BEIJING: China's state-controlled Global Times has hailed India's significant economic, social and foreign policy progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An article in the Global Times pointed out that India gained strategic confidence during Modi's tenure.

The article titled 'Bharat Narrative' was written by Zhang Jiadong, the Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies at Fudan University, Shanghai. The article highlighted India's remarkable achievements over the past four years.

The article talks about India's strong economic growth, urban development and changes in international relations, including with China. India is now putting more emphasis on its export potential. The article also commended India's proactive approach to fostering a "Bharat narrative" and emphasised the nation's strategic confidence. According to the author, the shift reflected India's ambitions to escape its historical colonial shadow and position itself as a global influencer, politically and culturally.

The article further lauded India's foreign policy strategy under PM Modi, which highlighted the nation's multi-alignment approach and bolstered ties with major global powers like the US, Japan, and Russia while displaying a nuanced stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Highlighting India's strategic thinking in foreign policy, the article stated that it has undergone another change and is "moving towards a great power strategy".

"Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power, he has advocated for a multi-alignment strategy, promoting India's relations with the US, Japan, Russia and other countries and regional organisations," Zhang stated.

The article further noted that India has always considered itself a world power. However, it has only been less than 10 years since India shifted from multi-balancing to multi-alignment, and now it is rapidly transforming towards a strategy of becoming a pole in the multipolar world.

Concluding the article, the author wrote, "It appears that a transformed, stronger, and more assertive India had become a new geopolitical factor that many countries need to consider."