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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Simon Tisdall

A nagging doubt plagues world leaders wooing India: whose side is Narendra Modi really on?

Supporters of India's prime minister Narendra Modi wear masks of his face, as they attend an election campaign rally in Meerut, India, 31 March, 2024.
Supporters of India's prime minister Narendra Modi wear masks of his face, as they attend an election campaign rally in Meerut, India, 31 March, 2024. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters

Suddenly, everyone loves India. But it’s an affair, not a marriage. Whether it lasts depends on the consequences of this week’s watershed election. At stake are the credibility of Indian democracy and, potentially, the country’s future as a cohesive unitary state.

Courting India as a counterweight to China, the US is ardently pursuing a deeper security relationship. The EU hankers after a free trade pact. Countries ranging from Australia to Norway to the UAE have already forged bespoke deals.

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