Soft Power is Indias Strength, not its

Weakness
Gandhijis ideals of non-violence and truthfulness were his approach towards the ruling colonial
government. His use of soft power against the mighty British Empire bore fruit. It was able to unite
Indian people and to send the British back home.. Soft power is thus strength in itself. It is the ability of
a country to persuade others to do what it wants without coercion or use of force.

This soft power has been guided by the values that emanates from Indias rich history of cultural
amalgamations spanning centuries. It was used by the Buddha in his teachings which influenced Ashoka
after the devastation of Kalinga war. In modern India, during the social reform movements by Raja Ram
Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar and others, people and the British government were persuaded to
think rationally and end the various inhumanly acts like Sati, no- marriage of widows.
The use of soft power is also visible in the freedom struggle during the moderate phase of Congress to
encourage British government to work for improving Indias upliftment. Post independence, India used
Non-Alignment Movement to unite third world countries during the cold war. This policy brought India
closer to many African and Asian nations. Soft power has been helping India reach out to others.

Today, foreign policies are the foundation of cooperation among countries. There are limitations of
economic and military inducements. But, soft power doesnt cost much except that it is slow yet
effective in approach. It rests on three key resources: the culture, political values and finally the foreign
policy. India with a rich cultural heritage and the birthplace of many religions has natural soft power to
influence the world and especially its neighborhood. Indias Bollywood, regional movies, music, dance
and other art forms have garnered interest around the globe. Politically, its democratic and
constitutional values have won support and cooperation in the western world. Elections in India are
viewed as a cornerstone of its success as a Democracy. Our foreign policy is also centered around making
India project as a responsible emerging global power.The results of these have been visible in the recent
years. Given these accolades, the question then arises is why India should regard soft power approach
really a strength or otherwise.

India is the fastest growing economy, ranking third in the world. It needs investment and infrastructure
to fuel this growth. Apart from these, India is also low on resources like oil and gas given its hunger for
growth. It has a large diasporas scattered around the globe most of which are employed in the
tumultuous regions of West Asia. India also aspires to establish as a global player and has been seeking a
permanent seat in the UN. To honor its commitment made in 2015 Paris climate change for reducing
CO2 emissions, it needs renewable resources and nuclear energy. It is also vying for a seat in the NSG
which has been blocked by China. Above all, India also seeks support in its fight against the global
challenge of terrorism. With these many aspirations of growth and security vital for its national interest,
India needs to leverage every resource diplomatically possible to its advantage.

This is where soft power has a large role to play apart from the economic and military power. Soft power
has been able to secure oil and energy even in desperate times during US sanctions on Iran. It was able
to get clearance from NSG even when the country is not a signatory to NPT. India is also surrounded by
two hostile neighbors and needs to be in constant military preparedness. This needs both equipment
and international support. Soft power can help in investment by other countries in defence
manufacturing in India while also promoting research and development. As climate change affects
agriculture and consequently our food security, India can seek help from countries for adaptation
technologies. It also needs investment for better renewable technologies to reach its goals of generating
175 GW of energy by renewable energy. Tourism is another area where India can promote itself. Its Look
East, Act East policy, Mekong-Ganga initiative for reaching out to ASEAN can help in exploring new
markets for trade, tourism and cultural cooperation with these regions. India is the birthplace of
Buddhism and tourism can support a large population for livelihood. The Incredible India campaign fits in
making India a tourism friendly nation. Soft power can therefore play a big role in our national goals of
development. With these in sight, India can leverage its policies to align them.

However, with the changing nature of geopolitics and an uncertain environment in global trade pose
many challenges. The increasing protectionism in US, UK and Chinas assertiveness especially in
boundary disputes, Qatars blockade in the middle east dictate that India can mostly use its soft power in
these issues. As any rise of such uncertainities have their bearing on Indias security and growth. It is
therefore, the strength of its soft power through which India can reach out to resolve or maintain its
firmness in its standing.

As India aspires to become a responsible power, its soft power can help it build on generating
international cooperation and pursuing national goals. With both increase in economic and soft power,
India can find its rightful place in the world as envisaged by our founding fathers.