The changing perception of India

Post Operation Sindoor, there is a perceptible change in how the world sees India. There is a newfound confidence that the world has been forced to take note of. To its credit, India is not shouting from tree tops about what it did or can do. Yet, a lot in the world, including thinkers, military experts, historians and media stalwarts, are all jostling for space in media to talk about India and not surprisingly, it is mostly laudatory. What has changed in the country that was always in the news for the wrong reasons for decades?

In a matter of days, the narrative on India has shifted from being critical about almost everything Indian to finding many reasons to praise it. India’s military capabilities, overall approach to national security, international standing, a full U-turn to paint India as a strong and decisive nation, and broader geopolitical and regional security implications are all part of this new discourse on India. Indian military’s precision, professionalism, and the doctrine of SEAD (Suppression of Enemy’s Air Defences) have come in for a special mention with awe and admiration from various quarters. The role of locally manufactured military hardware and its effectiveness has made most nations to sit up and take note.

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s aggressive diplomatic manoeuvring internationally against terror has been unprecedented. India has been very successful in balancing relations with global powers like USA, Russia, China and other nations, including Islamic nations, on its own terms. Discussions abound on India’s growing importance as a global economic driver and innovator, with increasing international engagement and investment. The role of India as a potential counterweight not only to China but also to the USA in the evolving global order and trade interests many.

The country seems to have found a unique national interest-based ‘Indian Way’ to achieve all this. The days of a meek and indecisive India that was always on the lookout for affirmation from others, particularly the western world, are over. The days of taking the less confrontational path are passe. Today, India is decisive without being loud or hypocritical in any manner. Its international relations are guided by participation and mutuality, in the rich traditions of its heritage, without being overbearing or patriarchal. Yet, the message is very clear that it will not tolerate any evil designs on its soil or its people by terrorists or those who support terror and violence.

Some of the key happenings and events in the recent past that support India’s transformation are:

Operation Sindoor May 2025: Operation Sindoor is not only a new chapter in India’s doctrine to fight terror but also in the conduct of military operations. The doctrine has made it clear that any act of terror on Indian soil will be viewed as an act of war. The response will be decisive, calibrated and aimed at annihilation of selected targets with a disproportionate response. The operation showed hitherto unseen capabilities of Indian military in terms of use and adoption of technology, the capabilities of indigenously produced military hardware that match or exceed the best in the world, apart from professional skills in coordination and execution of complex military operations. Importantly, India has successfully called out Pakistan’s oft-repeated nuclear threat bogey.

SCO Meeting 2025: India refused to sign the joint document after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Shanghai. The joint document, drafted by China, failed to address concerns about terrorism. It mentioned the Balochistan train hijacking incident but did not include the Pahalgam terrorist attack at the behest of Pakistan. In the end, there was no joint statement.

QUAD Meeting 2025: India was very emphatic on its stand on terror and the fight against terror. This was obvious in the joint statement which read as follows: ‘The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and renews our commitment to counterterrorism cooperation. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while injuring several others.’

BRICS Meeting 2025: The impact of India on the outcomes of this meeting in Rio de Janeiro, in tandem with Brazil, was more than evident in the final declaration released. The stress on the need for developing nations to take a lead in strengthening Global South Cooperation for a more inclusive and sustainable governance in the future was a key takeaway. This was aimed at countering the pressures and influence that the developed world tends to bring to the table on important subjects like climate change, inclusive development, international trade and financing, socio-economic development, international peace and security, among other issues.

Tarriff war with USA: India and the US have a complex trade relationship that is often marked by disputes and hard negotiations. India has taken a firm stance in defending its trade interests, including approaching the WTO for resolution and exercising its right to impose retaliatory tariffs. India is also encouraging rupee-based trade to reduce the added pressures and costs imposed by a dollar-denominated international trade. It has already seen some success in this regard. The US sees this as a threat to the supremacy of the dollar but India is committed to pursuing its goals.

Export of Military Hardware: Operation Sindoor has showcased some very advanced and effective military hardware produced indigenously. The world, particularly nations like USA and China that arm Pakistan, were in for a rude shock to see the ease with which India neutralised their military hardware and surveillance systems and then operated with impunity in Pakistani airspace. Nations across the world are looking at India with renewed interest in such military hardware. India’s growth as an exporter of military hardware with reasonable prices will certainly worry the US and other European nations, who currently have a monopoly in this sector. Today, India is not averse to exporting and is aggressively enhancing its capabilities and capacities in this sector.

In the recent past, India has been more forthright and not shied away from taking a hard line on issues of national importance. India’s decision to buy oil from Russia and Iran, support to Israel in the Palestinian conflict, and abstaining from voting on the UN general assembly resolution on ‘Measures to Combat Islamophobia’ moved by Pakistan, are some of the other instances where India’s changed approach in international diplomacy was very evident. India is pursuing its candidature for a permanent seat in the UNSC vigorously, as also for instituting reforms in the UNO. The US and other western nations, who are used to seeing a staid and dithering India over the decades, have still to come to terms with the New India that is decisive and is not ready to compromise on its national interests.

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