India's Role in the Global South: An Emerging Paradigm
In recent years, India has actively positioned itself as a leading voice for the Global South, aiming to reform global governance structures and champion the interests of developing nations. Prime Minister emphasized this during the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention and the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit in 2024.
India's Strategic Approach
- Balancing Relations:
- India seeks to balance its growing influence in the Global South with strong ties to traditional partners like the United States and Europe.
- Highlighted by the high level visit of former US National Security Advisor to India and Indian PM's visit to Poland.
- Countering China's Influence:
- India's activities in Africa and its participation in the Quad partnership demonstrate efforts to counter China's dominance.
- Creating a Unique Identity:
- India aims to establish itself as an emerging power with its own strategic interests, beyond simply countering China.
Development Strategies for the Global South
- Alternate Development Paradigm:
- India proposes a cooperative model that emphasizes equal partnerships, differing from traditional top-down approaches.
- The Global Development Compact exemplifies this strategy, rooted in Indian experiences.
- Human-Centric Development:
- Through initiatives like Mission LiFE, India promotes sustainable lifestyles and aims to build human resource capacity.
- Programs like Skill India focus on entrepreneurship, particularly for women, appealing to Global South nations.
- Building Institutional Capacity:
- India's ITEC program provides short-term technical training, but longer-term engagements are needed to build institutional capacities in partner countries.
Inclusive Global Governance
- India has advocated for more inclusive international governance, backing the African Union's entry into the G-20.
- To strengthen its global development role, India plans to establish its own norms and systems, leveraging existing partnerships with nations like Germany and France.
India must continue to learn from past experiences like the Non-Alignment Movement to offer a new path for developing countries.
