49. RELIGION AND CULTURE AS TOOLS OF SOFT POWER

📊 High-Yield Data & Statistical Fact Sheet

• Panchsheel Principles (1954): Five principles of peaceful coexistence forming the bedrock of India's early foreign policy and NAM.
• UNSC Reform claims: India demands permanent membership in UN Security Council under G4 partnership (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan).
• Neighborhood First Policy: prioritizes economic integration, connectivity, and development assistance to SAARC/BIMSTEC neighbors.
• BIMSTEC regional weight: Represents 22% of global population and combined GDP of $4.5 Trillion across 7 member states.
• Act East Policy momentum: Focuses on deep economic, security, and cultural connectivity with ASEAN and East Asian nations.
• Quad Indo-Pacific Coalition: Strategic partnership (India, US, Japan, Australia) promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific maritime space.
• IMEC Connectivity corridor: Transnational ship-to-rail transit network connecting India, Middle East, and Europe.
• Line of Credit (LoC) assistance: India extended developmental assistance lines of credit worth $30+ Billion to partner nations.
• UN Peacekeeping deployments: India remains a top troop contributor, deploying 2.7 Lakh+ personnel in 50+ missions.
• Nuclear Retaliation Doctrine (2003): Built on No First Use (NFU) and Credible Minimum Deterrence under political control.
• SCO Membership status: India joined Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as a full member in 2017 at Astana Summit.
• G20 Presidency leadership (2023): Orchestrated New Delhi Declaration, integrating the African Union as a permanent member.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA): Co-founded by India and France in 2015 (HQ in Gurugram), boasting 120+ signatory countries.
• CDRI Disaster Resilience Coalition: India-led global coalition of 39 countries upgrading infrastructure resilience.
• Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Launched in 2019 at East Asia Summit to coordinate maritime security and trade.
• India-ASEAN FTA trade volume: Bilateral trade agreement signed in 2009 driving trade volumes past $130 Billion annually.
• Gujral Doctrine Principles: Five principles of non-reciprocal cooperative concessions to smaller South Asian neighbors.
• Look West Policy pivot: Strategically deepens energy, investment, and defense ties with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.
• Chabahar Port Access: Bilateral agreement with Iran to develop Shahid Beheshti port to access Central Asian trade corridors.
• INSTC Trade Corridor: 7,200 km multi-mode network linking India, Iran, Central Asia, and Russia to bypass traditional routes.

Joseph Nye

“A country’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviours of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, publics etc.) through attraction or persuasion rather than coercion.”

INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

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Notes

Analyze key facts and concepts related to INTRODUCTION.

- Joseph Nye, a neoliberal scholar from the United States, originally used the term "soft power" in his 1990 book, Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power. - The idea of "soft power" has evolved over time and broadened in scope. In a more thorough definition, soft power is: o Anything that isn't related to the military or security, such as public diplomacy, popular culture, and more forceful economic and diplomatic tools including aid, investment, and membership in multilateral organisation. ##### PM MODI HAS NOTED 5 IMPORTANT PILLARS OF INDIA'S SOFT POWER - Samman (dignity) - Samvaad (dialogue) - Samriddhi (shared prosperity) - Suruksha (regional and global security) - Sanskriti evam Sabhayata (Cultural and civilizational links). ##### CULTURE AS A TOOL OF SOFT POWER • Cultural Diplomacy: The foundation of India's international representation is the concept of "unity in diversity," which is reflective of the diverse range of cultures and civilizations that continue to captivate people around the globe. Language and Education: 'Destination India' and 'Know India' are two such initiatives that have been introduced. ICCR even organised the first-ever national convention 'Destination India' project in 2019 because they think India may rise quickly to become a leader of the world's knowledge society. - Media and Communication: The PP Chaudhury panel also advised the Centre to refocus, reorganise, and improve DD India's operation in order to expand its influence internationally. • Cultural Heritage Preservation: Art, classical music and dance, yoga, traditional medicine (Ayurveda), nonviolence, philosophy, spirituality, and even cuisine and fashion. ○ The Khumbmela has received extensive international media coverage, a testament to it. • Cultural Exchange Programs: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) pioneers efforts to promote cross-cultural understanding in India. • Cultural Institutions: The ICCR, other organisations, the unique Public Diplomacy Department established under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as well as public-private partnerships, are some examples of these. • Science: With the launch of the GSAT-9 satellite, also known as the South Asia Satellite, which was designed to provide South Asian countries with space-enabled services, India's regional diplomacy has expanded into space. • Healthcare: 'Namaste diplomacy' and 'Medical diplomacy' of India today has become the talk post-COVID-19. India recently has become a hotspot of global healthcare for its low-cost and effective service. - Diaspora: India’s cultural and religious soft power is built by the diaspora living abroad and propagating Indian civilizational values. Example, Spread of Yoga, Ayurveda etc. ##### Manifestations of India's Soft Power • India gained respect from post-colonial powers in Africa for its principled boycott of South Africa due to its racist Apartheid practices. - India made its intervention in East Pakistan, which led to the independent state of Bangladesh, internationally acceptable in 1971 despite strong opposition from the United States and the UN by drawing attention to the morality of its actions. - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which recognised the attractiveness of India's expanding economy and democratic values, integrated India into Asian institutions in the 1990s. - The United States tried to have nuclear sanctions against India lifted in the 2000s, thereby officially recognising India as a nuclear weapon state. - From Bangladesh and Nepal to the Maldives and Afghanistan, neighbouring nations seek to India for help with conducting free and fair elections, drafting their constitutions, and creating welfare programmes. ##### GOVERNMENT EFFORTS • Institutional Arrangements: Through exchanges of cultures with other nations and their people, ICCR participates in India's international cultural relations, often known as cultural diplomacy. - Project Mausam: It intends to re-establish connections and communications between nations in the Indian Ocean region, which will improve understanding of cultural values and issues. - Diaspora: Indian NRIs and PIOs, in particular, are essential to maintaining India's Soft Power. Together, they total twenty million. The Indo-US Nuclear Deal negotiations in the early years of the first decade of this century provide the best example of this. - Buddhist Circuits: With the Buddhist circuit covering all three nations, it is an effort to draw Buddhist tourists to India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. - Middle East: Islam forms an important link between India and middle eastern countries. For ex- India has 2nd largest Shia Muslim population after Iran. • Example of Personal Initiatives: ○ In contrast to the rise of extremism globally, PM Modi emphasised the spiritual ties between India and Central Asia, saying that "the Islamic heritage of both India and Central Asia is defined by the highest ideals of Islam — knowledge, piety, compassion and welfare." Since the founding of the group in Delhi in 1972, an Indian minister of Swaraj's status has never previously travelled outside of India to attend the World Sanskrit Conference in Bangkok. ##### PP Chaudhary-led Panel Recommendations - Additionally, the MEA was asked to expand its network of tourism offices abroad and use a nation-specific strategy for marketing initiatives. - The parliamentary panel urged the government to work diligently to adopt the Indian pharmacopoeia and get recognition for Ayurveda as a medical system. • The panel requested that the government lay out a PR plan for promoting India's soft power and cultural diplomacy. - The panel advised the Centre to retocus, reorganise, and improve DD India's operation in order to expand its influence internationally. - The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) restructuring plan was to be submitted by the MEA, and it was suggested that the ICCR's budgetary allotment be increased by Rs 500 crore.

CONCLUSION

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CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

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- As a result, an increasing number of Indian academics and decision-makers have mentioned India's soft power. C Raja Mohan, for instance, believes that the Indian diaspora is the biggest strength of the nation's soft power. - One of the most well-known advocates of using soft power in Indian diplomacy is Shashi Tharoor. He argues that "independent India's soft power is one attribute to which increasing attention should now be paid around the globe," rather than economic, military, or nuclear strength.

• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2024 was presented to Michelle Bachelet, first and two-term woman President of Chile (2006-10, 2014-18) and former UN Human Rights chief.
• WHO reports traditional medicine is practised in 88% of its member-states (170 of 194); PM highlighted launch of the Traditional Medicine Global Library as an international platform, plus a Centre of Excellence for BIMSTEC countries and a collaboration with Japan on integrating science and traditional practices.
• 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine summit (Delhi) theme was "Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being", supporting WHOs 10-year Global Traditional Medicine Strategy (2025-34) adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly; global traditional medicine market projected to reach $583 billion by 2025.
• Union Ayush Ministry is the nodal centre for a WHO-India programme to standardise yoga training practices, creating global benchmarks for professional competency, knowledge, and quality standards while allowing diverse yoga traditions to coexist.