Engagement with overseas communities has become a major element of India’s dynamic foreign policy... more Engagement with overseas communities has become a major element of India’s dynamic foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although the problems and opportunities presented by the diaspora have gained traction in India’s post-Cold War foreign policy, they have drawn particular attention from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)led governments. If Atal Behari Vajpayee’s tenure (1998-2004) saw Delhi attach greater importance to the overseas Indian communities, Modi has injected a new vigour in the few months that he has been the Prime Minister. Modi sees the diaspora as central to India’s development journey and as a strategic asset in promoting India’s foreign policy interests abroad. At the same time the Modi government has had to spend considerable time and energy dealing with the problems arising from India’s expanding global footprint. The paper reviews the evolution of India’s diaspora policy and examines the possibilities and pitfalls that could arise from Delhi’s new po...
India in Transition (IiT), published by the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) of the ... more India in Transition (IiT), published by the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) of the University of Pennsylvania. Article available at- https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/iit/rishikachauhan
India has always been shy of adding a religious tint to its foreign policy. In the last decade, h... more India has always been shy of adding a religious tint to its foreign policy. In the last decade, however, the aspiring global power began engaging in what has come to be called 'Buddhist diplomacy' in its outreach to countries in the South, East and Southeast Asia. +e prime minister is diligently pursuing India's 'Buddhist agenda' and taking it beyond its borders, emphasising the Indian and Hindu links with Buddhism. Concurrently, another Asian power is following the same strategy: China. Equipped with copious resources and matchless investment potential, China is also projecting itself as a nation with rich Buddhist heritage and is similarly attempting to connect with its Asian neighbours with large Buddhist populations. Buddhism has thus begun to emerge as a potential new arena for both cooperation and rivalry between India and China. While India has many advantages over China in integrating Buddhism into its national soft power strategy, it also has significant limitations of its own.
In the last decade India has firmly maintained its opposition to unilateral sanctions on several ... more In the last decade India has firmly maintained its opposition to unilateral sanctions on several occasions. Recently, however, when White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest acknowledged India’s “substantial sacrifice” in implementing US sanctions against Iran, New Delhi’s resistance to unilateral sanctions appeared shallow. India’s opposition as well as contended support to the sanctions cannot be understood without taking into account Washington’s efforts to garner New Delhi’s cooperation. Interactions between the two governments on the Iranian issue are not an exercise of persuasion-resistance and subsequent compliance, as media reports seemingly suggest. They are indicative of an involved bilateral process whereby a responsive New Delhi adapted to US-led sanctions regime, and in turn Washington accommodated Indian interests.
Engagement with overseas communities has become a major element of India’s dynamic foreign policy... more Engagement with overseas communities has become a major element of India’s dynamic foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although the problems and opportunities presented by the diaspora have gained traction in India’s post-Cold War foreign policy, they have drawn particular attention from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)led governments. If Atal Behari Vajpayee’s tenure (1998-2004) saw Delhi attach greater importance to the overseas Indian communities, Modi has injected a new vigour in the few months that he has been the Prime Minister. Modi sees the diaspora as central to India’s development journey and as a strategic asset in promoting India’s foreign policy interests abroad. At the same time the Modi government has had to spend considerable time and energy dealing with the problems arising from India’s expanding global footprint. The paper reviews the evolution of India’s diaspora policy and examines the possibilities and pitfalls that could arise from Delhi’s new po...
India in Transition (IiT), published by the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) of the ... more India in Transition (IiT), published by the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) of the University of Pennsylvania. Article available at- https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/iit/rishikachauhan
India has always been shy of adding a religious tint to its foreign policy. In the last decade, h... more India has always been shy of adding a religious tint to its foreign policy. In the last decade, however, the aspiring global power began engaging in what has come to be called 'Buddhist diplomacy' in its outreach to countries in the South, East and Southeast Asia. +e prime minister is diligently pursuing India's 'Buddhist agenda' and taking it beyond its borders, emphasising the Indian and Hindu links with Buddhism. Concurrently, another Asian power is following the same strategy: China. Equipped with copious resources and matchless investment potential, China is also projecting itself as a nation with rich Buddhist heritage and is similarly attempting to connect with its Asian neighbours with large Buddhist populations. Buddhism has thus begun to emerge as a potential new arena for both cooperation and rivalry between India and China. While India has many advantages over China in integrating Buddhism into its national soft power strategy, it also has significant limitations of its own.
In the last decade India has firmly maintained its opposition to unilateral sanctions on several ... more In the last decade India has firmly maintained its opposition to unilateral sanctions on several occasions. Recently, however, when White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest acknowledged India’s “substantial sacrifice” in implementing US sanctions against Iran, New Delhi’s resistance to unilateral sanctions appeared shallow. India’s opposition as well as contended support to the sanctions cannot be understood without taking into account Washington’s efforts to garner New Delhi’s cooperation. Interactions between the two governments on the Iranian issue are not an exercise of persuasion-resistance and subsequent compliance, as media reports seemingly suggest. They are indicative of an involved bilateral process whereby a responsive New Delhi adapted to US-led sanctions regime, and in turn Washington accommodated Indian interests.
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https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/iit/rishikachauhan
India's 'Buddhist agenda' and taking it beyond its borders, emphasising the Indian and Hindu links with Buddhism. Concurrently, another Asian power is following the same strategy: China. Equipped with copious resources and matchless investment potential, China is also projecting itself as a nation
with rich Buddhist heritage and is similarly attempting to connect with its Asian neighbours with large Buddhist populations. Buddhism has thus begun to emerge as a potential new arena for both cooperation and rivalry between India and China. While India has many advantages over China in integrating Buddhism into its national soft power strategy, it also has significant limitations of its own.
https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/iit/rishikachauhan
India's 'Buddhist agenda' and taking it beyond its borders, emphasising the Indian and Hindu links with Buddhism. Concurrently, another Asian power is following the same strategy: China. Equipped with copious resources and matchless investment potential, China is also projecting itself as a nation
with rich Buddhist heritage and is similarly attempting to connect with its Asian neighbours with large Buddhist populations. Buddhism has thus begun to emerge as a potential new arena for both cooperation and rivalry between India and China. While India has many advantages over China in integrating Buddhism into its national soft power strategy, it also has significant limitations of its own.