By Jianli Yang – Jun 22, 2023
Since taking office in 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown increasing ambition to strengthen India’s global diplomacy and governance. In several international conferences led by India, Modi has consistently emphasized India’s desire to engage in dialogue with major powers such as the United States and Europe, as well as its intention to lead developing countries. India will hold the presidency of the G20 in September 2023, which will strengthen its position as the leader of the “Global South” and amplify the voice of southern countries in the global order. It will also serve as a bridge between democratic developing countries.
For many decades since its independence in 1948, India has largely pursued a foreign policy of non-alignment, proposed by its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1954. It emphasizes India’s commitment to an independent foreign policy and seeks to avoid entanglements with any power bloc. During the Cold War, India initiated the Non-Aligned Movement and saw itself as the leader of developing countries. Many southern countries participated in the movement.
The concept of the Global South is not new and lacks a clear definition. It generally refers to the large number of countries that located primarily in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Latin America—the geographical South. The term is often used to refer to political, economic, and social “north-south” disparities. While the concept is geographically relevant, there are exceptions. For example.. [Continue Reading]
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/india-offers-bridge-global-south-opinion-1808522