India’s Diplomatic Challenges Amid Global Uncertainty
New Delhi: With Pakistan set to join the UN Security Council in January 2025 and India losing its seat on the International Human Rights Council, Jammu and Kashmir will become a central focus in international forums. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia on July 8-9 to meet President Vladimir Putin is critical for India’s strategy, especially with the Ukraine conflict likely to intensify and the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza showing no signs of resolution.
Pakistan, guided by Munir Akram, a known critic of India, will join the UN Security Council as a temporary member with the support of China. China may attempt to label innocent Indians as global terrorists or push resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, India will not be a member of the International Human Rights Council next year, which previously, in 2018, reported on alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. India must be proactive in international diplomacy to counter these challenges.
PM Modi’s visit to Russia aims to align with President Putin’s perspective as tensions escalate. The G-7 summit in Italy highlighted the West’s plan to increase involvement in Ukraine, potentially including troops on the ground. Putin has signaled he might supply arms to Western adversaries if conflicts in Crimea or Russia escalate, and hasn’t ruled out using tactical nuclear weapons. The upcoming summit is expected to focus on global issues rather than bilateral agreements.
India’s diplomatic strategy needs to be agile, considering the potential shift in power to Labor in the UK, a weakened President Macron in France, and the intense US Presidential elections between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
The West’s push against Russia in Ukraine complicates India’s position. Putin is moving closer to Chinese President Xi Jinping, despite tensions on Russia’s eastern borders. India must maintain its relationship with Russia, as most of its military supplies come from Moscow. Furthermore, as China’s navy expands its presence in the Indian Ocean, leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative with Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, India must be active and strategic in its diplomacy, moving beyond a passive stance.
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