India claims to be a leader of the Global South – but its strategic silences subvert that assertion

"It's time for us to work together to give the Global South its rightful seat at the table," Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament earlier this month. This rallying cry, echoed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's assertion that India had "walked the talk" on amplifying the voice of the Global South during its G20 presidency in 2023, suggests a deep commitment to justice, equity, and solidarity among formerly colonised nations. Yet, beyond the stage-managed speeches and summit diplomacy lies a starkly contradictory reality. India's foreign policy under the Modi regime has demonstrated a troubling dissonance…