Content :
- Lessons from Operation Sindoor’s global outreach
- Steering the Indian economy amidst global troubles
Lessons from Operation Sindoor’s global outreach
Context:
- Following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, India launchedOperation Sindoor—a calibrated counter-terror strike targeting cross-border infrastructure.
- To shape global perception, multi-party parliamentary delegations visited five Western Hemisphere countries, clarifying India’s stance and building diplomatic support.
- The outreach highlighted India’s use of public diplomacy, national unity, and soft power to strengthen its foreign policy response to terrorism.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)
Practice Question : Operation Sindoor demonstrated how diplomatic outreach and national unity can amplify strategic responses to terrorism. Discuss the evolving role of public diplomacy in shaping India’s global narrative, especially in conflict situations. (250 words)
Unity as Strategic Leverage
- Multi-party delegation projected India’s unified stance on national security issues.
- Non-partisan messaging enhanced India’s credibility abroad, especially in the context of cross-border terrorism.
Diplomacy as a Force Multiplier
- Operation Sindoor’s success wasn’t limited to military action — sustained diplomatic outreach helped reshape global narratives.
- Example: Colombia revised its stance post-engagement, reaffirming India’s right to self-defence.
Clarifying Strategic Intent
- India’s outreach explained that its response was calibrated, targeted, and civilian-safe.
- Reinforced legitimacy of India’s position in line with international norms of self-defence.
Countering Misinformation
- Engagements helped correct distorted narratives and build factual consensus.
- Underscored need for real-time narrative management in international media and forums.
Highlighting Terror Infrastructure
- Consistent messaging about terror groups (e.g., LeT, JeM) and cross-border threats found receptive audiences, even in the U.S.
- Showed how persistent evidence-based diplomacy can shape international discourse.
Leveraging Soft Power
- “Operation Sindoor” had cultural resonance; India’s global familiarity with yoga, cinema, tradition aided diplomatic connect.
- Cultural diplomacy proved to be an asset in public and elite engagement alike.
The 3 Ts of India’s Global Strategy
- Tech, Trade, and Tradition should jointly drive India’s global image and engagement.
- Tech: Promote AI, biotech, innovation.
- Trade: Diversify partners and products.
- Tradition: Strengthen cultural linkages.
Balancing Security with Development
- Emphasis on India’s core message: We seek peace to focus on development, but retaliation is inevitable if provoked.
- A clear articulation of India’s dual-track strategy: deterrence + diplomacy.
Strengthening Public Diplomacy
- Dialogues with media, think tanks, and policymakers enhanced India’s voice.
- Need for greater Indian presence in Western media spaces to counter disinformation and influence perception.
Building Strategic Global Alliances
- Engagement with UNSC non-permanent members like Panama and Guyana strengthened support for India’s multilateral ambitions.
- Direct diplomacy with such nations can yield dividends in global governance forums.
Actionable Foreign Policy Suggestions
- Expand India’s footprint in South and Central America.
- Increase language training and diplomatic capacity in under-engaged regions.
- Strategically prioritize engagements with UN leadership and regional powers like Brazil.
Steering the Indian economy amidst global troubles
Introduction :
The global economy is facing turbulence due to renewed trade wars, shifting tariff regimes, and geopolitical tensions, impacting global supply chains and markets. In this scenario, India must adopt a strategic mix of trade diplomacy, domestic resilience, and structural reforms to navigate uncertainties and leverage emerging global opportunities.
Relevance : GS 3(Indian Economy)
Practice Question : In an era of global economic uncertainty and trade realignments, India must balance external engagement with internal resilience. Examine India’s strategic responses to global headwinds and suggest a way forward for sustaining economic growth. (250 words)
Global Headwinds & Trade Uncertainty
- Rise in trade protectionism, tariff reviews, and geopolitical tensions disrupting global supply chains.
- Sectors like gems & jewellery, pharma, electronics, apparel face vulnerability due to high dependence on the U.S. market.
- Uncertain U.S. tariff regime and dumping risks from ASEAN and China affect MSMEs’ viability and export planning.
Limited Immediate Impact, But Persistent Risks
- Economists suggest limited direct macroeconomic impact due to India’s strong services exports, remittances, and forex reserves.
- However, policy unpredictability hampers business decisions, new orders, and long-term competitiveness.
Strategic Policy Recommendations
Three-Pronged Approach
- Manage external shocks (tariffs, dumping).
- Strengthen domestic resilience (public capex, monetary policy).
- Leverage global realignment (export opportunity & investment redirection).
Proactive Trade Diplomacy
- Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with U.S. could offer first-mover advantage—must safeguard critical sectors and services exports.
- Focus on non-tariff barriers and mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) for better market access.
- Conclude key FTAs: EU, Australia, and deepen access to alternative markets.
Domestic Economic Support
- Sustain public capital expenditure to crowd-in private investment and maintain growth momentum.
- Accommodative monetary policy needed; further rate cuts possible as inflation moderates.
Attract Global Investment
- Anchor foreign firms shifting out of China and ASEAN by targeting high-potential sectors.
- Build India as a reliable, cost-effective, and scalable manufacturing destination.
Fast-Track Structural Reforms
- Expedite next-gen regulatory reforms announced in recent Budgets.
- Expand PLI schemes to cover emerging sectors like wearables, IoT, and battery materials to enhance self-reliance.
