Tata Tea to be promoted as Starbucks

6.           Promoting national figures as iconic heroes. Ex: Bhagat Singh to be promoted like Che Guevara

7.           Promoting Indian cities as brands. Ex: Mumbai, New Delhi to be promoted like NYC

8.           Enhancing the budget for India Brand promotion

9.           Establishing Coordination Committees by MEA

The recommendations of the Committee on External Affairs in its 16th Report on the prospects and limitations of India’s Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy should be implemented.
Conclusion:
India should strive to not only revive national pride in the country’s ancient values, but also enhance India’s hard power by using its soft-power advantages. There is a need for balancing between the hard power and soft power.

 

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