NARENDRA MODI EMERGES AS NEW HERO OF GLOBAL SOUTH AND BRICS: Dr CHANDRA

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra’s analysis and assessment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy shows that it now reaches far beyond BRICS. Modi is intent on forging global leadership—especially within the Global South—by proposing an alternative model, standing in solidarity with emerging nations, and mounting a reasoned, issue based challenge to Western dominance. He seeks to spearhead this paradigm shift and to deepen the alignment of the Global South around his vision. This latest visit has only served to reinforce that leadership. Within BRICS itself, Narendra Modi has unmistakably emerged as its new Hero and foremost champion. Excerpts... (Part-II)

Over the past decade, India has witnessed a remarkable digital revolution. How do you view the impact of this digital transformation on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s global stature and journey?

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra: The impact is tremendous, and in fact, it’s a pleasant surprise. When you compare India with developed nations like the United States, the UK, France, or Germany in terms of UPI and digital revolution, India stands almost at number one. Take the example of the COVID period — while people in other countries had to carry hard copies of documents, here in India everything functioned through mobile phones. Once, a minister from the US and another from France visited Delhi, and they were astonished. They asked, “What is this magic happening here?” They were amazed to see that even a Rs 10 lassi in the market could be purchased via digital payment. It was incredible — one would question, is this India or America? New York or Delhi? Go to small towns or rural streets — even in a small market in Ranchi, buy a kilo of vegetables, and the vendor will digitally accept Rs 12. That’s a miracle. This, I believe, is Modi’s biggest achievement in this decade. It symbolises what a real digital revolution and Atmanirbhar Bharat look like. Recently, he even wrote an article in a newspaper expressing his excitement over this success, stating that this decade has been phenomenal. Look at where UPI started and where it has reached now — even people in Namibia have said, “Rename it to your own name; we’ll implement it here.” There’s no doubt that even the most developed nations are left embarrassed when they witness the magnitude of Modi’s digital achievements. They wonder how a developing country like India has surpassed them in digital development and infrastructure. Truly, it’s a miracle. Unfortunately, this achievement has not been promoted internationally as much as it should have been. Other Indian successes are often appreciated more broadly, but the digital revolution has not received the same global publicity, although it deserves it. There was a time when India was labelled the land of snake charmers. Today, as a developing nation, we are ahead of the U.S., the UK, France, and Germany in digital transformation. That is a huge miracle. There’s no doubt — the past 10 years have been nothing short of miraculous for Digital India.

PM Narendra Modi recently stated that some nations are weaponising rare minerals, which must be stopped. What’s your take on that?

He is absolutely right. This is essentially a monopoly — and his remarks subtly pointed toward China and a few other countries. These nations are using rare minerals as leverage. Look at someone like Trump — he is almost blackmailing, “Give me your rare minerals, and I’ll waive your taxes. I’ll give you this, I’ll do that.” This monopoly on rare minerals, which are limited on Earth, must end. Every nation deserves access to them. This statement was particularly relevant to BRICS countries, highlighting how developed nations are sitting on these monopolies. This must be dismantled. Modi rightly said, “We must secure the supply chain of rare minerals.” Resources don’t belong to individuals — they belong to the universe. Be it rare or critical minerals, they must be shared. Modi is making an effort to make India self-reliant in this regard. Take diamonds — they’re mined in Namibia, but they’re cut and polished in Gujarat, Modi’s home state. So why not go a step further and mine them too? Gujarat already leads in polishing. These things may seem minor, but they matter — because ultimately, a nation’s existence and prosperity depend on its economy, and the economy depends on mobilising and optimally utilising resources. Modi has raised a very valid concern. No one country should have control over these — they belong to the world and should be shared globally. A very good idea indeed.

How do you assess the worsening relationship between Trump and Elon Musk? Do you think Musk’s new political party could succeed?

The tension between them stems partly from business rivalry. And between the two, I find Musk relatively more sensible, though he, too, makes absurd statements at times. Still, Musk once said, “Take all my money, just give me a computer and a room. I’ll rebuild my empire within a year.” Their fight has both commercial and philosophical roots, especially on matters of policy. Musk created a department focused on cost-cutting, laid off 60,000 employees, and saved $2 million. Meanwhile, Trump is spending recklessly, taking loans. So, their main disagreement lies in economic spending. Musk publicly opposed Trump on this. In response, Trump said he would deport Musk back to South Africa and threatened to reduce subsidies on Tesla cars. Now, no businessman can fight with a government — Musk might be an exception if he manages to survive politically while fighting authority. Musk has now proposed launching a new political entity — the “America Party.” It’s a good idea. Democracy thrives with competition. Musk conducted a survey where 63% of people supported the formation of a third party, saying they were fed up with Republicans and Democrats. So yes, the idea of a third party is not farfetched. However, US rules and the media environment are not supportive. A third party only gains traction if it seems electable. Otherwise, people don’t bother voting. Still, Musk is confident. Let’s see what happens. It’s a healthy democratic idea. But the core issue remains businessrelated. And you won’t be surprised if one day, around midnight, they both tweet, “We’ve reconciled for the sake of the nation.” That day, we’ll all feel duped. Let’s wait and see.

Reports suggest China provided live data on India’s military readiness to Pakistan during the India-Pakistan war. Why would China do that?

Fundamentally, China is our enemy, and India and China have always been traditional rivals. Modi tries hard to normalise ties, and sometimes China reciprocates, but the core nature remains unchanged. This act by China is confirmed—even the Deputy Army Chief acknowledged it, though everyone knew already. China used the battlefield as a live testing ground for its weapon systems. They wanted to observe how their arms performed in real combat. So effectively, we were fighting on three fronts — against Pakistan, against Chinese tech-intel support, and also against Turkish drones. This time, though, China was exposed. As soon as the Deputy Army Chief made the statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry responded by denying it. They claimed it was part of “normal cooperation” and that it was not intended against any third party, meaning not against India. But the truth is, China acted against India, and got exposed this time.

Are the rumours about Chinese President Xi Jinping retiring or handing over power to a successor true?

There are such discussions, even in international media. Although he’s only 72 years old, that’s not old at all. I’m 75, and look how fit and operational I am. I work 14–18 hours a day. The retirement age today should be at least 80. Those who suggest retiring at 75 are talking like it’s the 18th century. People now are more physically fit. Those who retire at 60 suddenly feel lost; we now have a whole new efficient, functional retired workforce in the country. Anyway, back to Xi Jinping, he is 72 and appears physically fit. But the Chinese party system, the politburo, is ruthless. They make decisions for many reasons. For example, even generals favoured by Xi have been removed before. So the perception that Xi might step down or transfer power has arisen. But the result of either scenario would be the same, eventual retirement. An American article I read called this “wishful thinking.” Xi’s ideological and strategic influence is still very evident in every core decision, military, party, or financial. So don’t assume he’s stepping down just yet. But the discussion exists. Only time will tell. For now, Xi remains the face of China to the outside world, a very powerful, impressive one. If a successor comes, the question will be whether that new leader can create the same aura or brand as him. Let’s see.

What is the controversy surrounding the Dalai Lama’s successor, and could it trigger tensions between India and China?

The Dalai Lama is the 14th in the lineage and recently turned 90. In 2011, he said that upon turning 90, he would decide whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. That moment has now arrived. China, however, insists that the next Dalai Lama must be chosen from candidates it approves. But traditionally, the Dalai Lama is believed to reincarnate. The process involves identifying a child who is the reincarnation of the previous Lama. The last time this process was followed, the identified child was kidnapped and has never been found. The Dalai Lama, from Dharamshala, wants the process to remain rooted in Tibetan Buddhist traditions. China, on the other hand, wants to shortlist probable candidates like a UPSC-style selection and then finalise through a draw. The Dalai Lama rejects this. India is, meanwhile, enjoying this tug-of-war. Modi recently wished the Dalai Lama on his birthday. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal’s Chief Minister also visited him. This was a signal from India — a subtle nudge back at China. India has clearly stated that the Dalai Lama should have full freedom to choose his successor. This sends a firm message to Beijing. There’s no serious tension, but India is definitely asserting its stance more firmly. If the Dalai Lama names his successor through tradition, and China opposes it, the controversy will deepen. That’s where things currently stand.

A few days ago, Trump proposed a 500% tariff on countries buying oil from Russia. Do you think that’s feasible?

He can say anything, but 90% of his announcements remain on paper. They’re never implemented. This won’t be either. First, it was 500%, then he told someone else it would be 50%, and recently, Brazil was told it’s only 50%. Look at who’s buying oil from Russia—India, China, Brazil. Imagine placing a 500% tariff on these countries, that’s a joke! No,w Trump has come up with a new idea, sanctions. Forget tariffs, he’s now threatening sanctions on India, China, and Brazil. This is pure immaturity. Can the US afford to place sanctions on such major economies? I fear a scenario where the world unites against Trump, the globe splits into “Trump vs. Others,” and America regresses 50 years because of such actions. There’s already a growing sentiment, globally and even within diplomatic circles in the US, that America is moving backwards. So no, I don’t think Trump can stop Russian oil. We’ll analyse this in our next JC Show. For now, I believe this will not be implemented.

During the show #JConBricsAndBeyond trended top All-India on X