India Is Rising — But Who Wants to See It Become Stronger?
When we look at India’s rapid ascent on the global stage today, it is easy to get swept up in the wave of economic optimism, technological breakthroughs, and rising geopolitical influence. However, beneath the gleaming narrative of growth lies a much more complex and sobering reality. Recently, India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, made a powerful and eye-opening statement during an address at the Lokmanya Tilak National Award ceremony in Pune, pointing out a hard truth that many prefer to ignore: not everyone wants to see a strong and prosperous India. In my view, this single statement serves as a vital wake-up call for every citizen, forcing us to look past our immediate comforts and confront the intense external and internal pressures testing our nation's sovereignty.
From my perspective, understanding what NSA Doval meant requires looking closely at how international power dynamics actually operate. For decades, Western powers and established global institutions dictated the terms of global trade, security, and diplomacy. As long as developing nations remained dependent or predictable, the status quo was maintained. But India's recent foreign policy stance has fundamentally rewritten these rules. We saw a prime example of this when European nations pressured India to halt Russian oil imports amidst the Ukraine conflict. Instead of bowing to pressure, India firmly asserted that Europe's problems are not automatically the world's problems, while global problems cannot be expected to be ignored by others. For the first time on such a scale, a powerful Western coalition encountered a self-assured, independent Indian voice that refused to play by external rulebooks.
Similarly, political circles in the United States have openly discussed avoiding repeating with India what they consider their past strategic miscalculation with China—essentially allowing another dominant geopolitical competitor to rise too quickly. This does not necessarily make these countries our direct enemies, but it highlights a harsh geopolitical reality. Major global stakeholders prefer a managed, slow-paced growth for India rather than the emergence of a fully independent superpower that can shape global agendas on its own terms.
Beyond external friction, Doval’s warning also sheds light on the internal vulnerabilities that pose an even greater threat to our progress. In an era where traditional warfare involving massive military force has become economically unviable and politically costly, modern adversaries have shifted toward fourth-generation warfare and civil society manipulation. As Doval previously pointed out, civil society has become a new frontier of conflict, where external and internal vested interests attempt to polarize societies, weaponize activism, and subvert national growth through internal division.
As someone observing this trajectory, I believe that the responsibility for safeguarding India's future lies heavily on our shoulders, especially the younger generation. Many of us grew up taking freedom, economic stability, and democratic rights for granted, assuming that national strength is a permanent default setting rather than a continuous struggle to maintain. True liberty is inextricably tied to national responsibility. If our actions, protests, or internal discords are manipulated to sabotage national interests, the ultimate cost will be borne by our own future generations.
The next decade or two represent a rare window of opportunity for India to cement its position as a global economic and strategic powerhouse. Navigating this crucial phase successfully requires us to move past superficial distractions, remain united in the face of external manipulation, and realize that a strong, secure India is the prerequisite for individual freedom and prosperity.
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