When Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, the meeting itself is the message. Even if the two leaders do not sign a single agreement, they will still send a clear signal: India and Russia will not surrender their strategic autonomy in the face of pressure from the West.

For decades, Western capitals have viewed Eastern nations not as equal partners, but as resources to be tapped, shaped or co-opted. Japan’s post-war recovery was micromanaged by Washington. China’s entry into the global trading system was encouraged only as long as it served Western supply chains and cost structures. During the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Western institutions prescribed harsh reforms while ignoring the volatility created by their own capital flows.

The West’s approach is paternalistic. The East may rise, but only if it doesn’t........

© News18