The world's now oysterer: Why a coalition govt will likely add to India’s geopolitical heft, not reduce it
Narendra Modi's success in winning a third term as prime minister has greatly enhanced his global image. The fact that he will now speak as a leader of a coalition government representing diverse political parties will add to India's geopolitical weight, not reduce it.
Modi Oath Ceremony Live
The election, which returned the opposition parties in strong numbers, has been widely seen in the West and in India's neighbourhood as a triumph of Indian democracy. The country's democratic credential is an important reason why the Modi government has been able to smoothly transition from the non-aligned philosophy of past governments to a pragmatic multi-aligned policy.
At a basic level, there is unlikely to be major shifts in India's foreign policy because the four personalities who influence it -PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah, foreign minister S Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh — remain unchanged. The only reported exception would be NSA Ajit Doval, who has completed his term and has expressed unwillingness to continue.
Some tweaks in foreign policy are likely. Despite Modi's presence on the world stage, his government has been widely seen, and often described in the Western media, as a Hindu rightwing, majoritarian entity. Despite New Delhi's growing strategic closeness to Gulf countries, this has affected India's relationship with the Muslim world from time to time.
For instance, Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) objected to anti-Islam statements by two BJP leaders in 2022 when BJP
