Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a lot on his agenda when he travelled to Europe to meet leaders of Germany, France and the Nordic states of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland. However, the leader did not miss the opportunity to involve the Indian people in his tightly packed 65-hour-long schedule while on the European continent. The Indian diaspora’s unwavering solidarity with the Indian Prime Minister as he set foot in Europe comes at a time when India has boldly resisted Western pressure to not buy Russian oil and condemn Russia for the war in Ukraine.
In Germany, the Prime Minister was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd of Indians celebrating their roots in traditional Indian clothes. Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate lighting up with the colours of India’s cultural diversity depicts a kind of emotion that PM Modi inspires effortlessly in his foreign tours. At the Madison Square Gardens in New York, Modi’s rockstar image with a global appeal was sealed. The Howdy Modi event in Houston, Texas was an even bigger hit with thousands of Indians and dozens of American politicians including former President Donald Trump showing up at the event. For the Indian diaspora, moments like these have highlighted their impeccable role in the host countries not just as model immigrants but also as a widely respected, powerful and influential community. In Denmark too, the Prime Minister underlined the role of Indians as a force of good that has contributed to the growth of host countries. The Indian diaspora wants to be part of the Indian growth story, and the Prime Minister knows how to take them along in this journey. From the US to the UAE, PM Modi has inspired numerous successful Indians abroad to believe in India, and invest in its growth story.
For the Indian diaspora, moments like these have highlighted their impeccable role in the host countries not just as model immigrants but also as a widely respected, powerful and influential community.
While it may seem to political opponents that the Prime Minister’s various engagements with the Indian diaspora while in Europe were simply a political score for the leader aimed at the domestic audience, there is so much more to PM Modi’s diplomatic strategy to draw on the strength and zeal of the Indian diaspora while in a foreign nation. His deft use of his bond with the Indian diaspora and a focus on warmly conducted public diplomacy in the host country reaps great gains for India’s global standing. Banking on such strategic levers comes at a negligible cost but adds significant charm to India’s diplomatic heft.
His deft use of his bond with the Indian diaspora and a focus on warmly conducted public diplomacy in the host country reaps great gains for India’s global standing. Banking on such strategic levers comes at a negligible cost but adds significant charm to India’s diplomatic heft.
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