Dear Editor,
I am invited as a guest speaker at an international conference in New Delhi on October 24 at the prestigious India International Center. on India’s soft power in the Caribbean and leveraging the diaspora for mutual benefits in the region. All major powers use ‘soft power’ (like foreign aid or developmental assistance, culture and arts including cinema, museum, sports, language, architecture, scholarships, medicine, spirituality, cuisine, visits by leaders, etc.) in their foreign policy to influence other nations. It is a humanistic approach in conducting foreign policy with a goal of uniting citizens, businesses, and communities across countries in the pursuit of shared or common objectives.
The main objectives of soft power is to increase influence, boost trade, and enhance security. India, like USA and other global players, has also turned to soft power in its foreign policy going back to early years after independence (1947) and most recently by doling out rare vaccines to counter epidemic as when India gave out tens of millions of Covid 19 vaccines in 2021/22 to countries around the globe. Guyana and the Caribbean were beneficiaries. More and more Indians (from India) are employed in the region in the technical and medical fields. Indian companies are investing in the region. Cultural diplomacy, medical assistance, and other soft power can further enhance bilateral trade.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
