When schoolgirls are killed in an age of precision bombing, a terrifying low point has been reached. That this tragedy in Iran followed the widespread killing of innocents in Gaza only speaks of a trend. It should be a matter of concern that the Indian government has not found the moral strength to condemn these pogroms though Indians generally find them abhorrent. Diplomacy is cited as the reason for the silence. But India’s place is not with Israel and the US. It is in the Global South where its leadership is sought. An India without the self-confidence to speak up can surely only be on the way down.
Governments and corporations know to flatter to deceive when they seek to expand their economic influence. It is in the interests of countries like India not to succumb to manipulation while engaging at the same time. The future of countries in the Global South lies in standing up for values of equity, justice and peace that will allow them to develop.