Analytical Perspectives:

Shift from Western global domination.
Natural return of China and India as largest economies (historically from 1 to 1820 AD).
World has shrunk into a "global village."
India emerged as a major power in Asia.
Bloomberg Report (2022): India is the world's $6^{th}$ largest economy, surpassing Britain.

Incredible India (Soft Power):

Spirituality is at the core of India's soft power.
Swami Vivekananda: "If India is to die... religion might be wiped off... and with it Truth."

Soft Power Initiatives:

Vaccine Maitri: Humanitarian initiative during COVID-19, distributing vaccines globally.
Space Diplomacy:
- Emerging area for dominance; space technology builds relations and achieves national interests.
- Satellite data and imagery used across sectors (agriculture, transport, weather, urban development).
- ISRO is a global leader: moon landing, Mars orbit, launching 104 satellites on single rocket.
Education and Aid Diplomacy:
- Education as a soft power strategy to expand influence, shape opinions, and build relations.
- New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes rich heritage, culture, knowledge, thought.
- Human capital is the new index of power.
- NEP 2020 provides blueprint for soft power in foreign policy.
IIPA's Contribution (Indian Institute of Public Administration):
- Contributes to India's global leadership through capacity development programs under ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation).
- Programs on Strategic Leadership, Project Management, Data Analytics, Risk Management.
- Trained participants from 90+ countries.
Peacekeeping Operations:
- India has a long history of service in UN Peacekeeping, contributing more personnel than any other country.
- Began with participation in UN operation in Korea (1950s).
- India's mediatory role resolved stalemate over prisoners of war, leading to armistice.
Disaster and Humanitarian Diplomacy (HADR):
- Respects sovereignty, adheres to 1994 Oslo Guidelines (Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality).
- Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): Launched by PM Modi (2019).
- Partnership of governments, UN agencies, banks, private sector, knowledge institutions.
- Aims to promote resilience of infrastructure to climate/disaster risks.
- Boosts India's soft power, provides synergy between disaster risk reduction, SDGs, and Climate Accord.
Funding Ecosystem: Rise of Unicorns:
- "Unicorns" are startups valued at $1 billion+.
- Indian Startup Ecosystem is $3^{rd}$ largest globally.
- As of May 2022, 100 unicorns with total valuation of $332.7$ billion.
- 2021 saw 44 startups become unicorns ($93$ billion valuation).
Building Connectivity:
- Signed MoU with Afghanistan for Lalandar (Shatoot) Dam (Kabul River tributary) for drinking water and irrigation.
- Since 2001, New Delhi pledged $3$+ billion for development/reconstruction projects in Afghanistan.
- Built roads, dams, electricity networks, schools, and Afghan Parliament.
Culinary Diplomacy:
- Indian diaspora has spread cu