On January 26, India marked its 72nd Republic Day, a celebration of the adoption of its constitution. In recent years, the largest democracy in South Asia has seen a wave of right-wing extremism. This wave is characterised by the second term of a government that banners what is popularly called the Hindutva movement. Its leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is seen using Pakistan bashing as a means of sustaining his popularity at home. The Pakistan-India relationship today carries the legacy of history. The two countries have long competed for prominence in the region. The door to a comprehensive dialogue for normalisation of relations appears to be jammed. According to some foreign policy experts, a policy of stagnation may prove better than a ‘fruitless’ dialogue.

To the north, India has a long disputed border with China. Indo-China relations became a cause for international concern following the confrontation in Galwan Valley eight months ago. Seeing a staunch potential ally against China in President Trump, the Modi government broke with India’s traditional stance of non-alignment and agreed to join an alliance to contain it. With a new government in the United States, India’s position in the region has become a lot more uncertain. In its brinkmanship with the militarily and economically stronger China, India is playing a dangerous game in the region.

The Hindutva movement has also affected the freedom of press and media in the country. According to Reporters Without Borders, an international media watchdog, India is ranked as the 140th among 180 nations in the 2019 World Press Freedom index. It also appears that many in the Indian media have abandoned their role of telling the truth, under pressure from the theocratic government. India’s soft image, long used to attract positive international attention, has suffered. Using its arts, dance, Bollywood and cuisine, India got away with its poor treatment of minorities, rampant poverty in the country and prevalent human rights atrocities for a while. However, with the Hindutva movement on the rise the limits of this substantial soft power in shielding the country from international pressure will be tested hard.