From The Kashmir Move To Citizenship Act, Has India's Image Been Damaged Globally?

Over the last five months, India has made international headlines in ways that would not please New Delhi. First, there was the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August. A decision that most major world powers did not comment on leaving it as an internal matter of India. But New Delhi's lockdown in the Valley and the continued detention of political leaders and the Internet ban have drawn criticism from several foreign capitals and major newspapers around the world. Jammu and Kashmir was already in focus and then the Modi government went ahead with the controversial Citizenship Act. In the last few weeks, the negative international press has only magnified. Leading newspapers like The Washington Post, The New York Times and the Financial Times have written strong editorials questioning India's democratic credentials. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar famously said his reputation is not decided by a newspaper in New York, but is that bravado? Or does the Modi government really not care about what the international community thinks? India's biggest strength on the world stage has been its democracy and pluralism but today, has that image of India been damaged?