An economic growth rate of nearly eight per cent, a robust military infrastructure and the nuclear weapon capability have come together to define India’s search for security and status in the emerging world order.
However, little attention is paid to a completely different set of sources that can be leveraged by India to consolidate its place in the global scheme of things. This influence becomes visible, from the capability to nurture and leverage, as, in the words of Harvard political scientist Joseph Nye, "soft power".
Soft power has many sources. It is derived from the openness and attractiveness of the cultural aspects of a country that hold an abiding appeal to the international community. It encompasses the allure of its political system, the spiritual foundations on which the country has based its founding ideas and the robustness of its popular culture.
On all three counts, India is almost uniquely placed. Our ability to manage such plurality and mind boggling differences within a widespread and deep rooted democratic polity is of interest to the world.
This appeal is enhanced by the fact that India is in a tough neighborhood. India has on its periphery, a non-democratic, nuclear-armed Islamic republic in Pakistan, and a totalitarian regime in China that has a particularly nasty human rights record — not to mention a rabid Bangladesh and a despotic Nepal.
Democracy is the master weapon in India’s soft culture arsenal. This is not just a vague notion of goodness but a very real tool in international affairs and of interest to like-minded powerful democracies like the USA and Japan. To nurture this power, India has already taken a step by participating in the UN Democracy Fund with a large role for itself. This should help the world in finding alternatives to despotism and look at strengthening democratic institutions from around the world.
The second consideration of soft power, is in the spiritual ideas that inform a nation’s history. India can, and indeed does, lead the world in this. From interest in Japan and China in Buddhism, to India’s historic role as a soft power in places as far as Indonesia—the country is well placed to leverage the spiritual advantage. With Germany, we have historic roots of language and culture, while with the UK there is the colonial connection—and with America, it’s democracy.
The consumer dimension of this spiritual power should not be underestimated. Every time a future leader of the outside world comes to India as a backpacker, or a star like Madonna takes up yoga, this soft power permeates their inner space of a foreign constituency. Such bonding is all the more powerful given its voluntary nature.
The third leg of the soft power triad is the power of our popular culture. The fact that Indian movies are now screened in places as diverse as Afghanistan, Egypt and Leicester Square is proof of India’s appeal to the world. Indian movies are shown in scores of countries and have an estimated market of US$2 billion. The fact that Pakistan refuses to allow Indian movies, is proof of the fear that closed societies have of soft power. India must leverage this advantage with the systematic aim of deepening and enlarging this constituency in Pakistan.
These are the opportunities, but what is the reality? On the world scene India has failed to really put soft power into practice. The vibrancy of such assets as Indian food in Britain or yoga in the USA has developed largely by default and by the initiatives of the private sector rather than by a concerted diplomatic effort. Institutions such as the ICCR have understood the need to go beyond our ancient traditions and move into the present day and age of popular culture, but they need to do more.
India has the enormous advantage of a wide spread—and increasingly affluent—diaspora. With the exception of China, the country has the world’s largest non-resident community. The role of this group of 20 million people in spreading India and what it stands for, cannot be underestimated. With overseas people of Indian origin, the country has an embedded advantage.
In places like Mauritius their political presence is significant. In the United States and in Europe, Indians are affluent and slowly moving into the political arena. In the Arab world, the Indian diaspora is the only plurality on offer. The triad of soft power thus gets a leg up through this incredibly powerful overseas community.
As India makes its play in the global empire of ideas, it is discovering that it has a very good hand. When played in synch with the country’s emerging economic might and military capability, soft power could be an ace in our pack. It is both a multi billion dollar marketing opportunity, and in the context of countries like Pakistan, is a diplomatic tool of increasing utility which will pay huge dividends in the future.
