sugar and spice soft power
TRANSCRIPT
Sugar & SpiceIndia’s Soft Power: A Case Study
Asma Masood Chennai Centre for China Studies
What is Soft Power ?
• Joseph Nye (2004): “The ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payment”
Three Resources Of Soft Power
1.Culture
2.Foreign Policy
3.Values: DEMOCRACY---?
Brand Modi - . Brand India - ?•Public Relations Strategy: Perseverance, Hard work & Economic Prowess•Policymaking•Interest evoked by relatively new leadership
Superpower of Social Media
Most “Power Packed” Selfie
Twitter : •12 million + followers•Visual messages
Buddhism
•“Look East, Act East” + Bridge of Buddhism
•Ancient linkage
•Tibetan Dimension
Buddhist temple at Louyang, China: •Dedicated by India
•Materials from Kota, Jaisalmer
YogaWellness for the body …& bilateral ties
•Exercise is motivation, not spiritual leaning•Proof in numbers•Cost Factor
‘Brand India’ beckons Chinese businessmen
•Visas to Chinese businessmen: 4-fold increase to 60,000 (2004-2010)•Two-way Trade: USD 71 billion (2014) •21 Agreements: USD 22 billion (2015)•“China is Factory of the World”, “India is back office of the world”•E- visa: Criticism
Bollywood’s Charm Offensive
•3 Idiots: “Breached the Great Wall”- Rs. 11 crore•PK: USD 20 million
•China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) : 5 Indian films out of 34 foreign film/year•Kung Fu Yoga
POWER OF CELLULOID
Linguistics: Communicating Across Borders
• Boosts tourism • Breaks ice in the
boardroom • Centre for India Studies
at Peking University: 2003: India gave Rs.50 lakhs…Courses are oversubscribed!
• Chinese IT personnel travel to Bengaluru to pick up local lingo
• Complements Chinese learning curve
Fast Track Soft Power: Track II Dialogue
•Modi Visit: 'India-China Think Tanks Forum‘
1. The China Institute of Contemporary International Relations - IDSA
2. China Reform Forum - Aspen India
3. United Service Institution of India - China Institute for International Strategic Studies
4. Indian Council of World Affairs - Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs
•Bangladesh China India Myanmar Forum
•BCIM - EC
Diaspora Dividend
•45, 000 Indians in China
•Create local job opportunities
•Goodwill and brotherhood
•Twofold path of reporting on Indian scenario
•Modi visit: 'High Level Media Forum' Agreement between China & India
•Solution: Arrange field visits for Chinese state media
Managing the Chinese Media’s India Perspective
Why Has There Been a Gap in Promoting India’s Soft Power Strategy?
• Joseph Nye: Limits of soft power • 1962 war• Chinese media perception• Restrictions on release of Indian movies • Track – II : Recent success• Yoga: Price factor
The Future of India’s Soft Power in China
• ‘Spice’ Soft Power Institute• Mausam; Spice Route• Indian dance forms• Art• Media involvement; Social media• CSR• Sports• Address the challenge of soft power vs. hard
power
Creating SUPERBRAND INDIARECIPE FOR SUCCESS
• Harnessing the Diaspora dividend
• Improving Public Diplomacy
• Image building
• Customized content
• Collaboration between MEA and private advertising agencies
“All iz well!”