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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.

Will Shreyas Iyer Crawl Back into the Good Books?

Shreyas Iyer – the cricketing equivalent of that friend who keeps getting invited to parties but then spends the whole night awkwardly nursing a drink in the corner. Once hailed as India’s middle-order messiah, Shreyas has now become the poster boy for the BCCI selectors’ favorite pastime: the art of the inexplicable snub. As of September 2025, with the Asia Cup squad announcement still fresh like a bad breakup, one can’t help but wonder: will this talented batsman ever regain the favor of the Board of Control for Cricket in India?


Shreyas burst onto the scene in 2021 like a firecracker at Diwali – debuting in all formats, scoring fifties on debut, and even captaining the side in ODIs and Tests. It was the stuff of Bollywood dreams: the underdog rising to glory. But oh, how the selectors love a plot twist. By late 2023, after a string of back injuries and a batting slump that made his average look like a sad puppy’s face (187 runs in 12 Test innings at 17), he was unceremoniously dropped from the Test team. Drop number one: the classic “form dip” excuse. Fair enough, you might say – cricket’s a results game. But wait, there’s more!


Enter 2024, the year Shreyas decided to test the BCCI’s loyalty by prioritizing IPL and international commitments over domestic cricket. Big mistake. The BCCI, in a move straight out of a petty soap opera, stripped him of his central contract. Ignore number one (or drop number two, depending on how you slice it): no pay packet for you, Mr. Iyer! Fans were baffled – here was a guy who’d led India to victories, yet he was treated like he’d forgotten to bow to the selection committee. Ishan Kishan joined him in contract exile for similar “crimes,” but while Kishan clawed his way back, Shreyas spent months in the wilderness, probably wondering if he’d accidentally offended the cricket gods by choosing the wrong brand of bat.


Fast-forward to April 2025, and huzzah! Shreyas regains his Grade B central contract, a modest comeback that felt like being promoted from economy to business class – still not first, but better than steerage. Relief all around, right? Wrong. Just a month later, in May 2025, the selectors drop the hammer again: he’s omitted from the England tour squad after another lean patch. Drop number three: because apparently, one good domestic stint isn’t enough to erase the ghosts of past failures. At this point, Shreyas must be thinking, “Guys, I’m batting for KKR in IPL, scoring boundaries like it’s going out of style – what’s a man gotta do?” But no, the committee, led by the ever-enigmatic Ajit Agarkar, decided it was time for “fresh blood” or whatever euphemism they use for “we’re bored of you.”


And then, the pièce de résistance – or should I say, the snub de la snub – arrives in August 2025. Despite a stellar IPL 2025 where he smashed 604 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 175.07 (that’s code for “I’m on fire, selectors!”), Shreyas is left out of the Asia Cup squad. Drop number four, and this one’s a doozy. Fans exploded on social media, calling it “dirty politics” and “shame on BCCI.” Experts like Irfan Pathan backed him, saying there’s “no doubt” about his class, yet here he is, snubbed harder than a blind date who shows up in flip-flops. The omission was so shocking it made the list of “5 shocking exclusions,” right alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Shreyas himself broke his silence recently, admitting it’s “frustrating” – understatement of the century, buddy. Imagine training your life away, only to be told, “Nah, we’re good with the other middle-order options who… well, exist.”


So, tallying it up: at least four major drops or ignores in the last two years alone – from Tests in 2023, central contract in 2024, England tour in 2025, and now Asia Cup. That’s not a career; that’s a revolving door with a “No Entry” sign for Shreyas. The selectors seem to treat him like a yo-yo: up for a bit, then down faster than India’s stock market on a bad day. Is it form? Politics? Or just the BCCI’s way of keeping things spicy? One can’t help but chuckle at the irony – a player who’s captained India A multiple times (like the recent multi-day series against Australia A in September 2025, where he’s leading despite the snub) is somehow not “ready” for the big leagues. Meanwhile, rumors swirl of a possible Test comeback against West Indies. Oh, joy – another chance to be dropped!


(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

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