As we bid adieu to the year 2023, India’s diplomatic outreach became a centre stage for the world. The largest democracy in the world showed how its strength and strategic autonomy still stand out despite international pressure, global turmoil, and gradual shifts.
The changing geopolitical landscape, characterised by realignments and recalibrations among major powers, demands nimble, flexible, and open-ended diplomacy from India and the watchers of geopolitics reiterated India’s foreign policy that yielded results through its action.
Let’s look at the year going by and the major significant events that showcased India’s growing prowess.
January
The year 2023 began with a taste, tradition and which has over time become part of the fabric of the event. January had a chief guest for India’s Republic Day. India, which has long embraced the concept of “Atithi Devo Bhava,” had a West Asian leader as its chief guest, Egyptian President Abdel Fateh El Sisi.
February
From being the first responder to being an independent-minded polity, India’s action speaks louder than its words. And New Delhi has proven this through Operation Dost. February began with a tragedy. A massive earthquake struck southern Turkey and parts of Syria, causing immense loss of life and damage to property in the region.
March
Seen as a grand test for Indian diplomacy, foreign ministers from the world’s biggest economies gathered in March this year in New Delhi for the G20, or the Group of 20 for Foreign Ministers Meeting.
Amid the festering divisions over the Russia-Ukraine war, India had a big responsibility on its shoulders. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov met with each other and roughly spoke for some minutes, which was seen as the ‘first such’ engagement since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began. The event was started by PM Modi, who appealed to “rise above the differences.”.
April
As India’s diaspora continues to grow, so will the challenges India faces in protecting its diverse and geographically dispersed population. One such challenge that came in April was to get Indians out of war-torn Sudan.
India has a long history of successful evacuations of its citizens. On April 24, India launched Operation Kaveri to evacuate its citizens. A team of officials, including the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Air Force, and the Indian embassy in Sudan, were appointed by India to ensure the proper process of evacuation. During the evacuation, Indians were transferred from Sudan to the capital city of Khartoum, from where they were then flown back to India.
May
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also held a meeting with his then-Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, where the discussions focused on resolving outstanding issues and ensuring peace and tranquillity at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Also, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the first foreign minister to visit India after a gap of nearly 12 years. In 2011, then Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited India.
Another camaraderie in action was that of PM Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, which grabbed the headlines of all the major newspapers, television and digital media. Australian PM Anthony Albanese addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘the boss’ during the mega Sydney event.
June
The month of June in the Indian calendar showed India’s growing prowess and its influence on the global stage. On June 22, this year, Washington rolled out the red carpet for Prime Minister Modi. He was invited by President Joe Biden for a state visit and dinner, the highest of diplomatic receptions typically reserved for only the closest of allies. The visit highlighted the country’s dual identity as a spiritual democracy and an economic power.
Modi during his US visit also appeared on Capitol Hill to address a joint meeting of Congress before a state dinner at the White House. He received a standing ovation as he entered the chamber to chants of “Modi, Modi”.
July
Sri Lanka, which is an important partner for India in its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’, undoubtedly counts on New Delhi due to its unwavering support extended during the island’s worst economic crisis.
August
India made history, on August 23rd, India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the South Pole of the Moon. The only country to do so. India’s mission was applauded from around the world and became the focus of discussions across the globe.
Notably, Prime Minister Modi was in South Africa for the BRICS summit. Addressing from there, the Prime Minister said that the success of Chandrayaan-3’s soft landing on the South Pole of the Moon was not limited to one country but the success of mankind.
September
As recently mentioned by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a joint statement with his Indian counterpart in Moscow, ‘A triumph for Indian diplomacy, a triumph for multilateral diplomacy’. India pulled off a successful G20 summit (its first ever).
The month of September also had a diplomatic crisis. India and Canada engaged in a diplomatic row over the unsubstantiated public allegations that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made against India in the murder of a Khalistani terrorist in Canada. India has called these claims absurd and asked for evidence that Trudeau has so far failed to provide.
October
One of the worst and most tragic events of 2023 was on October 7. Hamas entered Israel, broke through Israel’s border defences, and took several of them as hostages, including women and children. In response, Israel launched a military campaign to eradicate Hamas. The war is still ongoing, with no sight of a halt. It is the deadliest attack on Israel since its founding.
November
Despite global political developments, India doesn’t miss events that matter to the world. Topics that shape the narrative and affect our daily lives. COP28 or the Conference of Parties, was one such mega event held in Dubai this year that showcased the efforts by various countries to limit global warming and held discussions to prepare for future climate change.
The 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12. India’s engagements at COP-28, led by PM Modi, showcased a comprehensive and proactive approach to tackling climate change. During his UAE visit, PM Modi proposed to host COP33 in India in 2028.
December
In December, Jaishankar hailed the “very strong” and “very steady” relationship between India and Russia. He said in Moscow that ‘India-Russia relations are the only constant in global politics’, New Delhi and Moscow are “valued and steady partners.” (ANI)
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