The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, choosing to discuss his assessment of his recent meeting with the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be cited by cheerleaders of India’s ruling regime as proof of the nation’s status as vishwaguru. The goal of occupying a position of global prominence is not undesirable. But the reality is that a string of recent events — Mr Trump’s lack of hesitancy to whiplash New Delhi with punitive tariffs is one example — has shown that India still awaits its seat at the global high table. What New Delhi should prioritise at this moment of international churn is addressing the challenges on the security and the economic fronts. The tests, in these two terrains, are numerous. The rise of a particularly antagonistic army chief in Pakistan means that mischief on the western border may multiply in the coming days. On the east, ties with Bangladesh have nosedived since the change of government in Dhaka. The shadow of China looms large as ever, not just on India’s borders but also in the Indo-Pacific region. What would add to New Delhi’s worries is Mr Trump’s whimsical — nay imperious — conduct that threatens to undermine decades of progress in a pivotal bilateral relationship. There are clouds over the economic realm as well. The Indian economy is showing signs of slowing down with cuts in forecasted rates of growth. The inability to create an adequate number of jobs — especially for the youth — rising inequality, tepid consumer demand, dips in personal savings, an ageing population and so on are some of the other areas of concern. An overcentralised approach, institutional funds crunch and poor learning outcomes, among other failures, haunt the education system; health indices are far from healthy; and there is growing strain on India’s pluralist social ethos. What these necessitate is a renewed commitment towards an equitable, humanitarian template of welfarism and holistic development.

These obstacles and the need to overcome them reveal an association that often goes under-reported in policy. International heft — the proverbial seat at the high table — is often contingent upon a nation’s ability to pass stern domestic tests, be they economic or strategic in nature. This means that India should look at its external and internal challenges seamlessly. The need of the hour, especially on the external front, is deft diplomacy that prioritises the national interest above the imperatives of blocs and coalitions. Optics cannot offer a way out of crises. What India requires is focus at home on economic and security challenges and diplomacy based on outcomes.