Does India want to become a superpower

nrj

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@nrj, sorry missed out on marking to your attention

But do you really feel that we can project our power even in our own neighbourhood.
We have capability to project power in neighborhood. Our Foreign Policy absolutely sucks in that regard sucks. There is no will to project power from the establishment. However, I am more concerned about means to project power. I support projecting economic power & influencing the region as far as we can for stable favorable environment.

But as far as Superpower status is concerned, I do not think it is our ambition or aim. As individual citizens, yes we all want some sort of national pride on international stage. But our political establishment does not have superpower ambitions. And moreover it is unrealistic in distant future. I mean we have our house to get in order first. We still have challenge to bring over 1/4th of population in mainstream. Like it or not but we need to look after their welfare first. Congress has screwed up welfare schemes but something of that sort is required which will yield results. And for that we will be needing substantial expenditure. We have huge task to build up internal infrastructure, trillions of USDs are needed for that alone. We are dependent for many essential commodities. Global Power projection means engaging in race with China, USA & other emerging economies. And honestly I do not think that race is worthy of our resources. Our best bet is to form block like BRIC and gain maximum advantage in trade, business. We simply do not have resources to aim for superpower role. And moreover we are not living in exactly favorable geography for that kind of activity.

All since independence struggle, our aim was to become self-sufficient nation first. And even today we are not any near that. How do people react when India is thinking about giving funds to Afghanistan or offering electricity to Pakistan/Bangladesh? Even if that move is sensible but it symbolizes misplaced priorities. I think our priority is getting house in order. And that is realistic goal we all should strive to achieve before thinking about global power projection.

In the end, I will say Don't go to battle on an empty stomach.
 
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Apollyon

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Superpower, really ? :pound::rotflmao::laugh:. Not happening anytime soon.
 

nrj

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In recent times the only one occasion where we were able to project ourselves in positive light was the handling of the nuclear fallout by the ABV Govt. leading to series of meetings between Jaswant Singh- Strobe Talbot. These meetings/negotiations were conducted between two equals and India leveraged it's strengths to get the US to accept it's Nuclear Status. This was a coup for our leadership.

But sadly such occasions are a rarity and not a norm.
One point I would like to make while thinking about alternate reality.

If India had conducted further nuclear tests after Smiling Buddha '74, it would have brought India right into so-called Super Power Club. We somewhere ducked down on that occasion maybe because of International pressure. Testing Nuclear device for peaceful purpose, confused west & they found it silly. Some people in Govt even went denying nuclear power and called it industrial experiment not related to defense. If India had declared itself Nuclear weapons armed country back then and had continued tests, west would have accepted that & world would have been different place today.
 

nrj

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Why should we become a "superpower"? I have yet to see one good reason why.

Is it the goal of every country to become a "superpower"? To become like the United States or former Soviet Union? India is a unique country that is totally different from any other on earth, and so we must forge a unique path for ourselves.

Personally, I do not want India to become a superpower, as I do not want India to be engaged in the same kind of global policing and exhausting geopolitical madness that comes with superpowerdom.
I highly appreciate your realistic view on overall situation.
 

civfanatic

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You cannot be a big and powerful country and not end up playin the games. As you grow, your interests grow, be it commercial, security, or defence. Well it all gets interlinked. Take China for example. It's economy booms mainly due to manufacturing. It requires market for it. Which means use of sea. It requires raw materials that have to be imported which again uses the sea. To protect that and also expand resources, it starts to lab claims for territory all over the place. In increases defence spending to push those claims. Surrounds its potential rivals by cracking deals with neighbors of that rival.

I mean you cannot grow big and say you will remain aloof. It's just not possible.
You want India to follow China's footsteps and start fabricating territorial claims all over the place? I'd rather not have India do so. Anyway, that's not what defines "superpowerdom"; it is simply belligerent behavior. Assuming the mantle of "superpower" means engaging in a global struggle for supremacy. China is no superpower, and what China is doing today pales in comparison to the what the U.S. and U.S.S.R were engaged in: the coups, proxy wars, revolutions, and general political instability of the world during the Cold War is what characterizes "superpowerdom". I would prefer India to steer clear of all that.

Note that I am not advocating India become "pacifist" or even "aloof". I strongly support a military build-up and indigenization of defence, and bringing India's neighborhood under its firm sphere of influence (something which we have yet to accomplish, for a supposed "regional power") . What I am advocating is that India become something like modern Japan, except with a powerful military capable of retaliating and going on the offensive if needed.
 

civfanatic

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We have capability to project power in neighborhood. Our Foreign Policy absolutely sucks in that regard sucks. There is no will to project power from the establishment. However, I am more concerned about means to project power. I support projecting economic power & influencing the region as far as we can for stable favorable environment.

But as far as Superpower status is concerned, I do not think it is our ambition or aim. As individual citizens, yes we all want some sort of national pride on international stage. But our political establishment does not have superpower ambitions. And moreover it is unrealistic in distant future. I mean we have our house to get in order first. We still have challenge to bring over 1/4th of population in mainstream. Like it or not but we need to look after their welfare first. Congress has screwed up welfare schemes but something of that sort is required which will yield results. And for that we will be needing substantial expenditure. We have huge task to build up internal infrastructure, trillions of USDs are needed for that alone. We are dependent for many essential commodities. Global Power projection means engaging in race with China, USA & other emerging economies. And honestly I do not think that race is worthy of our resources. Our best bet is to form block like BRIC and gain maximum advantage in trade, business. We simply do not have resources to aim for superpower role. And moreover we are not living in exactly favorable geography for that kind of activity.

All since independence struggle, our aim was to become self-sufficient nation first. And even today we are not any near that. How do people react when India is thinking about giving funds to Afghanistan or offering electricity to Pakistan/Bangladesh? Even if that move is sensible but it symbolizes misplaced priorities. I think our priority is getting house in order. And that is realistic goal we all should strive to achieve before thinking about global power projection.

In the end, I will say Don't go to battle on an empty stomach.
That is exactly my point. Let India move forward quietly while the macho "great powers" duke it out. I do not want India to get the same kind of attention that China is getting as of late.

The primary reason for the existence of the state should be to uphold the welfare of the people, not to engage in ruinous displays of "power" and "prestige" spurred on by jingoistic fervor. We need nukes, we need tanks, we need fighters, we need guns, we need warships and submarines, and the hippies who say otherwise are deluded. But at the end of the day, a nation's greatness is not determined by these.
 

no smoking

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That is exactly my point. Let India move forward quietly while the macho "great powers" duke it out. I do not want India to get the same kind of attention that China is getting as of late.
Well, there is no country can always move forward quietly! You can hide youself somewhere at the beginning, but after you grow too big, no one can ignore a 200 pounds boy in the room.
 

CCTV

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BRIC will become nightmare of greed western countries.

The most important thing for BRIC now is make our financial market safe. There is why we are forming our own bank now.
basically is use Chinese cash to protect India and Brazil from western threats.


India does not have global aspirations, it never had. We are more or less happy with ourselves.

India - Superpower is media's chewing gum.



We already live in enough hostile neighborhood. No one wants to make it worse. Such shift will be good for western interests but not India.



Exporting democracy is USA's job.

International norms are changing & will change further to China's rise. West should accept it gracefully.

We need aggressive BRIC.

West can not regain its bargaining power in world at expense of making India more vulnerable.

--




Oh please! Indian prime ministers have wasted enough time visiting & hosting Paki leaders. They have more experience on how Paki Govt acts more than anyone. Making Pak economically dependent is the only way forward.



There was nothing wrong with NAM. Today also we have moved away from non-alignment quietly without making any noise. Indian relations with West are better than ever. We do not need to engage in any formalities to abandon NAM. Flourishing Indo-West relations while still maintaining independence in foreign policy is one of the best achievement of Indian establishment in last 2 decades.

--

I don't know why but author seems to be of opinion that India should be on lap of West.
 

Ray

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This statement needs to be addressed by our leaders ( Political, Diplomats and Defence Forces)



I am marking to the gentlemen for their comments on this @Ray, @Yusuf, @Bangalorean @thakur_ritesh, @Kunal Biswas @sayareakd @leathelforce @p2prada @Singh @Virendra @W.G.Ewald @civfanatic
Well, quite a few of the inputs that constitute the Comprehensive National Power index does indicate a capability to become a reckonable nation.

However, the style of politics and governance is working against its consolidation.
 
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Bangalorean

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Why should we become a "superpower"? I have yet to see one good reason why.

Is it the goal of every country to become a "superpower"? To become like the United States or former Soviet Union? India is a unique country that is totally different from any other on earth, and so we must forge a unique path for ourselves.

Personally, I do not want India to become a superpower, as I do not want India to be engaged in the same kind of global policing and exhausting geopolitical madness that comes with superpowerdom.
Well, it's a matter of opinion at the end of the day. I am sure most people in India - the common public - will be thrilled to bits at the idea of being a "superpower". You would be an exception, I think. :)

Anyway, as Yusuf said, until our economic policies are straightened out and until we become a formidable economic force, we will be nowhere close to "superpowerdom" anyway. Yusuf and I completely agree with the fact that "if your economy is strong and motoring along, everything else falls in its place".
 

bose

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India must concentrate on economic development for next 20 years and bring out the unfortunate 500 million Indians out of poverty. If we can achieve this task we will become a super power. Nothing can hold back India then.

Super power status comes out of the economic power only...
 

Armand2REP

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India must concentrate on economic development for next 20 years and bring out the unfortunate 500 million Indians out of poverty. If we can achieve this task we will become a super power. Nothing can hold back India then.

Super power status comes out of the economic power only...
You must have the military industrial complex to back it up, or your words ring hallow.
 

sob

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India must concentrate on economic development for next 20 years and bring out the unfortunate 500 million Indians out of poverty. If we can achieve this task we will become a super power. Nothing can hold back India then.

Super power status comes out of the economic power only...
Why 20 years? Why do we have to think so small. This has been the lacunae with our country we hesitate to think big. We take a step forward and are mentally prepared to take two steps back.

As @Yusuf and @Bangalorean have pointed out we have to concentrate on the economy and infrastructure creation. There was a study on the impact of the creation of the Golden Quadrilateral and it was found to have a tremendous impact on the local economy, new factories coming up, town development, new jobs etc.

5 years of GDP growth at 9% will pull out more than 30% of the population from poverty, so imagine 10 years of 9% growth.
 
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bose

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You must have the military industrial complex to back it up, or your words ring hallow.
India must have a military industrial complex no doubt about that, to support that country's GDP growth have to be high growth path in the range of ~ 7 to 8 % to be minimum if not more.

With large number of people under the poverty line have to be brought up to a descent living standards... as we have more people with descent living standards will automatically fuel the GDP growth.

India's current growth rate of ~ 5.5 % is not enough to support the ambitious projected Military industrial capability it has planned.in next 10 to 15 years.
 

Bhadra

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India must concentrate on economic development for next 20 years and bring out the unfortunate 500 million Indians out of poverty. If we can achieve this task we will become a super power. Nothing can hold back India then.

Super power status comes out of the economic power only...


Mind the word used "Only" ??
What was the economic status of Rome at its rise as an empire?
Did Mongols have vast richness to conquer half of the world ?
Were British very rich when one of their companies " The East India Company" captured half of India?

Was not India the most richest nation of the world when The invaders started capturing it in medieval period with no richness of their own.

Peace to mint more money is in the Indian ethos. Wars to mint more money is otherwise the norm worldwide.

Indian notions of peace even at the cost of subjugation is a false notion. It should be war in order to maintain peace.

In order to have a strong military one needs economic might indeed but having economic might only does not make one superpower not guarantees up liftment of the masses. Adequate security is necessary for peace which inter alia is necessary for economic progress.
 

Armand2REP

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India must have a military industrial complex no doubt about that, to support that country's GDP growth have to be high growth path in the range of ~ 7 to 8 % to be minimum if not more.

With large number of people under the poverty line have to be brought up to a descent living standards... as we have more people with descent living standards will automatically fuel the GDP growth.

India's current growth rate of ~ 5.5 % is not enough to support the ambitious projected Military industrial capability it has planned.in next 10 to 15 years.
It takes both sides of the equation to be a Super Power, soft and hard power. One does not supersede the other. Soviets leaned more one way while US balanced the equation. Look at who is still standing.
 

bose

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Why 20 years? Why do we have to think so small. This has been the lacunae with our country we hesitate to think big. We take a step forward and are mentally prepared to take two steps back.
Considering the economic prospects of Europe & USA I very much doubt that India can get into the 9% growth rate in very near future. A realistic growth rate of ~ 7% and considering the high population growth rate we have, A 20 year plan to bring all the Indian a descent living standards is well within our reach. By descent living standard I did not meant a dollar or so earning per day.
As @Yusuf and @Bangalorean have pointed out we have to concentrate on the economy and infrastructure creation. There was a study on the impact of the creation of the Golden Quadrilateral and it was found to have a tremendous impact on the local economy, new factories coming up, town development, new jobs etc.
I fully agree that is the way out to bring people out of the poverty level and in turn it fuel economic growth.

5 years of GDP growth at 9% will pull out more than 30% of the population from poverty, so imagine 10 years of 9% growth.
Achieving 9% growth for India is too ambitious and we must settle for a figure that we can do able..
 
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sob

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@bose, the Indian story is not about exports it is a consumption driven story.

Hundreds of Billions of Dollars are required for infrastructure projects in the next 15-20 years. Imagine what will it do to the GDP if this kind of spending is done.
 
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Bhadra

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superpower is a state with a

dominant position in the international system which has the ability to influence events and its own interests and
project power on a worldwide scale to protect those interests.
A superpower is traditionally considered to be a step higher than a great power.

Alice Lyman Miller (Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School), defines a superpower as "a country that has the capacity to project dominating power and influence anywhere in the world, and sometimes, in more than one region of the globe at a time, and so may plausibly attain the status of global hegemony


Superpower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

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