In der Außenpolitik sind die Inder ihrer Regierung um Längen voraus

SS: In this article for Lowy Institute, Ved Shinde argues that India’s foreign policy, often described as balancing alliances like the Quad and BRICS, obscures the profound influence of its diaspora and cultural ties with the Anglophone West. With over eight million people of Indian origin in countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, Shinde highlights how migration driven by economic liberalization and the lure of the “American Dream” has fostered stronger people-to-people links, shaping India’s global relationships.

While India’s government touts agreements emphasizing talent mobility, such as recent pacts with Germany and Britain, Shinde points out that grassroots connections with the West far outweigh India’s formal multilateral posturing. However, these ties can complicate diplomacy, as seen in the ongoing spat with Canada over Sikh activism. Shinde asserts that despite India’s official engagement with groups like BRICS, its real alignment lies with the economic and cultural magnetism of the West—Indians, we can conclude, have voted with their feet.