As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a visit to Ukraine via Poland, the focus will be on ending the Russia-Ukraine war. PM Modi once again delivered this powerful message against war from Warsaw, Poland. The world has multiple flash points, and international peace has taken a big hit in the last three years. The most devastating epidemic of COVID-19, the world should have devoted its energies to rebuilding from the huge losses of lives and livelihoods. Instead, from February 2022, Russia and Ukraine are waging a deadly war over more than 900 days with massive loss of lives and destruction of infrastructure and property. The visit of PM Modi provides a historic opportunity to end the war and usher in an era of international peace.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the world was largely unipolar, with the USA being the sole superpower and the international order hinged around its absolute supremacy. Then, Nine-Eleven happened in September 2001, and the world struggled with an unprecedented reign of terrorism in the Western world. While countries like India had coped with terrorism of one form or another right from the 1950s, the Western world took time to fight terrorism for more than a decade. But the Middle East has been under the shadow of terrorism for a long time, and the reach of terrorism has not spared Russia, South East Asia and the Far East. The world was used to fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, and in the most ironical sense, the terror group Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021. The UN Peacekeeping Forces are keeping a semblance of normalcy in Sudan and Congo in Africa.
“This is not an era of” -Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Poland
Nearer home, India continues to battle state-sponsored terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir. India’s North East has seen decades of insurgency and terrorism over the last six decades and finally are witnessing relatively peaceful times. But the rule of military junta in Myanmar and the recent coup in Bangladesh have brought back images of instability and uncertainty. Mind you, India and China are at a standoff in Eastern Ladakh, with more than 50,000 troops deployed in a mirror image opposite the LAC. The Chinese intervention in the South China Sea and threatening stance against Taiwan remain in the limelight. If all this was not enough, we have Israel waging a war against Hamas and all those who support Hamas and are opposed to Israel, fighting an existential battle since October last year.
So, this begs why the world has been in turmoil, with very little interludes of peace. The answer lies in most nations’ strong personalities at the helm. It may sound strange, but people worldwide have preferred strong leadership to shape their destiny. Individually, as a country, the choice may be correct. Still, collectively, amongst the comity of nations, it more often spells friction, uneasy truce, disturbed situations, and sometimes leads to war or warlike situations. In any kinetic or non-kinetic conflict, it is very difficult for the strong leadership to exhibit any climbdown because that spells disaster for the strong personality.
Another reason for the failure to maintain peace and order is the virtual collapse of international institutions like the UN and WHO. The United Nations is a pale shadow of the past and has been reduced to a virtual non-entity in the peace process. A clear bias was seen in the functioning of WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic, where it was seen as more interested in protecting the interests of a country widely believed to be the originator of the virus. Big organisations like Amnesty International are less effective. Even big media with great reputations in the past, like the BBC, are resorting to biased reporting. Under such circumstances, the world order looks more at those who wield power of any sort.
The emergence of the Deep State, composed of influential families, large corporations and business tycoons, is a new phenomenon that the world has to cope with. This clandestine group orchestrates key global events to disrupt the world with their immense political, economic and media clout to meet their vested interests. Simply put, a disturbed world order suits their narrative, and they wield even more power in such a scenario. A rising nation like India will likely face huge disruption through the deep state in multiple spheres. It is believed that they can even overthrow democratically elected governments with their deep pockets. The recent events in Bangladesh may be the handiwork of such a deep state.
The world has been in war or warlike situations for five years. It may not have been as violent as the Second World War (1939-1945), but the death, destruction and devastation are already of similar magnitude if we add the damage done by Climate Change. The common man has suffered the most in these tragic times. Unlike in the past, we do not have Vivekananda, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa with a sane voice and peace message. Therefore, the initiative for peace has to come through strong leaders with global standing.
I believe that humanity’s extremely serious challenges seize world leaders. A desperate nuclear attack can trigger a world war, which may threaten human existence itself. The rich and poor divide may lead to a social revolution that no police force could control. I understand that efforts are being made to overcome the crisis. The peace talks over the Israel-Hamas-Iran conflict to reach a ceasefire consensus is a positive development. Similarly, the US and Russia may have to reach some consensus to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Prime Minister Modi has been advocating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war for some time now. During his visit to Russia on July 24, PM Modi told Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is impossible on the battlefield. Putin also acknowledged the role of PM Modi in finding a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis. The current visit to Ukraine becomes even more significant in impressing the people and leadership of Ukraine about the futility of this war. More importantly, through this visit, PM Modi signals the US-led NATO nations to exhibit an accommodating stance.
The world urgently needs one success story in ushering in international peace. It could begin with ending the Russia-Ukraine war with a message for peace in other conflict zones. The deep state will not allow it easily, so a collective might of strong leadership would be needed. History will be very harsh to those who fail to rise now and usher in peace. PM Modi will be riding one of the critical diplomatic journeys when he travels by Train Force One from Poland to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. I sincerely pray that this train, also called the War Train, can navigate the complex geopolitical landscape and is a harbinger of lasting peace in the world.
