In contrast, Modi’s policy can be described as a mix of personal summit diplomacy to build goodwill on the one hand and testing India’s deterrence capabilities on a practical level on the other. During his tenure, several situations arose out of Chinese mischief, including the conflict in the Galwan Valley along the border. In response, India greatly increased its military deployment along the Line of Actual Control and imposed restrictions on Chinese investment as well as numerous applications, making it clear that India will not remain passive. Moreover, despite being angry, India deliberately avoided taking reckless steps such as the sudden departure of multilateral groups such as BRICS.
Not only in the context of China, but globally, non-alignment – which purported to be an antidote to the bipolarity of global politics after the Second World War – was central to Nehru’s vision. Perhaps to overcome the dilemma of the two superpowers of that era, Nehru placed excessive trust in China, which eventually led to national humiliation.
Against this backdrop, Modi’s ‘multidirectional’ vision allows for greater pragmatism. Under her leadership, India has made efforts to strengthen defense and strategic ties with the US, Japan and Australia through the revival of the Quad grouping to curb China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Speaking of Aksai Chin, Nehru had said that “not a blade of grass grows there”, suggesting that there was little reason to mourn the loss of that territory. In contrast, as staunch proponents of cultural nationalism, Modi and the BJP keep cultural boundaries in mind alongside India’s physical and geographical boundaries. This led to the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan, although access was later closed.
