What does it mean to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council? Here's what I think it means. It means that India would now be part of efforts to maintain democracy and peace in areas that seriously lack the two. It would mean that if there are military interventions to do the same anywhere in the world, India might have a say but will at all times have to act. India cannot anymore be diplomatic and not be vocal about its stand on international issues such as peace and human rights violations. Obama said with power comes responsibility. He spoke in length about Gandhi. All this to drive home the point that it's not just about having 8.5% GDP growth anymore or it's not going to be enough to command the kind of attention and respect we do now by just being economically one of the fastest economies of the world, but from now on we will have to play the role of an aggressive nation that believes through these kind of international partnerships, the world can be made better through actively leading the parts of the world that need to be led.
Phew! This sounds like a lot. These issues are inevitable but complex. It's not easy to be in the limelight. Upsetting people off at this stage would be trouble. It's time to get our priorities straight, it'll help us be a better leader globally. We can either lead and influence or we're not there in the big league. No more shying away, we need the world to know our opinions, our opinions will count. So what are our stands on Afghanistan, Israel, Iran, Burma and China ? Or is Pakistan all we care about? Or is Pakistan the reason we want to be in the UNSC? Will this limit our freedom of opinion or increase it? Or is it somewhere in the middle? Is it better then to have all the power and call the shots or is it better to handle the more complex situation where in the real world we have to share these spheres of influences with people sticking around for different reasons and interests and stakes.
Will we make more enemies or more friends? At what costs?
It is indeed an opportunity for us to show that we can be strong and put our feet down when we have to and that we have the right to do so now when it comes to security and peace. This is an opportunity like never before to officially become the leader of South and East Asia, that is very much needed if the region is to become together the region of the world's strongest economies.
"...with great power there must also be great responsibility..."
But India will now have to make choices that, get our priorities right and show that we need not only be about the problems but we can now be part of the solutions to the problems of the world.
"Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice. We can choose to be the best of ourselves. It's the choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what's right."
Our generation is officially the luckiest generation to be witnessing the most exciting times in the life of this great nation. And it's only just begun.
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