The catastrophic second wave of COVID-19 in India has not just crushed the country’s creaking health infrastructure and exposed the Modi government’s mismanagement of precautions against the pandemic, it has also raised questions on New Delhi’s role as a dependable partner. As a nation with big power aspirations, India aims to project itself as a responsible power able to provide leadership and help out smaller nations during crises. “The message going out since the second wave is clear: India cannot deliver. This is a chronic problem of India’s foreign policy—we are good at making promises, but when it comes to delivery we are found wanting,” says S.D. Muni, an expert on South Asia.
Many neighbours like Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka are now scrambling for vaccines, with New Delhi having stopped exports following the massive surge. The roll-out schedule of all three nations has had a setback, as vaccines worldwide are in short supply. These countries had signed contracts with the Serum Institute of India for the...
