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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

India's multi-align diplomacy triumphs

New Delhi: West Asia has transformed into a battlefield rained by fireballs. Seas or land, everywhere echoes the roar of cataclysmic explosions, flickering flames, and swirling smoke clouds. et amid such adversity, Indian ships boldly waving the Tricolour navigate the strait undeterred, entering the Arabian Sea. More remarkably, Iran has sealed its airspace to global flights but opened it for the safe evacuation of Indians.   This scene evokes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's memorable 2014...

India's multi-align diplomacy triumphs

New Delhi: West Asia has transformed into a battlefield rained by fireballs. Seas or land, everywhere echoes the roar of cataclysmic explosions, flickering flames, and swirling smoke clouds. et amid such adversity, Indian ships boldly waving the Tricolour navigate the strait undeterred, entering the Arabian Sea. More remarkably, Iran has sealed its airspace to global flights but opened it for the safe evacuation of Indians.   This scene evokes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's memorable 2014 interview. He stated that "there was a time when we counted waves from the shore; now the time has come to take the helm and plunge into the ocean ourselves."   In a world racing toward conflict, Modi has proven India's foreign policy ranks among the world's finest. Guided by 'Nation First' and prioritising Indian safety and interests, it steadfastly embodies  'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' , the world as one family.   Policy Shines Modi's foreign policy shines with such clarity and patience that even as war flames engulf West Asian nations, Indians studying and working there return home safe. In just 13 days, nearly 100,000 were evacuated from Gulf war zones, mostly by air, some via Armenia by road. PM Modi talked with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian to secure Iran's airspace for the safe evacuation of Indians, a privilege denied to any other nation. Additionally, clearance was granted for Indian ships carrying crude oil and LPG to pass safely through the Hormuz Strait. No other country's vessels are navigating these waters, except for those of Iran's ally, China. The same strategy worked in the Ukraine-Russia war: talks with both presidents ensured safe corridors, repatriating over 23,000 students and businessmen. Iran, Israel, or America, all know India deems terrorism or war unjustifiable at any cost. PM Modi amplified anti-terror campaigns from UN to global platforms, earning open support from many nations.   Global Powerhouse Bolstered by robust foreign policy and economic foresight, India emerges as a global powerhouse, undeterred by tariff hurdles. Modi's adept diplomacy yields notable successes. Contrast this with Nehru's era: wedded to Non-Aligned Movement, he watched NAM member China seize vast Ladakh territory in war. Today, Modi's government signals clearly, India honors friends, spares no foes. Abandoning non-alignment, it embraces multi-alignment: respecting sovereignties while prioritizing human welfare and progress. The world shifts from unipolar or bipolar to multipolar dynamics.   Modi's policy hallmark is that India seal defense deals like the S-400 and others with Russia yet sustains US friendship. America bestows Legion of Merit; Russia, its highest civilian honor, Order of St. Andrew the Apostle. India nurtures ties with Israel, Palestine, Iran via bilateral talks. Saudi Arabia stands shoulder-to-shoulder across fronts; UAE trade exceeds $80 billion. UN's top environment award, UNEP Champions of the Earth, graces India, unlike past when foreign nations campaigned against us on ecological pretexts.   This policy's triumph roots in economic empowerment. India now ranks the world's fourth-largest economy, poised for third in 1-2 years. The 2000s dubbed it 'fragile'; then-PM economist Dr. Manmohan Singh led. Yet  'Modinomics'  prevailed. As COVID crippled supply chains, recession loomed, inflation soared and growth plunged in developed countries,  Modinomics  made India the 'bright star.' Inflation stayed controlled, growth above 6.2 per cent. IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas praised it, advising the world to learn from India.

Skyward Leap

Mumbai’s airspace is set for a long-overdue transformation with the forthcoming inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a facility whose promise has lingered on planning boards and construction sites for over a decade. At last, India’s financial capital will have a second gateway capable of rivalling some of Asia’s best airports.


The first phase of NMIA is designed to handle 20 million passengers annually, alongside 500,000 metric tonnes of cargo. This will relieve chronic congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), which has long groaned under the weight of both domestic and international flights. By 2032, when all five planned phases are complete, NMIA will boast the capacity for 90 million passengers and 3.2 million metric tonnes of cargo, cementing its role as a central hub in India’s aviation network.


Travelers will notice the airport’s emphasis on seamless experience. Passengers from Ahmedabad, Surat, or Hyderabad connecting to international flights will now clear immigration at NMIA itself, much as they would in Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Singapore Changi. Officials have stressed that the model prioritises the ‘AtmaNirbharta’ (self-reliance) shibboleth. Indian carriers, not foreign airlines, will dominate these routes, ensuring that the airport serves as a launchpad for domestic carriers rather than a feeder for global hubs.


The design of Terminal 1 reflects both ambition and sensibility. Inspired by the lotus, it allows abundant natural light and incorporates sustainable construction practices. A fast baggage system, automated check-in kiosks, and modern aesthetics underline that this is not merely an expansion of capacity but an upgrade in passenger experience. By the time NMIA reaches Phase 5, it will house four more terminals capable of handling an additional 70 million passengers per year, an audacious bet on India’s continued aviation growth.


The airport is, in a sense, a symbol of persistence and policy continuity. For years, NMIA was delayed by land disputes, regulatory hurdles and coordination challenges between central and state authorities. Its inauguration marks not just a technical achievement but a lesson in the political will required to see megaprojects to fruition. The public-private partnership model led by Adani Airports has finally delivered what multiple administrations had promised but could not realise.


The government must now ensure that this momentum is not lost. NMIA’s success should be a clarion call to expedite other critical infrastructure projects in Mumbai, particularly the metro system. The final phase of Mumbai Metro Line 3, connecting Worli to Cuffe Parade, is expected to be inaugurated around the same time as NMIA. Both projects, once operational, could reshape urban mobility in India’s most congested metropolis, linking air and land transport in ways that have long been needed.


India’s cities have long struggled with bottlenecks in transport and logistics. A single airport does not make a metropolis. The next challenge for policymakers is to ensure that the city’s roads, railways and metro lines keep pace. Only then will Mumbai’s leap skyward be complete.

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