Western narratives on BRICS often overlook India's key role in shaping global stability. It's time to give India's contributions the attention they deserve.
“With India at the forefront….BRICS will remain a non-Western alliance instead of an Anti-west alliance.” I hope so! And while I appreciate learning more about India’s diplomatic positioning from your article and the External Affairs press conference video, I also hope that your idea—regarding the conflicts of interest between beleaguered sub-continental regions of India and the BRI, being purely in the self-interest of China and her western trading interests—? I hope China’s own principled WinWin approach can uphold that the BRI will eventually itself resolve these issues and prove to be also in the best interests of those who currently fear and resist the progress that could actually help to eliminate the current terrorist factions as the BRI moves forward productively and prosperously stabilizing these regions via trade infrastructure. It seems to me that terrorist factions can only survive in poverty-ridden regions where preying on and inciting division among poor and vulnerable people where no hope of societal betterment is allowed to occur. I don’t see China or the BRI as fomenting the problem. I see them as persistently addressing problems and innovatively seeking positive solutions for all involved.
I also see India in this light! AND— As far as I can tell, the founding principles of the entire original BRICS membership and its ongoing careful expansion is also still guided by this light! May it eventually also light up the dark stuffy rubbish filled collective-west sponsored karaoke rooms! When it does I’m sure they’ll want to call in China’s excellent habitat for humanity renovation and housekeeping services! Lol
(India should no doubt contribute sustenance to the waisted journalistic and political singers’ integrity, serving it ayurvedically, since we in the west are starving for it!
Yes, I agree that though China's infrastructure projects can seem to be callously inappropriate in some locations, perhaps a longer view is called for. Since Chinese foreign policy doesn't rely on attempting to take sides in conflicts that are not within its borders, we won't see it dealing (at least directly) with Pakistani politics or policies. It is doing its best to create trade corridors that facilitate the flow of goods. It's also getting around some sea route choke points in case of ramped up U$a blockade with this corridor project. Taking the long view, the corridor could indeed be a blessing for those involved now as well as those involved ten-twenty years from now when all of today's pressing woes are memories.
100% agree with your thoughts on Ayurvedic treatment for the expert community. 😄 We all collectively need to address the root cause of the issue and work towards improving our immunity. Likewise collective agreements and disagreements from all corners of the world will improve the quality of analysis and opinions. And common folks tuning in to such analysis will also benefit immensely. Online views and traffic is just a bonus for a job well done and need not be treated like the primary objective of analysis.
There is still a long long way to go in establishing a fair and just multi-polar world. We cannot put the onus entirely on our leaders and the governments, and treat them as scapegoats if things go wrong. Each and every person has to raise their voice. After all Free speech is free. Nobody has to spend their hard earned money to voice their opinion 😄 - whether it is for sensibly agreeing on certain topics or amicably disagreeing with some.
I'll try my best and showcase the Indian foreign policy moves and how it is in sync with BRICS+ countries, nations of the Global South as well as the Western nations. I would be grateful if you can regularly share your inputs/suggestions. I will consider each and every data point as something to dig deeper and improve my understanding of things.
I've seen various reports on BRICS that inaccurately describe it as a sort of military bloc or anti- western interloper. We will surely see more of this as the west ramps up its hostility & clarifies the kind of propaganda it wishes to feed the U$a public.
Wishing to paint Russia as junior partner to China, India as a covert trojan horse to betray BRICS, China as a predator power swallowing up unsuspecting developing nations, all serves to cause confusion in the minds of the uninformed, primarily located, I would say, in U$a & Europe. There's not much we can do about this. As we all might know by now, the U$a is the most propagandized nation on earth. We can do our best to inform ourselves & keep a balanced view of the cascade of narratives that will be flooding all communication lines.
As to India's contributions, it's good to clarify them. I appreciate the readiness of India to adopt the national currency payments & framing of the multipolar viewpoint. That Indian diplomats are helping to soothe & ease nuclear threats is very welcoming news.
Media and experts are never held accountable for their mistakes. They never have to apologise for spreading fake news. Most experts analysts dont even a 10% accuracy rate but they keep giving predictions on World War 3 every alternate day.
The only thing that the media community and expert community have in common is the disciplined way in which they continue doing it regularly. Credit where it is due - it takes a lot of effort to come online everyday, cover half-baked news and make hour long opinion videos. The only area of contention is the quality of the news and opinions, which needs serious improvements.
I feel there needs to be more disagreements among experts. If everybody is saying the same thing then it seems like a practical application of 'you scratch my back and i scratch yours' idiom. Just like corporates coming out with the same product albeit with minor cosmetic changes and relying on advertisements for getting people addicted to the product. This needs to change fundamentally and every viewer should demand that change from the experts.
Btw, on a related note, thanks for your comments in my previous article and for giving me a glimpse of President Sheinbaum's outlook. I did not get that critical piece of information about Mexico from any of the experts/analysts and i am extremely grateful that you shared it with me.
Unfortunately, I don't think we can expect to change the "experts" or expect that they will deviate from the narrative track that will feed them. We all do our best to deliver alternative views which of course is not appreciated by the narrative desired by those who wish to control perception. We can truly thank the internet for the many voices & viewpoints that have been given audience. Of course, that "hole" in the intended seamless narrative requires plugging by the controllers. We will launch new platforms that allow for more diversity of thought. Expressive expansion cannot be stopped.
As to news & perception of Mexico, it is sorely lacking. I'm glad to add to understanding as I can & appreciate your recognition.
I discovered this blog, and I will follow it. I enjoyed this article.
I agree with you (I am a dilettante, not an expert of nothing) in the presentation of the BRICS as anti-western group with common interests and a only-way politic. I see that on a journalist called Pepe Escobar, that lacks on professionality when he say that there is a clear and direct union against the West. They ignore the complexity of the other countries, the contradictions between multiple interests. I am from Spain, and it is totally right that India is treated (when is treated, once a year or so...) for the media and in the minds of people like nothing; when the India it is in the top-3.
For example, remaining on logistic issues:
India wanted the IMEC with Israel and AS and want a neutral position similar to Turkey, taking advantage from the different players. Russia or Iran had logistic projects o their territory shared with India, like the NSTC; but there also have logistic projects with China through Central Asia and also Turkey. There is also the most important corridors: the sea ones. That's explain what you mentioned of China and Pakistan. And that just talking about logistic and talking of these countries (if we add ASEAN or Japanimagine... just for say), without mentioning the concerns of Russia regarding to China in Siberia in a future, the interest of China of using Pakistan as a contra-balance to India and also Russia (added to the connection with the Indic Ocean saving a possible block of Malaca). They talk about the Islam like a one entity; my God: the Islam is so plural, and the conflicts between different confessions and groups is huge. In few words: they make a epistemological sin: reductionism and manicheism.
Thank you, Calda! We value each and every individual’s opinions, suggestions and support. Every agreement, disagreement and counter opinion will help us improve our coverage.
Your dilettante reference is the perfect way of framing it. One key issue with terms like experts and intellectuals is that they tend see themselves in an elevated position and talk down to the rest of the people. They are unable to learn anything new and are equally perturbed when faced with opposing point of views. It’s safer for them to remain in an echo chamber. Every human being makes mistakes, a sensible human being learns from their mistakes and a responsible human being corrects their mistakes. Unfortunately many experts never make mistakes, so they don’t have to accept their mistake nor learn from it. Let alone fixing their mistakes.
I wanted to avoid explicitly naming the ‘stray dog from global south’ in the article but you caught on to my subtle messaging and called him out. Salute to your observation skills!
About your point on logistics: you mentioned two out of three transport corridors - the IMEC and INSTC. The third - Chennai-Vladivostok corridor will benefit all the ASEAN countries. Japan might also see the benefits from being a part of this corridor in the future and hopefully India can leverage its good relations with both Russians and Japanese to reach some kind of peaceful and mutually beneficial agreement. But the USP of this corridor will be the outreach to the Pacific Island countries. PM Modi chose his words very carefully in Papua New Guinea. For the first time, he referred to them collectively as ‘Large Ocean Countries’. The change in terminology from ‘Small Island Nations’ to ‘Large Ocean Countries’ is a massive emotional boost to the people. I am eagerly waiting for the day when next generation of citizens from Large Ocean Countries start speaking up on public platforms more often.
I did not know that corridor. I will search more about it.
It is logicall the change of the words mentioned by Modi, for a simple reason that here, in the West (also plural, is not a single entity) is not assumed: the Pacific it is now the Ocean, you are now the center of the World. We only have to see demography or the amount of commerce for notice that. I am glad, and not for shame of colonialism, because I was not born and I am not guilty. I am glad for the only universalism that I can share: the well-being of most people.
I really hope that you (the asian, I mean) have learned of mistakes commited by the western countries. I am not optimistic, neither pessimistic. I try to be realist, and probably the damage and the good things that we cause each other will persist for every century and in every region. However, the only place in the world where I heard some realist and pragmatist ways to behave for increase the good things and minimize the bad ones, without denying those and without conceiving that it is possible to make them dissapear (here, in the West that call himself scientific and rational, the Idealism it is omnipresent); the only place where I see that it is in some asian people.
If you allowe me, I would like to ask you a question: ¿how is changing (if it is) the caste structure of Indian society?
About learning from western countries - This is an Indian opinion. I am not sure if it can be extrapolated to the Indian subcontinent or to the entire Asia.
In India we are not looking at mistakes by western countries. It will create unwanted unpleasantness for us. Instead we are looking at our mistakes and trying to correct them. For eg, we in India were always told that Gandhi gave us freedom and he is our national hero/ideal. But now we are looking at our mistakes and questioning why we ended up getting invaded for 800 years and then colonised for another 200 years. Then we realised that we had really inspiring people long long before Gandhi's forefathers were even born 🤭
I find this perspective more constructive. Many of our ancestors have left us a treasure chest of knowledge. let me explain with an example - dedollarisation has become the buzzword. but what it essentially means is moving out from a system of single currency reserve system. But this system started 400 years ago. 🤔 International trade used to happen millennia before the single currency system. So, to move out of something created in 1600, we traced what our ancestors were doing at the time. In the 1600's there was a Maratha King Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who was fighting against Mughal invasions and at the same time successfully built a strong navy. Today the government is also following the same policy. In fact, as a net security provider of Indian Ocean Region, India will be one of the important poles of the Multi-polar world. Simplistically saying we are fixing our own mistakes and things are working well for us.
About your question on the Indian Society
PM Modi is from an Other Backward Class (OBC) Category, our President Droupadi Murmu is from a Schedule Tribe, our former President Ram Nath Kovind was from a Scheduled Caste. All of these people come from a humble and low-income households and still they became leaders of the most populated nation. There is no other society or nation that can perform this big a feat at this massive scale.
The joke is that the Indians who are talking about caste for political reasons are also the same ones abusing Modi. They also doing it in front of the western press and universities. These ppl are some of the deep state’s bad investments. We enjoy watching them cringe. As I said in the article - No sensible Indian will waste money on image building in western media. 😁
Thank you for your answer. I ask it because I completely ignore the reality of India. Of course you should learnt from your past, but in a sense, like China has learned from virtues of mistakes of planned and free-market economy, I think that the mistakes in international relationship between States committed for the Western countries could be a good lesson for avoid certain kind of conflicts.
That point that you mentioned, to face Mughal and to built an army, is the same that China is doing, and the same that US did with Monroe Doctrine or their control of Far West of indians and mexicans. That was one kind of those lessons that I wanted to point. The world changes a lot, but also remain the same in many ways. What was useful could continues to be, readapting to every particular context; other things should be changed, in order to achieve this profitable adaption.
And for end, your last sentence is amazing and full of common sense.
“With India at the forefront….BRICS will remain a non-Western alliance instead of an Anti-west alliance.” I hope so! And while I appreciate learning more about India’s diplomatic positioning from your article and the External Affairs press conference video, I also hope that your idea—regarding the conflicts of interest between beleaguered sub-continental regions of India and the BRI, being purely in the self-interest of China and her western trading interests—? I hope China’s own principled WinWin approach can uphold that the BRI will eventually itself resolve these issues and prove to be also in the best interests of those who currently fear and resist the progress that could actually help to eliminate the current terrorist factions as the BRI moves forward productively and prosperously stabilizing these regions via trade infrastructure. It seems to me that terrorist factions can only survive in poverty-ridden regions where preying on and inciting division among poor and vulnerable people where no hope of societal betterment is allowed to occur. I don’t see China or the BRI as fomenting the problem. I see them as persistently addressing problems and innovatively seeking positive solutions for all involved.
I also see India in this light! AND— As far as I can tell, the founding principles of the entire original BRICS membership and its ongoing careful expansion is also still guided by this light! May it eventually also light up the dark stuffy rubbish filled collective-west sponsored karaoke rooms! When it does I’m sure they’ll want to call in China’s excellent habitat for humanity renovation and housekeeping services! Lol
(India should no doubt contribute sustenance to the waisted journalistic and political singers’ integrity, serving it ayurvedically, since we in the west are starving for it!
Thankyou and
Namaste! 💓🫶💓🙏💖🕊️
Yes, I agree that though China's infrastructure projects can seem to be callously inappropriate in some locations, perhaps a longer view is called for. Since Chinese foreign policy doesn't rely on attempting to take sides in conflicts that are not within its borders, we won't see it dealing (at least directly) with Pakistani politics or policies. It is doing its best to create trade corridors that facilitate the flow of goods. It's also getting around some sea route choke points in case of ramped up U$a blockade with this corridor project. Taking the long view, the corridor could indeed be a blessing for those involved now as well as those involved ten-twenty years from now when all of today's pressing woes are memories.
Namaskaram Kristin 🙏🏽,
Thank you for your kind words!
100% agree with your thoughts on Ayurvedic treatment for the expert community. 😄 We all collectively need to address the root cause of the issue and work towards improving our immunity. Likewise collective agreements and disagreements from all corners of the world will improve the quality of analysis and opinions. And common folks tuning in to such analysis will also benefit immensely. Online views and traffic is just a bonus for a job well done and need not be treated like the primary objective of analysis.
There is still a long long way to go in establishing a fair and just multi-polar world. We cannot put the onus entirely on our leaders and the governments, and treat them as scapegoats if things go wrong. Each and every person has to raise their voice. After all Free speech is free. Nobody has to spend their hard earned money to voice their opinion 😄 - whether it is for sensibly agreeing on certain topics or amicably disagreeing with some.
I'll try my best and showcase the Indian foreign policy moves and how it is in sync with BRICS+ countries, nations of the Global South as well as the Western nations. I would be grateful if you can regularly share your inputs/suggestions. I will consider each and every data point as something to dig deeper and improve my understanding of things.
Thanks once again! 🙏🏽
I've seen various reports on BRICS that inaccurately describe it as a sort of military bloc or anti- western interloper. We will surely see more of this as the west ramps up its hostility & clarifies the kind of propaganda it wishes to feed the U$a public.
Wishing to paint Russia as junior partner to China, India as a covert trojan horse to betray BRICS, China as a predator power swallowing up unsuspecting developing nations, all serves to cause confusion in the minds of the uninformed, primarily located, I would say, in U$a & Europe. There's not much we can do about this. As we all might know by now, the U$a is the most propagandized nation on earth. We can do our best to inform ourselves & keep a balanced view of the cascade of narratives that will be flooding all communication lines.
As to India's contributions, it's good to clarify them. I appreciate the readiness of India to adopt the national currency payments & framing of the multipolar viewpoint. That Indian diplomats are helping to soothe & ease nuclear threats is very welcoming news.
Media and experts are never held accountable for their mistakes. They never have to apologise for spreading fake news. Most experts analysts dont even a 10% accuracy rate but they keep giving predictions on World War 3 every alternate day.
The only thing that the media community and expert community have in common is the disciplined way in which they continue doing it regularly. Credit where it is due - it takes a lot of effort to come online everyday, cover half-baked news and make hour long opinion videos. The only area of contention is the quality of the news and opinions, which needs serious improvements.
I feel there needs to be more disagreements among experts. If everybody is saying the same thing then it seems like a practical application of 'you scratch my back and i scratch yours' idiom. Just like corporates coming out with the same product albeit with minor cosmetic changes and relying on advertisements for getting people addicted to the product. This needs to change fundamentally and every viewer should demand that change from the experts.
Btw, on a related note, thanks for your comments in my previous article and for giving me a glimpse of President Sheinbaum's outlook. I did not get that critical piece of information about Mexico from any of the experts/analysts and i am extremely grateful that you shared it with me.
Unfortunately, I don't think we can expect to change the "experts" or expect that they will deviate from the narrative track that will feed them. We all do our best to deliver alternative views which of course is not appreciated by the narrative desired by those who wish to control perception. We can truly thank the internet for the many voices & viewpoints that have been given audience. Of course, that "hole" in the intended seamless narrative requires plugging by the controllers. We will launch new platforms that allow for more diversity of thought. Expressive expansion cannot be stopped.
As to news & perception of Mexico, it is sorely lacking. I'm glad to add to understanding as I can & appreciate your recognition.
I discovered this blog, and I will follow it. I enjoyed this article.
I agree with you (I am a dilettante, not an expert of nothing) in the presentation of the BRICS as anti-western group with common interests and a only-way politic. I see that on a journalist called Pepe Escobar, that lacks on professionality when he say that there is a clear and direct union against the West. They ignore the complexity of the other countries, the contradictions between multiple interests. I am from Spain, and it is totally right that India is treated (when is treated, once a year or so...) for the media and in the minds of people like nothing; when the India it is in the top-3.
For example, remaining on logistic issues:
India wanted the IMEC with Israel and AS and want a neutral position similar to Turkey, taking advantage from the different players. Russia or Iran had logistic projects o their territory shared with India, like the NSTC; but there also have logistic projects with China through Central Asia and also Turkey. There is also the most important corridors: the sea ones. That's explain what you mentioned of China and Pakistan. And that just talking about logistic and talking of these countries (if we add ASEAN or Japanimagine... just for say), without mentioning the concerns of Russia regarding to China in Siberia in a future, the interest of China of using Pakistan as a contra-balance to India and also Russia (added to the connection with the Indic Ocean saving a possible block of Malaca). They talk about the Islam like a one entity; my God: the Islam is so plural, and the conflicts between different confessions and groups is huge. In few words: they make a epistemological sin: reductionism and manicheism.
Regards,
Thank you, Calda! We value each and every individual’s opinions, suggestions and support. Every agreement, disagreement and counter opinion will help us improve our coverage.
Your dilettante reference is the perfect way of framing it. One key issue with terms like experts and intellectuals is that they tend see themselves in an elevated position and talk down to the rest of the people. They are unable to learn anything new and are equally perturbed when faced with opposing point of views. It’s safer for them to remain in an echo chamber. Every human being makes mistakes, a sensible human being learns from their mistakes and a responsible human being corrects their mistakes. Unfortunately many experts never make mistakes, so they don’t have to accept their mistake nor learn from it. Let alone fixing their mistakes.
I wanted to avoid explicitly naming the ‘stray dog from global south’ in the article but you caught on to my subtle messaging and called him out. Salute to your observation skills!
About your point on logistics: you mentioned two out of three transport corridors - the IMEC and INSTC. The third - Chennai-Vladivostok corridor will benefit all the ASEAN countries. Japan might also see the benefits from being a part of this corridor in the future and hopefully India can leverage its good relations with both Russians and Japanese to reach some kind of peaceful and mutually beneficial agreement. But the USP of this corridor will be the outreach to the Pacific Island countries. PM Modi chose his words very carefully in Papua New Guinea. For the first time, he referred to them collectively as ‘Large Ocean Countries’. The change in terminology from ‘Small Island Nations’ to ‘Large Ocean Countries’ is a massive emotional boost to the people. I am eagerly waiting for the day when next generation of citizens from Large Ocean Countries start speaking up on public platforms more often.
I did not know that corridor. I will search more about it.
It is logicall the change of the words mentioned by Modi, for a simple reason that here, in the West (also plural, is not a single entity) is not assumed: the Pacific it is now the Ocean, you are now the center of the World. We only have to see demography or the amount of commerce for notice that. I am glad, and not for shame of colonialism, because I was not born and I am not guilty. I am glad for the only universalism that I can share: the well-being of most people.
I really hope that you (the asian, I mean) have learned of mistakes commited by the western countries. I am not optimistic, neither pessimistic. I try to be realist, and probably the damage and the good things that we cause each other will persist for every century and in every region. However, the only place in the world where I heard some realist and pragmatist ways to behave for increase the good things and minimize the bad ones, without denying those and without conceiving that it is possible to make them dissapear (here, in the West that call himself scientific and rational, the Idealism it is omnipresent); the only place where I see that it is in some asian people.
If you allowe me, I would like to ask you a question: ¿how is changing (if it is) the caste structure of Indian society?
About learning from western countries - This is an Indian opinion. I am not sure if it can be extrapolated to the Indian subcontinent or to the entire Asia.
In India we are not looking at mistakes by western countries. It will create unwanted unpleasantness for us. Instead we are looking at our mistakes and trying to correct them. For eg, we in India were always told that Gandhi gave us freedom and he is our national hero/ideal. But now we are looking at our mistakes and questioning why we ended up getting invaded for 800 years and then colonised for another 200 years. Then we realised that we had really inspiring people long long before Gandhi's forefathers were even born 🤭
I find this perspective more constructive. Many of our ancestors have left us a treasure chest of knowledge. let me explain with an example - dedollarisation has become the buzzword. but what it essentially means is moving out from a system of single currency reserve system. But this system started 400 years ago. 🤔 International trade used to happen millennia before the single currency system. So, to move out of something created in 1600, we traced what our ancestors were doing at the time. In the 1600's there was a Maratha King Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who was fighting against Mughal invasions and at the same time successfully built a strong navy. Today the government is also following the same policy. In fact, as a net security provider of Indian Ocean Region, India will be one of the important poles of the Multi-polar world. Simplistically saying we are fixing our own mistakes and things are working well for us.
About your question on the Indian Society
PM Modi is from an Other Backward Class (OBC) Category, our President Droupadi Murmu is from a Schedule Tribe, our former President Ram Nath Kovind was from a Scheduled Caste. All of these people come from a humble and low-income households and still they became leaders of the most populated nation. There is no other society or nation that can perform this big a feat at this massive scale.
The joke is that the Indians who are talking about caste for political reasons are also the same ones abusing Modi. They also doing it in front of the western press and universities. These ppl are some of the deep state’s bad investments. We enjoy watching them cringe. As I said in the article - No sensible Indian will waste money on image building in western media. 😁
Thank you for your answer. I ask it because I completely ignore the reality of India. Of course you should learnt from your past, but in a sense, like China has learned from virtues of mistakes of planned and free-market economy, I think that the mistakes in international relationship between States committed for the Western countries could be a good lesson for avoid certain kind of conflicts.
That point that you mentioned, to face Mughal and to built an army, is the same that China is doing, and the same that US did with Monroe Doctrine or their control of Far West of indians and mexicans. That was one kind of those lessons that I wanted to point. The world changes a lot, but also remain the same in many ways. What was useful could continues to be, readapting to every particular context; other things should be changed, in order to achieve this profitable adaption.
And for end, your last sentence is amazing and full of common sense.
Terrible Logo.
Looks like a WEF stakeholders pin.