Why India Needs Modi
By: Rohan Jayaraman
This April, over 700 million people will cast their ballots in the Lok Sabha Indian Elections. These voters will choose between the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Representative Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress Party (INC). Despite initial uncertainty over the results, the polls have projected a landslide victory for Modi and the BPJ. Should Modi secure a third term, his continued leadership will further cement his domestic support, bolster the Indian economy, and steer the nation into the forefront of global politics. Modi will further build on his Hindu nationalist agenda to mobilize domestic support, however, his actions have been met with some hesitancy by neutral citizens. The BJP believes in Hindu supremacy at its roots, with the Hindutva movement proclaiming that Indian national identity is inseparable from Hinduism. Earlier this year, Modi finally succeeded in opening the Ayodhya temple, a 40-year-long project central to Hindu identity with religious importance. However, the temple has a dark history. When construction started in the 1980s, the creation of this temple destroyed a sacred Islamic mosque, which prompted riots that killed over 2,000 people. While this event marks a defining moment in Modi’s campaign and the Hindutva movement, this extreme expression of Hindu nationalism was met with condemnation by some of Modi’s more moderate voters. However, this achievement helped solidify Modi’s movement and satisfied many of his supporters, who had been waiting for this promise for over three decades. Although this event marks a success for Modi’s agenda, it is important to also acknowledge the methods which he has used to propel his campaign and understand the core Hindutva foundations that drive his political movement. While his success benefits India in an economic context, there is still a lot of progress to be made regarding the management of group dynamics within the nation along with other methods that are used to promote the Hindu Nationalist agenda.
Furthermore, a successful election for Modi would continue India’s trajectory of consistent economic growth. Modi’s tenure in office has brought significant economic success. Under his presidency, India has overtaken Britain as the 5th largest economy and now represents over 10% of the global GDP. India is the fastest-growing G20 economy and has significantly invested in its domestic infrastructure while fostering strong foreign alliances and bilateral trade agreements. Modi has strategically positioned India on the international stage while utilizing India’s rapidly growing population as leverage in trade negotiations. During his second term, Modi expanded domestic manufacturing, secured favorable bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia, bought low on Russian resources, and maintained a strong relationship with China. These factors contributed to India’s consistent 7% annual economic growth, making the country one of the most attractive locations for foreign investment. With the security of five more years in power, Modi will continue to bolster India’s economy, strengthening foreign partnerships and continuing to invest in India’s sustainable development.During his time in office, Modi has made significant progress in climate policy by passing ambitious sustainable policies domestically, in addition to being a vocal climate advocate on the international stage. A third term would allow Modi to continue his climate agenda and promote climate cooperation across the global south. Currently, India is the third largest emitter of CO2, containing 39 of the top 50 most polluted major cities in the world. In response to the growing problem pollution will pose, India has committed to a net zero emissions goal by 2070. India will need an additional investment of $100 billion annually to meet these goals. Modi needs to be at the forefront of the Indian climate fight to execute the policies he has created. This ambitious initiative puts pressure on the country’s largest firms to devote significant resources to combat the problem. In addition, at the COP 28 summit, Modi called for developing nations around the world to lead the initiative in eliminating their carbon footprint. At the conference, India called for countries “to make climate finance available, accessible, and affordable to developing nations.” Modi launched a climate partnership with Sweden. Together, they created the “Loss and Damage Fund” (LDF) for the developing world, and proposed their National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). These actions were all in an effort to position India as a climate champion and representative for developing countries. Modi’s experience as a climate-conscious leader would be especially valuable in the near future as his policies serve as a voice of action in the global south.
Throughout Modi’s second term, he has strategically positioned India by fostering favorable relationships with both Eastern and Western allies. During global conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war, India has been able to maintain strong ties with the West as a neutral state while also maintaining diplomatic relationships with Russia and China, who are both founding members of the BRICS alliance and trade partners with India. Modi has used his authority as the host of the G20 summit to solidify foreign relations by establishing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), as well as strengthening ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India’s third most important trading partner. He also used this opportunity to potentially enhance bilateral partnerships with the West. In addition, India’s inclusion of the African Union into the G20 is strategically significant. This decision allows India to foster a long-term economic partnership with Africa. These moves underscore Modi’s ability to favorably position India for the long term. A third term will allow Modi to strengthen foreign relations, oversee the expansion of the BRICS alliance, and engage in bilateral trade with new partners to solidify India’s presence as a major global player.
As India heads into elections in April, no significant obstacles appear to prevent Modi from securing a third term. If Modi successfully implements his climate agenda, strategically positions India in global conflicts, and strengthens the economy, his domestic support could lead to long-term BJP dominance and Indian prosperity. The INC, India’s historical political establishment, can only watch as Modi continues to execute his vision for the future of India.
