(GIST OF YOJANA) India’s Growing Stature A Rising Power

(DECEMBER-2023)

India’s Growing Stature A Rising Power

Introduction:

India is no longer perceived as an observer on the global stage. It is now a key player in shaping outcomes. One example, based on the G20 motto of ‘One Earth One Family One Future’ and the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, is the inclusion of the African Union (AU) into the G20 at the New Delhi Summit, hinged on India’s strong advocacy of ‘leaving none behind’. This momentous development, which makes the G20 structure more representative, highlights India’s role as a true friend of the Global South.

Mission LiFE and Climate Crisis

Climate change and environmental degradation have emerged as two of the world’s greatest challenges, with the potential to create unimaginably adverse consequences for future generations. It is here that India has pointed to a different path for ameliorating the situation, beyond science, technology, and the exploitative mercantilism that characterises the fissures between the developed West and the distressed Global South. India has offered a new moral compass, first expounded in Glasgow by PM Modi through Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), which places individual behaviour at the centre of the global climate action debate.

Clean Energy

India and the US have together revamped the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (USISCEP). The partnership aims to advance energy security and innovation, scale up emerging clean energy technologies, and deploy technical solutions through five key pillars:

i. Responsible Oil and Gas Pillar
ii. Power and Energy Efficiency Pillar
iii. Renewable Energy Pillar
iv. Sustainable Growth Pillar, and
v. Emerging Fuels and Technologies.

Digital Infrastructure

Technology adoption by the Government has ensured a remarkable increase in transparency in governance. Today, almost all government programmes have a digital dashboard that provides all the details of beneficiaries.
In 2021, India reported 48 billion real-time digital transactions, or 40 per cent of the global total. Interestingly, this is nearly three times higher than China and seven times greater than the combined real-time payments volumeof the world’s leading economies: the US,Canada, the UK, France, and Germany.
India’s digital transformation under PM Modi has not gone unnoticed. Around the world, countries have evinced interest in the Indian model of the UIDAI, Aadhaar and the unified payment portals that link India’s huge population into a seamless whole.

Yoga and Ayurveda

India has traditionally excelled at contributing to the global good, as evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when it provided free vaccines to nearly 100 countries and sent food aid and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, Ukraine, and several African countries. India has supported prevention over cure not only by exporting vaccines but also by promoting healthy living habits. The western notion of disease and medicine differs from the eastern version. India believes in food and traditional practices like yoga as part of medicine that can stimulate the holistic development of an individual.

International Year of Millets

On the food security front, recognising the potential of millets to meet domestic and global nutritional needs, the Government of India proposed to the United Nations that 2023 be declared the International Year of Millets (IYOM-2023).
This proposal garnered support from 72 countries, and on 5 March 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
This is a primary food crop in semi-arid tropical regions, where conventional food crops struggle to thrive due to limited rainfall and poor soil quality.
Millets also boast superior nutritional content in comparison to major cereal crops, contributing to food security and dietary health. They are particularly resilient to drought and extreme weather conditions, making them naturally adapted to such challenging environments.

Conclusion

There has been a tremendous change in India’s trajectory over the last nine years. India has now entered the period of Kartavya Kaal, which will provide a golden opportunity for India to achieve unprecedented levels of scientific, technological, economic, and social progress. When India marks the centenary of its Independence in 2047, it will be a responsible global power. It will achieve this dream on behalf of all the Indian people, particularly the youth. India will rise to the pinnacle of glory because it is today willing to assume a leadership role in diverse areas and contribute to the greater good. Today, India has emerged as a Vishwa Mitra (global friend), a Vishwa Guru (global teacher), and a Vishwa Vaid (global physician) in sharp contrast to many others embroiled in trade, military, or ideological confrontation.