The Group of 20 Summit, hosted by India earlier this month, couldn香蕉视频直播檛 have gone better for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His pledge to make the African Union a permanent member became reality. And under his leadership, the fractured grouping . It was seen as a foreign policy triumph for Modi and set the tone for India as a great emerging power.
Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was expected to seize on India香蕉视频直播檚 geopolitical high in his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday. But circumstances have changed 香蕉视频直播 quite abruptly 香蕉视频直播 and India comes to the General Assembly podium with a diplomatic mess on its hands.
On Monday, Canadian leader Justin Trudeau made a : India may have been involved in the killing of a Sikh Canadian citizen in a Vancouver suburb in June.
Trudeau said there were 香蕉视频直播渃redible allegations香蕉视频直播 of links to New Delhi, as absurd. It has been a free fall since: Each expelled a diplomat, , and Ottawa said it may reduce consulate staff over safety concerns. Ties between the two once-close countries have .
香蕉视频直播淚n the immediate term, this will bring New Delhi back down to Earth. It has a crisis that it needs to work through, quickly but carefully,香蕉视频直播 said Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center香蕉视频直播檚 South Asia Institute.
TENSIONS WERE ALREADY SIMMERING
On the last day of the G20 summit, Trudeau posed and smiled with Modi as world leaders paid respects at Mahatma Gandhi香蕉视频直播檚 memorial. Behind the scenes though, tensions were high.
Trudeau skipped an official dinner hosted by the Indian president, and local media reported he was snubbed by Modi when he got a quick 香蕉视频直播減ull aside香蕉视频直播 instead of a bilateral meeting. To make things worse, a flight snag saw him stranded in New Delhi for 36 hours. Finally back in Canada, Trudeau said he had raised the allegations with Modi at the G20.
As India heads to the United Nations, the allegations have 香蕉视频直播渢hrown cold water on India香蕉视频直播檚 G20 achievements,香蕉视频直播 said Happymon Jacob, founder of the New Delhi-based Council for Strategic and Defense Research.
India has long sought greater recognition at the United Nations. For decades, it has eyed a permanent seat at the Security Council, one of the world香蕉视频直播檚 most prestigious high tables. But it has also been critical of the global forum, partly because it wants more representation that香蕉视频直播檚 in line with its rising soft power.
香蕉视频直播淭he U.N. Security Council, which is the core of the United Nations system, is a family photo of the victors of the Second World War plus China,香蕉视频直播 Jacob said. India believes 香蕉视频直播渋t simply does not reflect the demographic, economic and geopolitical realities of today,香蕉视频直播 he added. Others in the elite group include France, Russia, Britain and the United States.
In April, Jaishankar said India, the world香蕉视频直播檚 most populous country with the fastest growing economy among major nations, couldn香蕉视频直播檛 be ignored for too long. The U.N. Security Council, he said, 香蕉视频直播渨ill be compelled to provide permanent membership.香蕉视频直播
The United States, Britain and have voiced support for its permanent membership over the years. But U.N. bureaucracy has stopped the council from expanding. And even if that changes, China 香蕉视频直播 香蕉视频直播 would likely block a request.
INSTEAD OF THE UN, INDIA MAKES SOME END RUNS
Kept out of the U.N.香蕉视频直播檚 most important body, Modi has made sure that his country is smack at the center of a tangled web of global politics. On one hand, New Delhi is part of the Quad and the G20, seen as mostly Western groups. On the other, it wants to expand its influence in the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, where Russia and China dominate.
The deft juggling of the West and the rest has come to define India香蕉视频直播檚 multipolar foreign policy.
Its diplomatic sway has only grown over its reluctance to condemn Russia for its war in Ukraine, a stance that resonated among many developing countries that have also been neutral. And the West, which sees an ascendant India as crucial to countering China, has . By doing so, of democratic backsliding under his government.
In the immediate aftermath, 香蕉视频直播 including its biggest one, the United States 香蕉视频直播 was tepid. But as the row deepens, the question likely worrying Indian officials is this: Will the recent international fiasco jeopardize its surging ties with the West?
After an initial muted response, the White House has intensified its concerns. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 not some special exemption you get for actions like this, regardless of the country,香蕉视频直播 security adviser Jake Sullivan said. On Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. was deeply concerned about the allegations and that 香蕉视频直播渋t would be important that India work with the Canadians on this investigation.香蕉视频直播
While there香蕉视频直播檚 been no public evidence, a that the allegation of India香蕉视频直播檚 involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist, is based on surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada 香蕉视频直播 including intelligence provided by a major ally. On Friday, , saying information shared by the intelligence-sharing 香蕉视频直播楩ive Eyes香蕉视频直播 alliance helped link India to the assassination.
At the United Nations, where he held a news conference and meetings but will not be speaking for his nation on Tuesday, Trudeau told reporters that he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 want to cause problems but said his decision was not made lightly. Canada, he said, had to stand up for the rule of law and protect its citizens.
For New Delhi, the U.N. meeting may present a possible opportunity. Indian and Canadian diplomats could meet on the sidelines to try to lower temperatures with a potential assist from Washington, Kugelman said. Canada香蕉视频直播檚 delegation chair, Robert Rae, is delivering the country香蕉视频直播檚 remarks 10 spots after India.
Jaishankar could also hold face-to-face meetings with other key partners to minimize the damage. Since arriving, he香蕉视频直播檚 held chats with ministers from Australia, Japan and Britain.
香蕉视频直播淟et香蕉视频直播檚 be clear: We香蕉视频直播檙e not going to see foreign leaders avoid or isolate Jaishankar at the U.N. General Assembly,香蕉视频直播 Kugelman said.
But it could also lead to more fireworks if they bring the spat to the U.N. podium and the global audience of leaders it tends to command. Ultimately, though, India 香蕉视频直播渄oesn香蕉视频直播檛 want the Canada row to be a sideshow here, and especially not one that moves to the center stage,香蕉视频直播 Kugelman said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat would take attention away from the achievements it hopes to publicize on one of the world香蕉视频直播檚 biggest global platforms.香蕉视频直播