India

NEW DELHI: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi bids for reelection, his party has said his skillful diplomacy on the world stage has increased India´s global stature and brought in a flood of investment.  

But what exactly have PM Modi´s foreign travels achieved? With 92 trips to 57 countries since coming to power in May 2014, Modi has flown abroad nearly twice as much as his predecessor Manmohan Singh in five years.  

While Modi´s visits have won praise from supporters for boosting India´s global profile, the costs associated with them — and the optics of traveling abroad so often in a country where many farmers are struggling — have triggered some criticism. The main opposition Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Modi of ignoring problems at home.  

A closer look at Modi´s trips show that while some have yielded vague agreements that may not develop into anything substantial, doubters may still be exaggerating the negatives. Summit meetings accounted for roughly a third of Modi´s visits. And his arrival in each foreign capital made a symbolic statement about New Delhi´s world outlook.  

Record FDI :

Foreign direct investment into India in Modi´s first term amounted to $193 billion, 50 percent more than the preceding five years.   At the same time, despite a high-profile push to generate jobs through manufacturing, much of the FDI has continued to flow into India´s services and capital-intensive industries, not labor-intensive ones.  

Energy security :

Under Modi, India started purchasing crude and liquefied natural gas cargoes from the US for the first time. In the last five years, he struck deals from Russia to the Middle East securing oil assets for India. He got the world´s biggest oil exporter Saudi Aramco to agree to invest in India´s largest oil refinery, and the UAE to fill up strategic oil reserves, reducing the strain on state finances.  

 Big projects :

Modi has tried to tap a number of countries for strategic projects, which has occasionally brought him political grief.  

After making the first-ever visit to Israel by an Indian premier, Modi has continued to seek advanced defense and water technology from Tel Aviv. With Japan, India is building a bullet train in Modi´s native Gujarat state — although the slow pace of land acquisition has led to criticism.  

Soft power :

Modi has tried to use his trips to bolster India´s global image as an investment destination and a rising global power. He´s addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos and the Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore.