BUDDHISM AND INDIA'S SOFT POWER DIPLOMACY

 

BUDDHISM AND INDIA'S SOFT POWER DIPLOMACY   I   RACE IAS : Best IAS Coaching in lucknow I  Current Affairs

Mains Exam: General Studies 1, 2

(Art and Culture, India and Foreign Relations)

Context :

  • To actively promote India's image as an emerging global power, the government replaced 'Panchsheel' with the Panchamrit principlesto guide its foreign policy.
  • These 'Panchamrit' principles are mainly based on respect, dialogue, prosperity, security and culture and civilization.
  • Out of these five principles, the Government of India mainly uses culture and civilization, the fifth principle, in soft power diplomacy.

About Soft Power Diplomacy:

  • Soft power is the ability to influence other nations through persuasion and attraction rather than coercion or force.
  • The term "soft power" was first coined by the famous US politician Joseph Nye.
  • Soft power is an abstract concept which is based on yoga, buddhism, cinema, music, spirituality culture, art and science etc.

India’s Soft power tools

Beginning after independence:

  • According to the Panchsheel principles, India's foreign policy has always been based on the objectives of dialogue, peace and building national and global agreements.
  • The main goals of India's foreign policy have been to safeguard civil treaties and regulations, promote global peace, combat terrorism and political violence, and develop the basic foundations of a peaceful and prosperous world.

art and culture:

  • India produces many films, music, books and other forms of art that are enjoyed around the world. It has increased the cultural influence of India in a big way.

Yoga:

  • India has also been using yoga diplomacy as a tool for cultural exchange and international cooperation. The major activity is International Day of Yoga.

Science, Spirituality and Faith:

  • The science, spirituality, art and faith that developed over the centuries in the subcontinent made their way to other areas, giving India a considerable amount of 'soft power', which has been going on for many centuries.
  • Because of this, present-day India is well poised to attract religious and faith-based associations with countries around the world.

Religion:

  • The Indian subcontinent has given birth to many major religions in the world and over time has absorbed many other religions into its social fabric.
  • One of the more recent manifestations of these initiatives has been the engagement in Buddhist diplomacy.

India's soft power diplomacy through Buddhism

Significance of Buddhism:

Revival and International Values:

  • The potential utility of Buddhism in foreign policy is largely derived from the way the faith was revived after World War II.
  • The revival of faith had a decidedly international approach to it, and focused on transcending existing sectarian and geographical boundaries.

Presence of this religion in Asian countries:

  • Currently, 97 percent of the world's Buddhist population lives in the Asian continent, and many countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka regard Buddhism as a part of their national values and identity.
  • Buddhism, in addition to its emphasis on peaceful coexistence, plays an important role in soft-power diplomacy due to its widespread presence in almost all Asian countries.

Current Scenario:

Diplomacy:

  • In speeches made on official international visits such as to Sri Lanka and China, the Prime Minister of India has made a conscious effort to emphasize the shared Buddhist heritage.
  • In addition, on visits abroad, the Prime Minister, wherever possible, reserves a day for visiting Buddhist temples.

Tourism:

  • India is currently home to seven of the eight most important Buddhist sites in the world.
  • The Ministry of Tourism is promoting several tourist circuits that cross national boundaries.
  • The sacred places of Buddhism, where Lord Buddha was born and lived, preached and attained 'enlightenment' and 'nirvana' are called Buddhist circuits.

Organization of International Conferences:

  • In 1952, during the prime ministership of Jawaharlal Nehru, India hosted the International Buddhist Conference at Sanchi, which was attended by over 3,000 Buddhist nuns, monks and historians.
  • At the time, it was one of the largest gatherings of Buddhist preachers and followers in the world.
  • International conferences have been organized and councils have been formed which facilitate interaction between members across sectarian and national boundaries.
  • Conference on 'Buddhism in the 21st Century' held at Rajgir in 2017.
  • In October 2016, the '5th International Buddhist Convention' was organized by the Ministry of Tourism in Varanasi
  • In 2015, the 'Hindu-Buddhist Initiative on Conflict Avoidance' was organized by Vivekananda International Foundation and Tokyo Foundation in Bodh Gaya and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister himself.

Nalanda University:

  • The most important project that has been started in the field of education is that of Nalanda University.
  • The launch of the university was a pan-Asian initiative funded by several countries.

Challenges

  • As in most other areas of political importance, India has faced competition from China in the field of Buddhist diplomacy.
  • The most prominent expression of the rivalry between India and China in the field of Buddhist diplomacy relates to the issue of the Dalai Lama.
  • The presence of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile at Dharamsala in northern India has been a source of contention between India and China.

India's soft power diplomacy through other religions:

  • Examples of religious associations being used to enhance foreign policy are not limited to Buddhism.

Judaism:

  • Since his historic visit to Israel in July 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked to further India's soft power diplomacy by linking it to Judaism.

Islam:

  • With respect to Islam, India has sought membership of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the grounds that it has the second largest Muslim population in the world.

Way Forward:

  • India should take advantage of pilgrimage sites, Dalai Lama's presence and other resources within the country to enhance its soft power diplomacy.
  • In terms of initiatives at the international level, the government should also ensure that it does not direct its efforts only at Tibetan Buddhism, and efforts directed at fostering links with other Buddhist schools of thought such as Nagarjuna Buddhism, which is largely ignored academically.
  • Effective revival of the Nalanda University project and promotion of Buddhist studies should be done in well-established universities across the country.
  • For effective evaluation of the Buddhist circuit project, proper management of tourist places should be done in addition to advertisement.

Conclusion:

  • As Buddhism is currently gaining a strategic dimension in South Asian countries so India needs to revive Nalanda University, promote spiritual tourism in Buddhist circuit, start spiritual activities in partnership with South-Asian countries to further strengthen its soft power diplomacy.

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Mains Exam Question

What are the major elements of Buddhism contributing to India's soft power diplomacy? What are its importance and challenges? Analyze