New Delhi [India], September 1 (ANI): Former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar on Monday said India has become a “star power,” praising the central government for standing up to the 50 percent tariffs imposed by the US.
Speaking with ANI, Akbar emphasized India’s growing influence in geopolitics, noting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China.
“Two things have emerged from this weekend: India has become an influential power which, along with other Asian nations like Japan, China, and Russia, will be at the helm of the creation of what PM Modi has called the Asian century… This is one of the byproducts of the new respect that India has achieved. India has become a star power because it stood up to a superpower on principle,” he said.
Akbar added, “This message has resonated. You can see an immediate impact. Japan has broken off talks with the Americans on trade. The pushback has started, and the countries are willing to stand up… Second, all ‘Trumpeters’ have run out of reasonable things to say… President Trump will have to realize that he has weakened America.”
On India-China relations during the SCO Summit, Akbar called it a significant development, suggesting the emerging friendship could influence the global order. “It is a very important development. Both have shown indications in their language and their body language. PM Modi, in his remarks, repeated the phrase that was the basis of the new relationship between India and China, which is peace and tranquility on the border. On the border, President Xi has also said that we should keep the border aside and get on with development,” he said.
Akbar further noted, “I think the vision of an Asian century, and the talk that President Xi has initiated of a new world order, can be brought into some kind of harmony to create a change which will now accelerate… The age of superpowers of the 20th century might start to wind down. There is no dramatic great leap forward. What we are seeing is a tremendous improvement, while the effort is to expand friendship.”
During his visit to China, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with Putin and Xi Jinping. He also participated in the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin, where he called for action against terror financing and radicalization.
PM Modi’s visit comes at a time when the US has imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods, including a 25 percent penalty for purchasing discounted crude oil from Moscow. In his SCO address, Modi stressed the need to boost connectivity among member nations to enhance trade. “India has always believed that strong connectivity not only boosts trade but also opens doors to growth and trust. With this in mind, we are working on initiatives like the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor. This will help us improve connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia,” he said.
Describing the third pillar, Modi noted that opportunities for cooperation and reform in 2023 during India’s SCO presidency brought in new areas such as startups, innovation, youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and shared Buddhist heritage. “Our effort was to expand SCO’s ambit outside governments,” he said.
Russian President Putin remarked that dialogue within the SCO lays the foundation for a new Eurasian security system, replacing outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models. “The SCO is steadily increasing its influence in addressing international issues. National currencies are being used more widely in mutual settlements for trade among SCO countries. The pace of development of cooperation within the SCO is impressive,” Putin said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the SCO to uphold fairness and justice at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State. “We must promote a correct historical perspective on World War II, and oppose the Cold War mentality, block confrontation and bullying practices,” Xi said. (ANI)
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