Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States was a strategically significant and diplomatically eventful engagement with major implications for India’s international relations. The visit showed progress in the Indo-US strategic partnership, with collaborative efforts in semiconductor production and the acquisition of predator drones. Nonetheless, the Pannun case and diplomatic issues related to meetings with Sikh activists critical of India highlighted ongoing tensions.

The three-day trip focused on meetings across three key areas – the Quad Summit and critical talks with President Joe Biden, meetings with business leaders and the Indian community in New York, and strategic discussions at the United Nations and other bilateral meetings.

At the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the emergence of “cyber, maritime, and space” as new conflict areas alongside ongoing issues such as terrorism. He advocated for global digital governance to protect national sovereignty and integrity and reiterated India’s readiness to share its digital public infrastructure globally, stressing a commitment to multilateral solutions for a better future. 

Modi stressed the importance of collective strength over conflict and called for necessary reforms in international institutions for worldwide peace and development. 

However, the recent pager incident in Lebanon highlights the complexities of global security. To recall, on September 17 and 18, 2024, thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously across Lebanon and Syria, killing 42 people, including civilians, and injuring over 3,500. This security breach reflects critical challenges in managing regional conflicts and the role of technology in modern warfare.

The pager incident exemplifies the grave dangers we confront, from terrorism to technological warfare, demanding a solid, coordinated global response to ensure peace and stability. As we deal with these challenges, initiating the right reforms in the global order becomes even more pressing, transcending beyond mere discussions among like-minded nations to concrete, multilateral actions.

The moot question is: How do we initiate the right reforms in the global order? It is not an easy task as terrorism continues to be a severe threat to international security as we look at new emerging areas like maritime and space domains. We need more than a serious talk among like-minded nations. 

The success of humanity lies in adequately organizing our collective strength. Is this possible? It is regrettable is that the security forces engaged in anti-terrorism operations have not been working in a coordinated manner. This lack of coordinated thinking and action plans has created more problems than can be solved. Even the intelligence agencies need to do their job professionally, and coordinated efforts have yet to show results. 

Terrorism knows no boundaries and has no genuine religious base. It must be seen as a crime against humanity and firmly dealt with. It is never too late. There is still time to reflect coolly, quickly, and sharply. It is time to call a spade a spade. It is also wrong to hope that time will resolve the problem. Time does not fix such issues; only political will can. 

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United States was a strategic diplomatic mission, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations, making a mark on global stages, and establishing India as a key player in international politics and technology. As the global landscape shifts, India stands at a crossroads, equipped with the potential to influence worldwide trends. 

Currently cautious, India is poised, awaiting the right moment to assert its influence. The writing on the wall is clear. The urgency to act quickly is on account of serious global challenges: the imperative to eliminate terrorism and address the pervasive issue of intolerance, both of which threaten global harmony. This presents a now-or-never scenario for leadership on these critical issues. The coming months are poised to test India’s capacity to fulfill its ambitious diplomatic and peace-oriented goals set during this visit.

• By Hari Jaisingh