The folks in the ghettos

Let's get it: We are, what we were.  

To understand a community's culture in the present context, one also needs to get its' past, namely:

A) Ontological understanding - the way the culture came into being. 

B) Epistemological understanding - how the community in that culture learns. 

C) Anthropological understanding - how the community folks behave.  

Only the last is visible to outsiders.

In certain cultures, speaking as realistically as metaphorically, wherever the community members go in the world, they have a tendency to ghettoize. 

That is so, because the community is very identity centric. They strongly relate to people like themselves. So far, so good; nothing wrong with that. 

The problems occur in the subsequent steps. 

Knowing what exactly is the criteria for having a strong identity centricity, and why it takes precedence over all else, such that the community members need to permanently huddle together very closely, and emit non-welcoming signals to outsiders, would help. 

That can only be understood, if we get all the aspects of community's birth and growth. Namely, how that community came into being or the essence of its DNA, how it indoctrinates its young in the formative years and disseminates information & knowledge later. Finally, what & how it communicates and acts within and outside. 

Often, such identity centric folks can relate only with each other, believing that nobody understands them, and make little attempt to engage with the larger world outside their own, and so the community experiences perpetual insecurity or victimhood. As a consequence, they remain financially or ortherwise backward, incompatible to the larger society and the spirit of the times. 

With passage of time, that feeling of insecurity and the experience of the victimhood, no matter how large the group becomes, doesn't recede but gets exacerbated. 

These folks then seek comfort of their own, even when there's enough evidence that they have no need to feel insecure, and on the contrary, engaging outside their self-created narrow space could empower them on multi-dimensional levels.  

Because of the earliest indoctrination, and later education methodology, such folks will however be unwilling to assimilate and unwilling to move out of their ghetto. They can only transact within the community and are of little value to majority outside their community. 

Assimilation is defined as being rooted to your past while still being wedded to your future. 

It means that while you are proud of your identity, culture, and traditions, you are equally keen & willing to share the elements from there, and engage with others from varying backgrounds for mutual benefits to enrich the overall society. 

You pose no discomfort to the other, speaking feelingly. 

So, while others assimilate and move on, the identity centric communities remain stagnant and frozen in time. 

Unfortunately, those who are bothered by such communities indulge in a very surface level, and sanitized discussion, bypassing over the real issues mentioned above. 

That's half the problem. 

They however offer a moralist world view, a childish good-natured verdict, one without trail. It's an idealistic view,  one that's not derived any morals from the real world experiences unfolding before them, including global examples shouting out loud. 

They continue to quote the exception and so miss the root cause. 

As hyper moralists, they give verdicts to selves and others that they must see everyone equally and fairly. 

That's a Utopian fairytale, best suited in our personal imaginary realm, not the reality. 

To treat unequal people equally is itself unfair. 

So, the idea of diversity and inclusivity also is at best, an illusion.

We must enforce to offer equal opportunities, but not assume equal outcomes.  

Equal outcomes from different people is not possible. 

Two fruits on the same tree aren't equal, even when they were recipient of the same amount of sun, water, and minerals. 

We should pursue diversity, not automatic inclusivity. 

Based on the outcome that the diverse groups produce, we can decide whom to include. In fact it happens by the law of natural selection. 

By logic, we can include those that enrich us and our environment and not those that want to use our value based institutions to only secure their exclusivity and live happily thereafter in their ghettos to our detriment. 

Doing just that would be equally fair. 

India's Foreign Policy & the Modi Doctrine

It is unfortunate that many Indians haven't understood their own national foreign policy.

That's also an irony, as perhaps it is one of the very few policies that haz remained consistent since the time of independence.

The Nehruvian thought of non-alignment haz been adhered to, irrespective of the dispensation in power in New Delhi.

Modi haz simply given impetus to it, namely:

A) He's reframed that value-based belief from being equi-distant to equi-proximate with all, to the maximum practical possibility. 

2) He's put that belief into firm action, and so embraced Washington & Moscow, Tehran & Riyadh, and Tel Aviv & Ramallah, making him perhaps the world's first & only person, dead or alive, to have achieved that distinction of hugging leaders from each of the warring-in-cold pairs.

One should note that he's as much at the high table in the North as connected with the Global South.

3) Finally, hiz unique characteristic is that as the first Indian leader to be born post-independence, he haz traveled the world, sans any hangover or inkling of colonial past. In fact, as a true Bhartiya, he haz unabashedly engaged the diaspora and used India's soft power to the brim. He is known to have demanded from hiz hosts the return of stolen from India ancient idols, even as he gifts them unique artifacts from across India, made by our artisans today.

To hiz distinction, he haz remained undefeated & steadfast since May 2014, while all hiz counterparts across the world are seen playing musical chairs. Irrespective of who comes to power and from which party, a Modi-meet is seen to be on every global leader's to-do list. Modi haz been conferred more highest civilian national awards in foreign lands than any other contemporary leader.

It became a great vantage point for India, as, notwithstanding the global pandemic, or the Ukraine war, or instability in the global order, most national capitals consider India as a reliable friend. 

India, under Modi's watch rose on the GDP ranks from #11 to #4 (soon to be #3) with one of the best macroeconomic performances in the world. 

The last G20 summit under Modi's India turned out to be a showpiece for the world, achieving what even the UN had not.

At the G20, a body of the most powerful & wealth controling nations, India managed to bring the otherwise disagreeing America, Russia, and China to converge on a joint communique, including bringing the poor African Union on board.

India haz begun to exert influence & move the global commodity markets.

Its growing military power, financial muscle, and technological prowess are worthy of envy for many.

Whether in the Western or Eastern hemisphere, she is well represented in every major body, including the QUAD & BRICS, both of which are opposing forces. The G20, I2U2, and the G7, to which India is a permanent invitee, are the other names worthy of mention. All these bodies are now suddenly witnessing a vociferous contribution by India.

Not being on the permanent member list at the UN as that bloated body fails to reform, is not India's embarrassment, but the UN's.

Under Modi's leadership, India is expanding its global footprint through various bilateral agreements, including trade in regional currencies. 

It is he who had begun to alter, if not change, the global narrative, and not the ever-volatile Trump. On the contrary, America under Trump is seen isolating itself.

All thiz haz clearly generated great interest about India across the world 

So, what is India's unique serving proposition?

Let's get one thing clear - India haz no enemies, not even Pakistan. She works with whosoever satisfies the security and needs of her people.

India doesn't dominate. In fact, she is famous for being the first responder to the distress call from any corner of the world. While the rich world hoarded vaccines to make a quick buck during the global pandemic, India indulged in vaccine diplomacy by playing the savior for the smallest and the poorest nations of the world.

India sure haz her agenda for peace.

Having said that, she is not naïve. 

India is a forward moving modern nation and simultaneously a wise ancient civilization. History haz taught her well of the wicked ways of the mean world. These memories have been revived under the Modi regime, so, a robust defense program is under implementation. 

India is no longer a soft state; she's a sharp power, writing her own story. 

If anyone haz an alternative agenda for her, then she mitigates and responds accordingly, putting the adversary in its place.

The calibrated Operation Sindoor, is a ripe example. It waz started, courtesy the damn Pakis' who provoked through a cowardly terror act, and so we responded with force, but when the decimated other side halted firing, we too instantly stopped our generous selves from continuing the war. 

Unprovoked, the new government of Maldives postured against India, favoring the Chinese. Knowing that the island economy relies on Indian tourists, Modi gestured Indians to visit Lakshadweep instead. They instantly realized their folly and fell in line. India too reciprocated friendship. 

The same is true with Turkey. They had no business to support the damn Pakis. We resumed relations with them but only after responding in kind, namely supporting their adversary, Armenia, and reporting to the Turks that they bloody well fall within our missile range.

We had already begun normalizing relations with China after they withdrew their troops in October, restoring the status quo. Our leaders, including Rajnath Singh, S. Jaishankar, and Ajit Doval, were in touch with them since the incursions.

The correct way to look at all thiz is that at times, some lose their minds and walk out, but India keeps the door ajar. Upon regaining conscience and scruples, they all reenter our good graces.

Enjoy the ride; you're sitting atop an unshackled wise elephant that marches on.

Bolo Bharat Mata Ki … Jai Ok Please!