For the West, the 'Indian century' may have already begun

Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ inscribed on the pillars outside Dehradun Airport. Photo: Rashmee Roshan Lall

In the minds of many Western writers and thinkers, the “ Indian century “ may have already begun, despite everything.

Despite the efforts of India’s BJP government to turn the country into a theocracy, an electoral autocracy, a one-party Hindu-desh (country) that relegates faith minorities to second-class status and tries to close down political opposition and media scrutiny.

What follows are two exhibits, one each from the UK and US and one piece of expert opinion from Japan. The Japanese commentary is important because along with India, Japan is emerging as the linchpin of US strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

Exhibit A is the BBC’s report on the April 20 verdict delivered by a court in Gujarat, home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a case about the 2002 Gujarat riots. Click here to read it.

Exhibit B is a March 23 opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) by Walter Russell Mead. It i…