NEW DELHI (Kashmir English): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest diplomatic charm offensive in Japan and other regional countries underscores New Delhi’s desperate bid to offset the cooling warmth of its relations with the United States, political observers have said.
According to Kashmir Media Service, despite being marketed by his Godi media as a global statesman, Modi has faced back-to-back setbacks on the international stage.
Washington’s lukewarm approach, visible in reduced enthusiasm for defence and trade cooperation, has left New Delhi scrambling for alternative validation.
Modi’s recent visit to Japan, coupled with overtures to ASEAN and South Korea, is being seen less as strategic partnership and more as diplomatic damage control.
India’s poor human rights record
Analysts observed that by projecting India as a “trusted friend” in Asia, Modi is attempting to mask strained ties with the US, persistent trade imbalances, and growing international concern over India’s human rights record, particularly in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
They noted that critics view these visits not as a show of strength but of insecurity, with Modi trying to present India as retaining global standing despite mounting criticism of democratic backsliding and rising sectarian violence under his rule.
Commentators added that the spectacle of lavish welcomes and grand statements cannot conceal the reality that India is increasingly isolated from its key Western backers.
Modi’s overtures to regional partners, they said, paint the picture of a leader on a begging spree, struggling to maintain relevance in a rapidly shifting geopolitical order.
