PM Modi’s Global Power Play: A High-Stakes Tour Amidst Terror Tensions

Paromita Das
New Delhi, 17th June:  Reclaiming the Global Stage with Purpose

The roar of fighter jets in Kashmir had barely faded when Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped onto an Air India One flight, embarking on a whirlwind diplomatic tour that would span three continents in just five days. This wasn’t just another foreign trip. It was a calculated message—one written in the language of strategic alignment, national pride, and counterterrorism resilience.

Bharat had just executed Operation Sindoor, a swift, precise military response to the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam. The timing of Modi’s departure was deliberate. It told the world: Bharat doesn’t just mourn its dead—it responds, it rebuilds, and it reasserts its global presence. This tour—touching Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia—was as much about diplomacy as it was about defiance.

Cyprus: A Quiet Ally, Now Center Stage

PM Modi’s first stop was Cyprus, a nation whose support for Bharat has often gone under the radar but never unnoticed. After the Pahalgam attack, Cyprus not only condemned the violence in clear terms but also promised to raise Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism at EU platforms.

This visit, the first by an Bharatiya Prime Minister in over 20 years, gave Cyprus a louder microphone and Bharat a new strategic pivot in Europe. Talks with President Nikos Christodoulides focused on trade, digital partnerships, and defense cooperation. But the subtext was sharper: the shared commitment to counterterrorism, and the need for regional blocs like the EU to take a firmer stance against nations that export extremism.

Bharat’s engagement with Cyprus also anticipates the island nation’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026—a timely investment in future influence.

Canada: Diplomacy Meets Discomfort at the G7

If Cyprus was about solidarity, Canada was about confrontation—diplomatically masked, but unmistakably clear. Modi’s attendance at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis marked his sixth straight appearance at the elite gathering, a sign of Bharat’s undeniable influence in global policy-making.

But underneath the global camaraderie lies a sore point: Canada’s ambiguous handling of Khalistani separatism. Modi’s visit was about far more than global energy or AI policy—it was an assertion that Bharat will not tolerate political safe havens for anti-Bharat extremism, even under the guise of free speech.

Addressing the G7, Modi positioned himself not just as a representative of Bharat but as a voice for the Global South. He called out economic inequities, highlighted technology gaps, and pushed for a reformed multilateral order. In doing so, he reminded the West that developing nations must no longer be treated as spectators in global decision-making.

Croatia: A New Chapter in Europe

The final stop, Croatia, was historic. Never before had an Bharatiya Prime Minister set foot on its soil in an official capacity. That in itself was a signal of change.

Bharat and Croatia share cultural ties dating back centuries, but this visit transformed soft goodwill into tangible diplomacy. With President Zoran Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Modi explored new-age cooperation—quantum computing, AI, clean energy, and defense tech.

But this wasn’t just about bilateral gains. Croatia represents a lesser-tapped entry point into European influence—smaller in size, but significant in strategic positioning. Modi’s visit placed Croatia firmly on the map of Bharat’s expanding European strategy, diversifying away from traditional allies like France and Germany.

This Tour Wasn’t Just Optics—It Was a Recalibration

In my opinion, this tour marks a turning point—not in Bharat’s foreign policy, but in the assertion of it. Bharat no longer just engages with the world; it shapes its own global image. The juxtaposition of counterterror operations at home and diplomatic outreach abroad isn’t contradictory—it’s complementary.

Gone are the days when Bharat waited for the world’s sympathy after an attack. Today, it retaliates with precision and then tells its story at the highest diplomatic tables. Whether in cozy EU chambers or the tense air of a G7 Summit, the message remains consistent: Bharat will not be sidelined, silenced, or subverted.

A Tour Etched in Symbolism and Strategy

As the five-day tour concludes, what remains is not just a set of MOUs or photo ops—but a redefined narrative. Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia were not random stops. They were carefully chosen symbols of solidarity, scrutiny, and strategy.

Through Operation Sindoor, Bharat reminded the world of its military resolve. Through this tour, it reminded them of its diplomatic depth. In a world divided by ideology, terror, and imbalance, Bharat is forging its own axis—built on sovereignty, security, and strategic partnerships.

The world wasn’t just watching. It was taking notes.