Diplomacy experts in US academia, think tanks, and notable individuals in the Indian American diaspora urge us to look beyond the media narrative.
Washington DC
The state and press are aligned in addressing the larger agendas of strategic diplomacy and national security interests. The mainstream US press has followed this adage in relation to the Middle East, Africa, Venezuela, Nicaragua, North Korea, and China, though not on all occasions. One instance was the recent high-profile four-day visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his bilateral meetings with US President Joe Biden, which were historic and signalled more than just the signed agreements.
The visit, meticulously planned by diplomats from both countries over several months, aimed at getting the US—and President Joe Biden—to recognize India as a global player. The diplomats at the Capitol, the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, and those in the External Affairs Ministry in Delhi should be gratified by the high compliments paid to PM Modi by the US President during their public meetings. However, the US media did not convey the narrative of this “all-time high India-US ties” with the same tone and words as relayed by the US diplomats in official briefings and meetings.
Yet, diplomacy experts in US academia, think tanks, and notable individuals in the Indian American diaspora urge us to look beyond the media narrative. They assert that it’s time to focus on the evolving diplomatic relationship on the ground, as it will shape the post-COVID-19 geopolitics in Asia. Dr Walter Andersen, a renowned India-US expert and retired Professor at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, says, “The visit certainly exceeded the expectations of Prime Minister Modi and his delegation”. Elaborating his point, Dr Andersen told The Sunday Guardian, “The importance accorded to India was underscored by very significant agreements like the sale of state-of-the-art drones and co-production of fighter jet aircraft containing technology limited to countries only very close to the US. What makes these agreements significant is that they demonstrate the trust in India by the US and signal even more future cooperation in defence weaponry. The two sides also agreed to cooperate in space.” The high-level US-India official convergence, PM Modi’s first official engagement on US soil, still resonates among the Indian diaspora. Florida-based Dr Kiran C Patel, a prominent figure in the Indian diaspora, perceives India emerging as the most strategic partner for the US to establish a balance of power in Asia.
Dr Patel, an Indian American philanthropist, serial entrepreneur, hotelier, and cardiologist living in Tampa, told The Sunday Guardian, “Setting pomp and show aside, India is now poised to become the world’s third-largest economy…Geopolitically, India has a pivotal role to play in global diplomacy, including US strategic policies in the Asia region where the two nations are cooperating to meet security challenges, maintain a sound economy in Asia, and counter the common threat of China.” However, Dr Patel sees a broader message for India from this meeting, one that goes beyond mere image-building in the US. “I believe it’s no longer time for just image building, but India needs to demonstrate the power of an emerging giant, which would be an answer in many ways for those doubting New Delhi’s capabilities on the global stage,” says Dr Patel, adding, “it’s time we invest in our R&D and strengthen our capacity in manufacturing high-quality aircraft, high-speed locomotive engines, spacecraft, satellites, and showcase our growing stature to the world.”
Another prominent member of the Indian diaspora, and a leading cardiologist from Maryland, Dr Vinod Shah, concurs with Dr Patel. Coincidentally, both Dr Shah and Dr Patel have their roots in Gujarat and have witnessed India’s growing stature in US foreign policy from the days of Bill Clinton to the current presidency of Joe Biden. For Dr Shah, this meeting was on a different level, marked by “diplomatic chemistry and personal pleasantries”. Dr Shah, who also met PM Modi during the events in DC, said, “The body language spoke louder than words, and the White House opening its doors for the Indian diaspora to witness this historic relationship-building signals clearly that this visit was at a much higher level than all the previous visits I have seen.”
According to Dr Shah, there was more to glean from President Biden’s “strictly business” statements. “Both understood each other’s national and international compulsions. I could see that President Biden understood the dilemma of Prime Minister Modi, who also concurred without expressing any criticism towards Russia. From my perspective, PM Modi must tread cautiously because he needs to maintain relations with Russia and all other European countries, and let’s face it without mincing words. The most important takeaway from my perspective was that they understood each other and each other’s diplomatic compulsions and national interests.” It was equally significant to witness both houses of the US Congress passing legislation to ease the acquisition of US visas, of which Indian students are major recipients, and that should answer many questions in the Indian media about the level of diplomatic relationship over visas.
Dr Andersen says, “The same Congress also gave Modi an enthusiastic welcome when he spoke (for the second time) to a joint session. There was also a significant outpouring of support from the Indian-American community, a community whose wealth and education makes them an increasingly important part of American society. This was reflected by Modi as he reached out to the community in his public appearances. The US did not demand any kind of reciprocal security alliance, which India would not support (as it would undermine its diplomatic manoeuvrability), but the visit did demonstrate a major agreement on international issues, and both countries could live with India’s reluctance to condemn Russia on Ukraine or its purchase of Russian oil.”
Dr Shah, who has known PM Modi since his days in Gujarat, highlighted the level of respect President Biden showed his cabinet and Congress members, with a few exceptions protesting. According to Dr Shah, there’s a reason for this growing cooperation: “This collaboration is strategic and will address the critical challenges of terrorism, security in Asia, economy, and it showcases the cooperation of technology between the two democracies…There will be much more open cooperation from the United States. India now holds the right status to draw the attention of the US government and Western nations. From the 10th largest economy to the fifth-largest and growing, the narrative will soon change in the US media as well. You see the closeness and respect India receives from Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The credit for this transformation in India’s global image goes to PM Modi and his Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.
India demonstrated its capacity in the health sector during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now expanding its footprint in global education, including in the US. Dr Patel, who himself is deeply engaged in education and healthcare in the US and India, offers another key piece of advice: “It is time for India to elevate its standards in health and education so that people from many countries see it as a destination for their health and education needs.”
But how can the Western media’s portrayal of India and PM Modi be corrected? Only actions will speak louder for Modi and his government. Dr Patel once advised the PM that “only actions will change the prejudiced media narratives against India.” As a cardiologist and top healthcare entrepreneur, Dr Patel offers a prescription for PM Modi to change the Western narrative of India. “We need to highlight the progress India’s lower strata have made irrespective of class, creed, religion, and how they have benefited from social programs. Special privileges for affluent minority communities, including tribes and castes, need to be reconsidered. By this, I mean that quota and reservations should be utilised for the genuinely economically backward classes,” says Dr Patel, adding, “From my understanding, the quota system in education and employment often benefits the privileged minority and not those in actual need. PM Modi can ensure that the real economically disadvantaged minority groups avail the benefits of the social programs initiated by his government.
Unfortunately, in many affluent tribes, the quota system is still benefiting children and grandchildren generations after the independence of India.”When it comes to Western media bias, Dr Shah advises maintaining a positive outlook and disregarding criticism, as often the message is directed at certain stakeholders. Dr Shah suggests, “Sometimes American media is also supported by people who can fund substantially or invest. I believe the right message can always be delivered by reporting from the ground in India. We saw that in the recent G20 event in Srinagar, Kashmir. One US Senator mentioned that to see the change in India, you need to go and walk the streets of New Delhi. The more we do, the more we travel, invite people, and show them, the more it will help change the narrative.” There is more to do at the Indian diaspora level to strengthen the Indian narrative in Western minds and the American media. Dr Shah, who runs a chain of healthcare facilities in Maryland and employs people from all ethnicities, including White Americans, told TSG: “We can cultivate the image of India as a rising power. The Indian diaspora today is most recognised in corporate America and the US healthcare system. We need to showcase that with people-to-people contact building beyond official photo-ops.” And going by PM Modi’s statement, there is a big message for the diaspora to realise the larger objective of India’s brand-building. For PM Modi, the migration of Indian talent to the United States is not a brain drain. “He, in fact, believes that it’s an investment into a modern America by sending people of high intellectual calibre to create a better image of India,’’ says Dr Shah.
What more to ask for in this relationship? Time to look beyond the optics!