How India’s Diplomats Betray the People

When the ordinary citizens of India are reeling under the oppressive effects of inflation, unemployment, and the inaccessibility of basic government services like affordable medical services, good schools, and stable infrastructure, the sight of government-sponsored diplomatic missions passing off as international pleasure tours has been nothing less than a sick joke. How India’s Diplomats Betray the People Such foreign trips, especially those organized under the banner of the now-notorious, Pahalgam Diplomatic Mission have revealed the empty-headedness of the political class, especially those backed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
What is actually needed is that instead of being actual diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting India on the international scene or protecting and promoting its national interests, these missions have turned into an over-glorified travel agency paid in full at the expense of the hard-earned money of Indian tax payers. The Indian population, that sweats day and night to earn its daily bread in the face of ever-increasing living expenses, is expected to foot the bill of these grandiose overseas trips, which bring no quantifiable gain to the country but unlimited fun and games to the elite few who get to make these trips. Such abuse of tax payer money highlights not only extreme unethical issues, but also indicates the wide gap of disconnect between the ruling political clique and the real needs and desire of the common man, who wants his or her politicians to solve pressing issues at home and not travel the world in luxury at the name of diplomacy.
These so-called diplomatic entourages are synonymous to misuse of power and government funds. Instead of considering the development of strategic partnerships, the solution of geopolitical issues, or the encouragement of foreign investment, which are valid objectives of any international mission, such trips seem to be more about music nights, sightseeing, cultural entertainment, and personal amusement. The images and the accounts that come out of such tours are distressing, to say the least, of diplomats and politicians partying in luxury hotels, having musical nights out, and being photographed ad nauseam without actually attempting to meaningfully interact with foreign leaders, diplomats, or stakeholders.
The substantive diplomatic achievements have been substituted by the carefully staged photographs, selfies at the world-famous spots, and the coverage of the casual social events. Such pleasure trips not only show disrespect to the intelligence of Indian people, it also portrays a very unserious and unprofessional view of Indian diplomacy to the rest of the world. As the countries of the globe watch such antics being played, they can scarcely be expected to take either the diplomatic overtures or the geopolitical narratives of India seriously, and this too chips away the little credibility and influence that India is trying to exert upon the world stage. What is even more depressing about this whole farce is the conduct and attitude of those very diplomats and politicians who when in India or speaking in international forums, portray India as a country which is repeatedly fallen prey to terrorism, cross-border aggression and international conspiracies.
Their dire stories of national oppression and impervious worldwide treatment appear as empty acts in front of their cheery carefree shows on foreign soil. Their behaviour is not even remotely marked by humility, regret and urgency all of which one would be tempted to expect on the part of officials of a country beset by internal strife as well as external challenges. Rather, they are full of entitlement and leisure, enjoying luxury that is inaccessible to millions of other inhabitants of their country. Such gap between the rhetoric and the reality has not been escaped the attention of the domestic critiques or the foreign ones, who gradually begin to see the incoherence and the lack of conviction in India diplomatic messaging. These same diplomats who want the world to sympathize with the geopolitical situation of India act overseas as though they are on holiday, not on a serious statecraft mission and such a contradiction removes whatever diplomatic capital India may be aspiring to accumulate.
The fact that prominent political leaders like Shashi Tharoor and Asaduddin Owaisi have taken part in this unsavoury scene has further mired the issue in controversy. A former United Nations official who was once a serious and respected diplomat and had an illustrious career at the United Nations, Tharoor has become a subject of laughter by singing off-key at official receptions on these trips. Such weird incidents, which were recorded and are going viral on the social media, have brought up eyebrows on the political spectrum and questioned the attachment of Tharoor to the decorum and solemnity that the diplomacy requires.
The behaviour of Asaduddin Owaisi, who has made his political career out of religious leadership and defending the rights of minorities, is equally confusing. The way he seems to indulge in the music and leisure part of these journeys leaves one wondering whether he regards these missions as spiritual retreats or national interest advancement avenues. What is more, the involvement of such big names in such a light-minded activity during official travel points to the rot of purpose that has set in these tax payers funded foreign trips and poses awkward doubts about the moral navigator of the political elite in India.
And what has been the concrete diplomatic result of these expensive, worldwide jet-setting delegations? The truth, alas! seems to be, “Nothing of importance.” India has not been able to secure fresh international sympathy or backing on the critical issue of Kashmir, for instance, which has been one of the fundamental issues in India foreign policy over the decades. International community is mostly silent or reserved and is not willing to take either side or blindly believe what India is saying.
On the same note, India has been trying repeatedly to develop Pakistan as the centre of terrorism but this has been faced with doubt in other countries because most countries want to remain balanced or neutral and they are not ready to isolated Islamabad without any solid evidence. Such failures indicate that the diplomatic narrative of India is failing to sell in the world stage and this has been worsened by the fact that such foreign trips are being done in an unprofessional and non-serious way. Instead of making any alterations to the international perception about India, the delegations have only helped to cement the view that India does not have a serious, coherent and strategic foreign policy.
In the influential international forums where diplomacy could decisively be played, either at the United Nations, international summits or in multilateral forums, Indian delegations have in the recent past been reduced to mere spectators and are being thrashed about. Rather than arranging the necessary bilateral meetings and strategic alliances or economic agreements on trade, these delegations have been grabbing headlines due to all the wrong reasons: photo sessions, cultural performances and infinite social events that hardly involve actual diplomacy. The foreign governments and international observers look at these antics and reach the logical conclusion: Indian diplomatic missions have turned into an exercise in self-promotion and leisure, as opposed to being representative of national interest. Such a perception not only does damage to the image of India but also diminishes its leverage on key issues in international negotiations, whether in the trade or security cooperation.
The personal example demonstrated by Shashi Tharoor in such missions shows the more intellectual confusion that afflicts the political class in India. In one rather humiliating example, Tharoor went up to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an international event, wherein he declared him to be better than the former presidents of America, even though he is a member of the Congress Party, which violently criticizes Modi back home. This blatant contradiction not only brings Tharoor under the accusations of hypocrisy but also points to the direction of the chaotic and fragmented Indian political messaging to the outside world.
As long as the leaders are unable to hold the same positions on international scene, foreign powers will be unable to comprehend, leave alone trusting, Indian diplomatic motives. This contradiction merely serves to undermine India during talks and farces of its attempts at influencing the international opinion.
In the meantime, the immense boasts of diplomatic achievement which these delegations have been making crumble to pieces under the mildest examination. The success of such missions is lauded by government press releases and official statements about new partnerships, increased cooperation, and improved relations in places like France, Indonesia and Colombia. But these alleged successes have not produced any tangible results in terms of trade arrangements, defence cooperation or any meaningful diplomatic support. In fact, on the reported 35-country tour, no host country major political figure is known to have met formally or substantially with the Indian delegation. Instead of achieving diplomatic dividends, these trips have ended up in false declarations and confusing media stunts to the domestic audience instead of actual international outreach. Such a cynical ploy might play well with some of the voters back home but it hurts India further in the eyes of foreign diplomats and world leaders who demand seriousness and substance, not show business.
The overall consequence, as it were, of the continuing drama of the BJP-sponsored foreign delegations is a disturbing and destructive phenomenon in Indian politics: the abuse of state authority and the exchequer in the cause of partisan self-promotion instead of the service of nation. The elected representatives of the common people of India are busy flying around the world in luxury and style, while back home the common people are still reeling under difficult economic conditions, social inequality and an unclear future. Such a betrayal of the people credentials not only rebukes democracy but also puts India in a position to emerge weaker, isolated and less admired in the global platform. Until this slippery slope is arrested, until Indian diplomacy goes back to being serious, purposive and result-oriented, which it desperately needs, the country will run the risk of turning into a laughingstock at the very international forums where it wants to be recognized, counted and respected. In the meantime, these delegations have been a costly, mortifying reminder of the distance between the political elite of India and her long-su