India is currently a popular travel destination. Not because of the Taj Mahal or the dream beaches of Goa. Nowadays, not only ordinary tourists make the pilgrimage to New Delhi or Bangalore, but also Western government leaders and foreign ministers. In their luggage: offers for economic and technological exchange and new geopolitical alliances. As a souvenir, visitors to India are eager to take home new great things, mainly arms orders, and a clear no to the war in Ukraine.
Over the weekend, the German chancellor visited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi (72). Olaf Scholz (64) is pushing for a free trade agreement with the EU, providing visa facilitation for Indian specialists, especially IT specialists, and promoting an arms deal with the Thyssen Krupp Group, which wants to sell India six submarines worth just under five billion euros would sell.
The Italian prime minister also hopes for arms deals
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (60) also stepped off the plane on Monday after a visit to the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. He is traveling for the meeting of G20 foreign ministers taking place in New Delhi. His agenda includes talks on India’s clear stance against Russia’s offensive war, as well as the design of a strategic partnership for critical and emerging technologies. In addition, the US wants to ease trade barriers for goods exported to India.
Giorgia Meloni (46) is also approaching. The Italian Prime Minister lands in New Delhi on Tuesday and will meet Indian Prime Minister Modi as part of the “Raisina Dialogue” conference, which will focus on geopolitical and global economic issues. Meloni also hopes for arms deals.
India is looking forward to double-digit economic growth
Rarely has the Indian government been so courted as since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Not only from the West, Russia and China are also trying to force India to close its ranks. “Each of these superpowers is intensively courting India to deny their opponents a strategic advantage,” security expert Derek Grossmann of the US think tank Rand Corporation told the “Frankfurter Rundschau”. There are several reasons for the current travel fever. One is certain that India will host the G20 summit this year.
India is now the fifth strongest economy in the world. It will soon be the most populous country in the world as China (still number one) will stop growing and shrink. It has enjoyed steady double-digit economic growth in recent years. Prosperity is increasing, but not everywhere. In addition, India makes money available for investments in the future. Modi wants to invest 200 billion euros in defense alone.
Oil, gas and armaments come from Russia
Narendra Modi is open to new partnerships with the West. The US and EU countries want to free themselves from their economic dependence on China. New markets and production locations in India would be just right. The alliance with India could also put more pressure on Russia and force an end to the war in Ukraine.
But the Hindu nationalist Modi doesn’t want to mess things up with the Kremlin. His country gets cheap oil and gas from Russia, as well as more than 75 percent of its armaments. 2024 is general election. Cheap energy keeps voters happy. India will likely continue to abstain from UN resolutions against Russia and remain diplomatically neutral.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
