Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s domestic policies and hardline nationalist agenda are largely to blame for the growing international scrutiny and diplomatic tensions that India, once hailed as the world’s largest democracy and a rising global power, is currently experiencing. Foreign governments, human rights organizations, and the international media are increasingly portraying what was once a thriving, pluralistic society as a country that is descending into authoritarianism, religious intolerance, and the suppression of dissent.
India’s reputation has suffered greatly as a result of diplomatic impasses with nations such as Canada, harsh UN censure, and damaging reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the U.S. State Department. The very policies that Modi’s domestic political base hails are undermining his efforts to position India as a global leader.
A Declining Democracy
International watchdogs have continuously lowered India’s democratic credentials in recent years. The Sweden-based V-Dem Institute declared India to be a “electoral autocracy” in 2021, pointing to a rise in assaults on civil liberties, press freedom, and judicial independence. In a similar vein, the U.S.-based NGO Freedom House downgraded India’s status from “Free” to “Partly Free,” citing the government’s suppression of dissent, persecution of minorities, and limitations on the media and NGOs.
These evaluations are not unique. India has received citations in numerous independent assessments for:
restricting free expression with anti-terror and sedition legislation.
putting students, journalists, and activists in jail without a trial.
suppressing nonviolent demonstrations, including those against farm laws and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
allowing violence in communities, frequently with little responsibility.
These criticisms, according to Modi’s supporters, are politically motivated and biased. However, a concerning picture is painted by the concerns’ consistency and their foundation in well-established legal and human rights violations.
The Repercussions in Canada: Diplomacy Failed
The most well-known diplomatic rift may have occurred in September 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau charged Indian agents with being involved in the assassination of Sikh separatist leader and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian territory. Although India dismissed the accusations as “absurd,” the harm was immediate and serious.
Top diplomats were expelled from both nations.
Free trade talks between Canada and India were put on hold.
Canada’s Western allies voiced “deep concern,” with the United States and the United Kingdom urging collaboration in the inquiry.This incident heightened concerns about India’s willingness to pursue extrajudicial actions overseas under Modi’s administration, casting doubt on the country’s adherence to international law and sovereignty.
Although the Modi administration has attempted to center the matter on its war on “terrorism,” many believe that this is just another example of how it targets minorities and dissenters, even outside of its borders.
Speak Up, Western Allies
Growing concerns about human rights violations and democratic regression have put pressure on India’s historically close ties with a number of Western countries.
America
The State Department’s annual Human Rights Report has frequently criticized India’s record, despite the fact that strategic ties with the U.S. are still strong, especially in relation to countering China. According to the reports,
Police killings that are illegal
arbitrary detentions, particularly in light of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)
Attacks on minorities, especially Muslims
Media censorship and internet shutdowns
Modi’s public appearances during his 2023 visit to Washington were marred by protests by rights organizations and Indian Americans. Citing worries about freedom of expression and religious persecution, a number of US Congress members abstained from his speech.
EU and the United Kingdom
Both the European Parliament and the British Parliament have held hearings and discussions regarding India’s decline in democratic norms. European leaders are becoming increasingly concerned about Modi’s domestic policies, which include the way he has handled Kashmir and the persecution of journalists and minorities.
Human rights have been brought up by EU officials as a roadblock to greater economic cooperation, even during trade negotiations.
The United Nations Weighs In
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which typically abstains from openly denouncing democratic regimes, has frequently voiced alarm about India’s course.
The CAA was deemed “fundamentally discriminatory” against Muslims by the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues.
Following Kashmir’s protracted military lockdown and unilateral revocation of autonomy, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concerns about the region’s status in 2019 and 2020.
The targeting of nonviolent anti-CAA demonstrators, particularly Muslim women and student activists, was denounced by the UN Human Rights Office.
In response, India has frequently brushed these worries aside as “external interference” or asserted that they are “politically motivated.” However, India’s assertion that it is a democracy that upholds human rights is being harmed by the frequent censures it has received from international legal organizations.
Deterioration of Soft Power
From Bollywood and yoga to its reputation as a peaceful, pluralistic society, India has long benefited from soft power capital. However, headlines about hate crimes, mob lynchings, book bans, and internet blackouts are taking the place of that image under Modi.
International news organizations such as Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Washington Post frequently cover:The exclusion of Dalits and Muslims
Persecution of reporters such as Siddique Kappan and Rana Ayyub
The declining room for NGOs and civil society
Even the Indian diaspora, which was once thought of as representatives of the country’s inclusive culture, is becoming more and more split, with progressive and Hindutva-aligned voices becoming more and more at odds.Risks to Strategy Future international aspirations for India, such as joining multilateral groups like the G7, applying for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, or joining the world’s tech and defense community, mainly depend on its standing as a democratic, rights-abiding country.
Modi’s administration is taking a risk by denying or downplaying global issues. The notion that human rights abuses will be overshadowed by economic expansion and geopolitical power may be effective in the short term, but moral credibility is important in the long run.India runs the risk of turning into what some refer to as “an illiberal democracy,” a nation that holds elections but represses rights and penalizes dissent.
Conclusion: From World Leader to World Worry?
Strength, nationalism, and cultural pride are central to Narendra Modi’s vision of India. However, in carrying out that vision, he has permitted repression, authoritarianism, and sectarianism to thrive—at a cost to India’s democracy as well as its standing abroad.India’s reputation as a pluralistic democracy is gradually eroding in front of the world. India’s future is at risk, not just how other people perceive it.
India must set an example at home by restoring civil liberties, valuing dissent, safeguarding minorities, and adhering to the Constitution if it hopes to take the lead internationally. Until then, Modi’s international gamble might keep costing India its moral standing and friends.
