{"id":67391,"date":"2024-06-06T21:15:14","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T21:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/06\/friday-briefing-narendra-modis-india\/"},"modified":"2024-06-06T21:15:14","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T21:15:14","slug":"friday-briefing-narendra-modis-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/06\/friday-briefing-narendra-modis-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Briefing: Narendra Modi\u2019s India"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"549\" src=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/06\/06\/multimedia\/07ambriefing-asia-nl-india1\/06themorning-nl-modi3-qgpc-facebookJumbo.jpg?resize=1050,549&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Friday Briefing: Narendra Modi\u2019s India\" title=\"Friday Briefing: Narendra Modi\u2019s India\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<h2 class=\"css-13o6u42 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-5d1f47ad\">Modi\u2019s choices<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Narendra Modi has just won re-election as India\u2019s prime minister, though by a <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/04\/world\/asia\/modi-india-election.html\" title=\"\">far narrower margin than expected<\/a>. With his third consecutive term, the charismatic strongman has sealed his position as the country\u2019s most significant leader in generations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Despite having led India for a decade, Modi has in some ways kept his country guessing about his vision. On major issues \u2014 India\u2019s relationships, its economy, its society and its government \u2014 it\u2019s still unclear what sort of country Modi wants India to be.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In today\u2019s newsletter, I\u2019ll explain four of the big questions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">Where will India find friends?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">India has spent recent years deepening its relationship with the U.S. It has gotten closer to American allies, including Japan and Australia, and ordered high-end American weapons systems \u2014 the kind that create dependence down the road. And it is unlikely to side with China. In 2020, Chinese troops crossed into territory controlled by India and killed 20 soldiers in a skirmish. Modi has kept Beijing at arm\u2019s length since then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But Modi, 73, has signaled that he doesn\u2019t want to be a U.S. ally. Some officials in his inner circle still regard the U.S. warily. American diplomats complain about New Delhi\u2019s apparent efforts to erode democratic norms and the rights of minority groups. So India keeps its options open. After Russia invaded Ukraine, the U.S. tried in vain to persuade India to take a stand against the war. India still processes Russian oil (picking up the slack created by international sanctions). It still buys weapons from Russia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">India spent the Cold War trying to position itself as a nonaligned power. Old habits die hard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">What type of economy?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">India recently overtook China as the most populous country and the fastest-growing large economy. Still, most of the country remains poor. Some 800 million people need help filling their stomachs. Modi\u2019s ideas about how to help them can be contradictory, at once globally minded and protectionist.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">One path would be to follow East Asian countries, which escaped poverty by manufacturing goods for export. To that end, Modi began a \u201cMake in India\u201d initiative in 2014, an effort to replace China as the world\u2019s factory. But exports have barely risen, even as Modi has thrown new subsidies at them. Some Indian economists say it\u2019s better to focus on exporting services, like I.T. and remote professional work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Another Modi vision is for a \u201cself-reliant India,\u201d which would reduce the country\u2019s exposure to global supply chains. Shielding Indian companies from foreign competition is at odds with preparing them for it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In the face of big economic decisions, Modi sometimes seems equivocal. Like Reagan and Thatcher, he came to power promising to pare down government. In practice, the state wields a heavy hand in most sectors \u2014 imposing radical, sometimes half-baked reforms by decree.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">Protecting minority groups?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">India\u2019s founders crafted a constitution for a diverse and secular republic. Modi has been reshaping the country as an explicitly Hindu nation. He converted Jammu and Kashmir, the country\u2019s only Muslim-majority state, into a heavily policed federal territory. He built a giant Hindu temple on a disputed site where mobs had torn down a mosque. During the campaign this year, he called Muslims, who make up 14 percent of the population, \u201cinfiltrators.\u201d India\u2019s Muslims say they have been turned into <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/18\/world\/asia\/muslims-india.html\" title=\"\">second-class citizens<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Modi\u2019s third term will be a test: Has the Hindu nationalist project been fulfilled, or is there more he can do to assert one faith\u2019s supremacy? The call to put Muslims in their place is the lifeblood of Modi\u2019s party, creating winning majorities within a hugely diverse and caste-riven Hindu population. In a third term, Modi could choose new targets, perhaps by agitating for the replacement of historic mosques with more Hindu temples. He may be constrained, however, by his new political partners, who are not beholden to his party\u2019s Hindu-first projects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">How much authoritarianism?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">One reason for Modi\u2019s enduring popularity is that he\u2019s effective. Modi often imposes reforms suddenly, relying on boldness and even the element of surprise to cut through red tape. He streamlined the tax system and even started a semiconductor industry from scratch. He has no patience for obstacles of any kind.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">One result is that the world\u2019s biggest democracy has set aside many democratic norms. The police have thrown leaders of the opposition in jail, swelling the number of political prisoners. The Election Commission has been stacked with pro-Modi appointees. The judiciary hardly ever stands in the way of government priorities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Modi seems to have kept his job but lost his parliamentary majority. Now he\u2019ll need to placate coalition partners and consult them on major changes. Maybe that will protect some of the institutions that were built to preserve fair play.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The other possibility is that Modi will crack down harder than ever, making full use of the agencies that answer directly to him, to ensure that his party stays ahead of the invigorated competition. Modi has made it this far despite all the complaints about repression. If anything is to hold him back now, it will have to come from within his new governing coalition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">For more:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"css-1uuxri4 e1gnsphs0\" id=\"link-55bd377a\"><span><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">MORE TOP NEWS<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"css-13o6u42 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-17445b95\">Israel-Hamas War<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">China is easing restrictions on home buying, to try to get more people to purchase apartments. But a <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/06\/business\/china-real-estate-restrictions.html\" title=\"\">vocal group of existing homeowners<\/a> is angry. They pinched and saved to buy their apartments, and now they\u2019re worried that the effort could depress prices.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"css-1uuxri4 e1gnsphs0\" id=\"link-286d948a\"><span><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">CONVERSATION STARTERS<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul class=\"css-1le37cb ez3869y0\">\n<li class=\"css-1i3ul0c eoqvrfo0\">\n<p class=\"css-1il0jfh evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">Mitsuko Uchida:<\/strong> The star pianist spoke to my colleague Javier Hern\u00e1ndez. She was both confrontational and scholarly. Read their conversation <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/06\/arts\/music\/mitsuko-uchida-ojai-festival.html\" title=\"\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1i3ul0c eoqvrfo0\">\n<p class=\"css-1il0jfh evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">Subterranean refuges: <\/strong><a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/06\/science\/wombats-burrows-forest-fires.html\" title=\"\">Wombat burrows<\/a> can serve as fireproof shelters for small mammals, birds and reptiles during and after extreme fires.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1i3ul0c eoqvrfo0\">\n<p class=\"css-1il0jfh evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">Eat up: <\/strong><a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/05\/well\/eat\/avocados-health-benefits-recipes.html\" title=\"\">How healthy are avocados<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<h2 class=\"css-13o6u42 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-22f803c8\">Take our friendship challenge<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Friendship is healing. It helps improve long-term physical and mental health, and can enhance daily well-being. But our social circles may be shrinking. People across the world are in the middle of a well-documented loneliness crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">So my colleagues on the Well desk worked with researchers and therapists to create a five-day challenge, which starts next week, to help readers revive wilted relationships, feel more connected to friends and have the tools to keep bonds strong. <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/explain\/2024\/friendship-challenge\" title=\"\">Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/06\/world\/asia\/india-dday-strike-gaza-swiatek-asia.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Modi\u2019s choices Narendra Modi has just won re-election as India\u2019s prime minister, though by a far narrower margin than expected. With his third consecutive term, the charismatic strongman has sealed his position as the country\u2019s most significant leader in generations. Despite having led India for a decade, Modi has in some ways kept his country [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67392,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/06\/06\/multimedia\/07ambriefing-asia-nl-india1\/06themorning-nl-modi3-qgpc-facebookJumbo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[235,10057,273,3135,7792],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67391"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67391"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67393,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67391\/revisions\/67393"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}