SOFT POWER DIPLOMACY

Published on 07 Jan 2025

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) defines soft power as the ability to influence others through appeal and attraction, using non-coercive means.  

Significance of Soft Power

• Influence: Soft power allows nations to influence others positively, fostering alignment of interests without coercion.

• Global Reputation: A strong soft power builds a positive global reputation, enhancing a nation's diplomatic and economic influence.

• Cultural Appeal: Rich cultural offerings attract and connect nations, promoting understanding and building bridges.

• Economic Opportunities: Soft power attracts foreign investments, tourism, and trade by enhancing a country's image as a reliable partner.

• Diplomatic Leverage: Nations with significant soft power can shape international narratives, build alliances, and promote their values globally.

• Conflict Prevention: Soft power contributes to conflict prevention by fostering understanding, tolerance, and cooperation.

• Public Diplomacy: Effective public diplomacy connects nations at the grassroots level, building positive relationships.

• National Security: A positive global image from soft power initiatives enhances national security by reducing hostility and garnering international support.

• Crisis Management: Soft power provides crucial goodwill during crises, facilitating international cooperation and support.

• Cultural Diplomacy: Soft power allows countries to engage in cultural diplomacy, fostering mutual understanding through exchanges and education.

India’s Soft Power

• Cultural Riches as Soft Power: India's spiritualism, yoga, film industry, and diverse cultural elements serve as potent soft power resources, attracting global interest. 

• Example: The International Day of Yoga, India's Bollywood films have gained global recognition, contributing to the country's soft power appeal.

• Strategic Deployment in Foreign Policy: India strategically integrates its soft power into broader foreign policy initiatives such as the Look East Policy, now Act East. 

• Example: The Look East Policy focuses on shared Buddhist roots, fostering cross-cultural pollination.

• Soft Power Diplomacy in Afghanistan: In Afghanistan, India employs soft power diplomacy to win "hearts and minds."

• Example:  Initiatives include infrastructure projects like the Parliament building, Salma Dam, hospital construction, and educational support.

• Democratic Values: India's track record of democracy, liberty, and rich culture contributes to collaborations with nations like the USA, France, and Sweden.

• Example: USA signing the Nuclear Deal with India despite India not signing the NPT.

• Extended Development Assistance in Africa: India expands its development assistance to African countries, aiming to secure natural resources and advance strategic objectives.

• Example: India's development projects in African nations contribute to strengthening ties and influence in the region.

• Diaspora Diplomacy: India’s diaspora diplomacy connects the Indian diaspora to their roots and enhances India's soft power globally.

• Examples: Initiatives like Pravasi Bhartiya Divas and the Know India Program. 

• Humanitarian Assistance: India's foreign aid activities, including humanitarian assistance, demonstrate its commitment to global welfare. 

• Example: Operation Raahat (2015) in Yemen, Maitri (2015) in Nepal, Sankat Mochan (2016) in South Sudan, Ganga (2022) in Ukraine, Vande Bharat and Samudra Setu (2020)

• Institutional Pillar: The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), established in 1950, plays a pivotal role in India's cultural diplomacy, aiming to strengthen global cultural ties.

• Example: ICCR facilitates cultural exchanges.

• Culinary Power: Promoting Indian cuisine globally enhances the country's cultural influence. 

• Example: the UK defines 'Chicken Tikka Masala' as its national food, since 2001, as announced by Robin Cook, then Foreign Secretary of England .

• Religious Tourism: Religious tourism becomes a vehicle for spreading soft power, 

• Example: 'Buddhist Circuit' and 'Ramayana Circuit' and the inauguration of a direct bus service between Janakpur (Nepal) and Ayodhya (India) strengthens cultural ties between India and Nepal.

• Commemorative Diplomacy:  Joint commemorations and celebrations contribute to soft power, fostering cultural bonds.

• Example: India and Bangladesh jointly commemorating Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary and Nazrul’s (Bengali poet, writer, musician, and is the national poet of Bangladesh) 100th birth anniversary showcase shared cultural legacies.

Challenges of India's Soft Power Diplomacy

• Inadequate Financing: Limited funds constrain the scale and impact of cultural initiatives, hindering their global outreach.

• Lack of Coordination: The absence of streamlined coordination among institutions leads to inefficiencies and diluted cultural diplomacy.

• Shortage of Skilled Manpower: Lack of skilled personnel hampers optimal execution of soft power initiatives.

• Unclear ICCR Mandate: Ambiguities in ICCR's mandate hinder optimal resource utilization.

• Cultural Diffusion: India struggles with state-driven cultural diffusion, hindering proactive cultural outreach.

• Example: While elements like yoga and Bollywood organically reach global audiences, state-driven efforts are lacking.

• Tourism and Education Gaps: Despite numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites, India's per capita performance in tourism and education remains subpar.

• Infrastructure Deficiency:  Inadequate investment in cultural diplomacy infrastructure and a perception of corruption affect India's cultural development.

• Unassociated Contributions: Indian contributions, like NASA scientists or people in power, aren't always linked back to the country.

Difference Between Soft Power and Hard Power

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "We must use what has been called smart power—the full range of tools at our disposal---diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal, and cultural---picking the right tool,  or combination of tools, for each situation. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy.” A harmonious integration of both hard and soft power will fortify India's position on the global stage.

Tags:
Polity

Keywords:
SOFT POWER DIPLOMACY conflict resolution peace security crisis management tourism culture yoga diaspora Humanitarian Assistance Indian Council for Cultural Relations

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 2

Topics:
International Relations