How do you solve a problem like Narendra? Be Realistic About Who Really is calling the Tune.

 

In this post of will discuss an article written by Christopher Warren for Crickey and posted through MSN on July 7, 2023 entitled: How do you solve a problem like Narendra?

In this post I will outline Mr. Warren’s concerns around addressing the problem that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PM Modi) presents to countries like Australia. Mr. Warren contends that PM Modi is “forcing” nations like Australia and the United States of America (USA) to really think of ways to make PM Modi listen, comprehend and act in ways that address alleged violations of human rights and democratic values (what I will hereafter refer to as Liberal Idealist) within India and not adequately addressed by PM Modi’s Government.

Mr. Warren correctly perceives the dissonance arising from the reception PM Modi received on his recent visits to Australia in May and the USA in June of this year.  Mr. Warren laments the effect that populist figures striding the world stage are posing a challenge to the nations that are committed to the “…human rights and democracy approach to international relations.” The countries in Mr. Warren’s view being challenged are Australia and the USA. Such a challenge to the Liberal Idealist perspective, according to Mr. Warren is embodied in the problematic populist form of PM Modi.

However, I contend that Mr. Warren’s standpoint based on the Liberal Idealist perspective assumes that countries like Australia perceive the dissonance in the same way as he does. PM Modi is not the one that is leading these countries on a merry dance in the Austrian Alps to the lyrics of a tune taken from the soundtrack of The Sound of Music. It is PM Modi that is dancing to the tune of those countries led by the USA. These countries are prepared to not emphasise Liberal Idealist values too forcefully; lest these values impinge on more important geopolitical interests in drawing India away from forces competing with the USA emerging on the international stage.

According to Mr. Warren the PM Modi problem is best illustrated by the events that happened after the cancellation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and the end of the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Japan last May. Both Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (PM Albanese) and PM Modi were both present at this G7 meeting.

In his article Mr. Warren provided his readers an object lesson in the art of populism and how PM Modi uses the precepts of this discipline to neuter and blunt the mission of the countries committed to Liberal Ideological values as a basis of international relations. Mr. Warren writes of the populist challenges to the commitment in the form of PM Albanese and even President of the United States of America Joseph Biden (President Biden) to this to these values. I hereafter refer to PM Albanese and President Biden as the Liberal Leaders.

As mentioned above in the opening remarks of his article Mr. Warren draws our attention to the human rights and democracy approach (Liberal Idealism) to international relations. He does not consider another approach on how nations interact known as the Realist Theory of international relations is at play in the case of Mr. Modi.  One of the tenets of Realism is that it is what a nation state perceives to be its best interests that forms the basis of how the state behaves within the context of unregulated competition between states.

Without apparently considering the Realist perspective I suspect Mr. Warren is not accounting for a factor that determines the behaviour of the Liberal Leaders. When it comes to the case of PM Modi and the emerging global power in an increasing multi-polar world, called India the Liberal Leaders may be happy to, if not betray tone down their liberal commitments by leaning towards the tenets of the Realist position.

As I understand what he writes it is in this context Mr. Warren is warning his readers of the temptations that the Liberal Leaders are presented with when it comes to balancing liberal values with national interest and national egoism. Mr. Warren sees the dangers of an ethical lapse on the part of the Liberal Leaders otherwise inclined to value human rights and democracy as a basis for the relations between states.  The reader in turn might ask who is the instigator of this potential moral degradation?

As I see things in answering that question Mr. Warren places too much stress on Mr. Modi’s populist bent. I will elaborate more on my understanding below. Before doing this, I will outline Mr. Warren’s thesis concerning PM Modi’s populism.

In his article Mr. Warren exposes PM Modi, as prime tempter and manipulator misleading the Liberal Leaders off of the moral straight path; PM Modi Pied Piper like is leading the Liberal Leaders into turning a blind eye to the illiberal things PM Modi is doing to Indian minorities. The reader might well go onto ask Mr. Warren how this deceiver that takes the form of PM Modi does this? 

This is achieved via a “go-to Populist” strategy. According to Mr. Warren this strategy is the basis of PM Modi’s modus operandi; a strategy that cynically manipulates public opinion in his own country as well as Indian voters in other countries so skillfully.

What are the tools invoked by this strategy that manipulates the frailty of The Liberal Leaders and their constituents? PM Modi’s go-to populist deception as explained by Mr. Warren uses the following tactics to:

·         Cultivate the Personality of PM Modi by aligning his interest with the interest of India

·         Orchestrate a permanent campaign that promotes PM Modi

·         Bolster PM Modi’s influence through the provision of grace and favours

·         Bolster PM Modi’s image through campaign semiotics

·         Provide fodder to a compliant media

·         Excite the passions through the use of campaign stunts

Mr. Warren understandably laments that these tactics appear to a certain degree have worked and influenced the behaviour of the Liberal Leaders to put aside any ethical considerations in favour of enhancing the self-interest of their nation states. As I interpret it Mr. Warren’s cautionary message is based on the old English proverbial saying: “He who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon.”

However, despite PM Modi’s alleged trickery Mr. Warren shows us how there is a certain Karma built into the political universe that exposes the go-to populist that ultimately ensnares him in his deceptions. The forces of righteousness expose the duplicity of the populist campaign of PM Modi when he shows himself up for being too clever by half in the following respects:

·         His question-and-answer trip up at the White Conference press conference instigated by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) journalist with a surprising, for PM Modi at least gotcha question. The question concerned what steps the PM is taking to address the grievances of India’s Muslim minority.

·         The manner in which the PM’s carefully crafted visit to the USA was undermined by Hindu trolls unleashed on the above-mentioned WSJ Journalist.

Mr. Warren implies that PM Modi’s populist strategy glosses over human rights abuses. That nations that adhere to Liberal Idealist values have a concerning tendency, that tends to run counter to these values to embrace economic, trade and security interests. However, Mr. Warren does not succeed in showing that PM Modi’s use of the populist handbook has really been that influential on the Liberal Leaders. Mr. Warren exaggerates the effect of PM Modi’s populist semiotics that leverages a compliant media as a populist tool to entrap the Liberal leaders.

Mr. Warren is insightful in his analysis to the degree that he recognises that in reality there is a continuum of behaviours between the liberal and nationalist approaches to international relations.  In his way Mr. Warren acknowledges with a degree of regret that our leaders have a nationalist bent in the fact that they appear to subordinate ethical considerations such as human rights and democracy to the practical considerations of national interests.

In this there is no doubt; the Liberal Leaders are operating in a part of the continuum that leans more towards the nationalist approach. The Liberal Leaders see the risks of being to overly confrontational towards PM Modi as subverting the greater benefits arising from cooperation with Mr. Modi.

What are the things that have enticed Australia in its relationship with India to pivot or hedge towards the realist/nationalist camp? The majority of the press coverage in both countries focused on the immediate pomp; what Mr. Warren calls “campaign semiotics” as well as the role of the Indian diaspora on the politics in Australia and the USA. The diplomatic, economic and military outcomes were not emphasised as much in much of the media narrative surrounding PM Modi’s visits to these two countries.

I contend that these outcomes explain why the two Liberal Leaders are drawing lessons from the realist camp, even though publicly they utter the rhetoric of the Liberal Idealists. I contend that the Liberal Leaders were not the ones bedazzled by the campaign semiotics. The dazzlement was meant for the public consumption in India and the constituencies of the USA and Australia. Rather the importance of geopolitical and geoeconomic considerations are the prime factor at play that lure the Liberal Leaders to subsume Liberal values to maximise nationalist values.

I contend that the Liberal Leaders were not seduced by PM Modi’s go-to populist stratagems. It is the Liberal Leaders that are calling the tune and the populist PM Modi the one that is succumbing to the flattery of The Liberal Leaders. The Liberal Leaders willingly obliged the campaign semiotics; a sign that they are pleased with the things that Mr. Modi is doing on the international stage. All the razzle dazzle of PM Modi’s visits show that the Liberal Leaders do not place human rights and democratic values above their national oligarchic interests.

Sure, in terms of the bi-lateral relationships both the Liberal Leaders and PM Modi get economic and other benefits. 

In terms of these one of the big benefits for the Australia is the Australia-India free trade deal coming into force. The agreement eliminates tariffs on 85% of items exported to India including this such as lamb, wool, cotton, oats, critical minerals and cosmetics. 

The USA and PM Modi have agreed to initiatives in the telecommunications and technology spheres such as semiconductors. Mr. Modi signed up to the Artemis accords that govern space exploration and determined to open additional consulates in each other’s nations.

On June 22, 2023 TheWorld news program reported on What to expect from Modi’s historic visit to the US:

“India is also close to signing a deal to buy MQ-9B armed surveillance drones from the US. Earlier this month, the US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, met India’s defense minister, Rajnath Singh, in Delhi to set up a road map for defense industry cooperation.”

TheWorld in acknowledging that “… the US wants to help India enhance its military capabilities….” reports Lisa Curtis Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security as saying: “Part of the goal here is to wean India away from its dependence on Russian military technology.”

The New York Times (NYT) writer Peter Baker in a commentary Modi State Visit: Modi Promotes India to Congress After Meeting with Biden posted on June 22, 2023 confirmed that the Russian-Ukraine war is intensifying. He writes that India continues to purchase Russian oil at a discount and refrains from supporting United Nations (UN) resolutions denouncing Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Within this context Mr. Baker confirms that the USA is working to bring India closer into its orbit.

Mr. Baker’s analysis lends weight to my contention that this explains the behaviour of the Liberal Leaders of the USA and that of Australia. Behind all the semiotics of state dinners, enthralled crowds and speeches it is the USA that is trying to entice India into jumping off the geopolitical fence to fall in line, like Australia within the hegemonic umbrella of the USA.

Mr. Barker limits his analysis to the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. He is leaving it up to the reader to place this whole conflict within the even broader global context where the dominance of the USA is being challenged by the emerging economic and military powers that are challenging this dominance. As well as China and Russia, India is one of these emerging powers.

India’s involvement in the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Council, from the perspective of the Liberal Leaders threatens to place India in the camp of those nations that are coalescing around the notion of a multi-polar world order. The USA would like to draw India away from this new world order that is led by China. There is evidence that the USA may be having some success in this respect as India to date appears to continue weighing its options on which way to jump. This is the source of the tolerance that the Liberal Leaders have towards Mr. Modi which Mr. Warren does not convey to his readers. Liberal values are not part of the strategic calculus that the Liberal Leaders are operating within.

I refer you to an article posted by the blogger M.K Bhadrakumar on July 6, 2023 entitled: India’s discontent with the SCO. In this insightful article Mr. Bhadrakumar writes about the broader sphere of global politics, security and economics of which China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) association of nations, established by Russia and China are important elements. The trend is more countries within Asia, Africa and the Middle East are gravitating to the new multi-lateral international framework.  According to Mr. Bhadrakumar India is not fully on board with all of this and is “running with the hare and running with the hounds”.

Mr. Bhadrakumar describes the various ways in which India is openly dissatisfied with the SCO within the context of the territorial tensions it has with China and Pakistan. Mr. Bhadrakumar points out that India is pivoting to the USA. He writes:

“With an eye on President Biden, this is a natural fallout of the Modi government’s lurch toward the American camp.”

Mr. Bhadrakumar, like Mr. Warren laments that Mr. Modi presents are problem but has different take to Mr. Warren’s Liberal Idealist position. Mr. Bhadrakumar’s writes:

“Yet, the most regrettable part is that India’s lackadaisical approach toward the SCO is coinciding with the US plans to insert NATO as the number one security provider in Asia. Unwittingly or otherwise, India’s conduct effectively weakens the SCO’s solidarity when it is needed most, and in turn de facto subserves the US’ so-called Indo-Pacific strategy.”

The USA, supported by Australia was tolerating Mr. Modi’s campaign semiotics. The Liberal Leaders of these countries, back in May and June of this year were really celebrating with PM Modi the victory, they think they have attained over the forces, led by China that are trying to challenge the USA in the Indo-Pacific. This is what is behind the spectacle of PM Modi’s campaign semiotics.

It is not just PM Modi granting graces and favours or manipulating a compliant press, it is the USA, in its realist approach to international relations that is calling the tune. Nations such as India and Australia are merely participants in the USA’s campaign playbook in which human rights and democratic values are merely props obscuring from the public the USA’s nationalist agenda of hegemony.

Mr. Warren asks the question:  How do you solve a problem like Narendra? My answer is that if we are really concerned about the values of human rights and democracy in India, we need to acknowledge that countries like Australia that are led by the USA do not really see PM Modi as a problem at all, but rather an opportunity to be leveraged in the cause of Empire. By honestly acknowledging this we can then start to seriously talk about ways of achieving the Liberal ideals we profess to want for the Indian people to enjoy.