On July 2nd, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on his longest visit during his tenure—a 8-day trip to five countries: Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. This trip spanned across three continents, known as extending a hand of friendship to the global South, highlighting India’s desire to deepen its diplomatic and economic relations with countries often overlooked in traditional diplomatic pathways. However, despite the ambitious plan, its timing, depth, and long-term substantive content have raised questions.
The Global South is a loose grouping—primarily African, Asian, and Latin American nations—more closely linked by a shared postcolonial trajectory and economic aspirations than by formal institutional alliances. India has long positioned itself as a defender of this group, especially since hosting the “Voices of the Global South” online summit in 2023. Yet, transitioning from ambitious leadership to delivering tangible outcomes remains a formidable challenge.
It is noteworthy that this trip included some countries rarely featured on India’s diplomatic map. In Ghana, Modi will propose a digital cooperation initiative and establish a vaccine manufacturing center. However, in regions of China and the European Union also of interest, implementation remains a challenge.
Trinidad and Tobago presents another scenario. More than 40% of its population is Indian, descendants of contract laborers during the colonial era. While cultural diplomacy will showcase through Modi’s speeches in Spanish Town to parliament, critics argue that an approach focused on diaspora often lacks crucial follow-through in areas such as investment or technology cooperation.
In Argentina, India sees an opportunity to deepen bilateral relations with this country rich in lithium resources. Lithium is crucial for the global electric vehicle battery supply chain. Trade, mining, financial technology, and defense cooperation are expected to be the main topics of discussion.
However, the political turmoil under the totalitarian rule of Jawaharlal Nehru has raised doubts about the sustainability of this partnership.
One of the most notable stops on this journey was Brazil, where Modi will attend the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The BRICS countries have added six new members and are currently undergoing transformation. India supports reforms aimed at promoting local currency trade and expanding the global South’s representation in global institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. However, changes within the BRICS nations, especially China’s growing confidence, may limit India’s operations.
Namibia, the final stop, symbolizes India’s efforts to expand its digital technology and wildlife diplomacy. The launch of India’s UPI digital payment system and the re-evaluation of natural environmental protection demonstrate how the country combines financial technology with soft power in the environment. However, the progress made in the African Continent Free Trade Agreement and the increasing digital investment globally present challenges and opportunities for India’s late entry.
Despite Modi’s ambitious trip, India’s development cooperation projects are still smaller compared to China’s joint “Belt and Road” initiative. Although India frequently issues various declarations, its follow-up actions in infrastructure, trade facilitation, and capacity building initiatives often lag behind. Emphasizing cultural connections and the participation of diaspora is important, but critics caution that India is overly dependent on symbolism without a long-term economic plan.
Moreover, India claims to represent the global South, but sometimes it is weakened by internal contradictions. Civil society organizations in Africa and Latin America are increasingly noticing these issues, viewing development cooperation as a bidirectional relationship based not only on technology but also on values.
It is commendable that India is engaging with countries that have been overlooked by traditional diplomacy.
This visit lays the groundwork for strengthening partnerships in key minerals, digital public goods, vaccine production, and even climate governance. However, the test will be the depth of the system—whether India can sustain these efforts through trade agreements, research collaborations, and public-private partnerships.
The visit also sparked speculation about “Modiism 3.0,” a new version of India’s foreign policy that emphasizes global South solidarity, technology-led diplomacy, and reforms to global governance. Whether this doctrine can be realized and implemented after the summit remains an open question.
This article was published on July 2nd by the American Diplomatic Service website under the title “India Offers Hands of Friendship to Global South Countries: A Symbolic Solidarity or Strategic Transformation?” Authored by Kasim Hassan Khan, a professor at Almaty International University in Kyrgyzstan.