Promoting Human Rights as a Way of Improving Soft Power: The Case of India’s Caste-Based Discrimination at the United Nations

Tejal Khanna
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Tejal Khanna: Tejal Khanna teaches political science at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, GITAM (Deemed to be) University, Bengaluru campus. She has a doctorate degree from the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament (CIPOD), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She also has an MPhil and Master’s in International Politics from the same university. Her Research Interests include human rights, international organisations, foreign policy of India, United Nations, citizenship and statelessness.

India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 2024, vol. 80, issue 1, 101-116

Abstract: The ascendance of India as an economic power is well documented. This rising India has also focused on increasing its soft power and influence in international politics, especially through the dissemination of its values of ancient cultural heritage such as Buddhism, yoga and engagement with the diaspora. In the field of human rights as well, as a founding member of the United Nations (UN), India has participated in the framing of the Universal Declaration on the Human Rights and has signed various UN Human Rights Treaties and Conventions over the years. However, in the particular case of addressing caste discrimination, India has shied away from the international recognition of Dalit rights as human rights. Indian diplomats have continually opposed any internationalisation of caste-based discrimination and its linkage to racial discrimination at the global level, especially in the UN. In this scenario, how does the international community view India’s ascendance with respect to this issue? This article argues that India must play a leadership role in defending the rights of discriminated caste groups if it seeks to enhance its soft power credentials of being the largest democracy and demonstrate itself as a responsible power at the global level with respect to human rights issues. Furthermore, the norm that UN has tried to create of categorising caste discrimination as a form of racial discrimination cannot be strengthened without India’s support as India happens to be the most relevant state actor in this case.

Keywords: Caste discrimination; race; UN; India; soft power; human rights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:indqtr:v:80:y:2024:i:1:p:101-116

DOI: 10.1177/09749284231225826

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