Narrating the nation abroad

India's decision to send diplomatic envoys and delegates to various countries to explain its position on the recent combats with Pakistan and the terrorist attack that triggered them raises an important question: is this display of proactive diplomacy a mark of strength or a gesture of reassurance?

- GNS News Agency, May 27

On the surface, the move can be seen as a strategic effort to manage international perception, pre-empt misrepresentation, and reinforce India’s standing as a responsible global actor. Yet beneath that lies the more complicated reality of narrative legitimacy in a world where perception often outweighs fact, and international sympathy cannot be taken for granted. While much of the debate centres on the government's domestic strategy in selecting members of the delegation and the political calculations behind it, the more important questions ought to concern the necessity, effectiveness, and anticipated outcomes of such a move.In the contemporary global order, it is no longer sufficient to act with self-justified conviction; states must constantly perform their legitimacy before an audience of allies, media, and institutions. India’s outreach can certainly be viewed as part of this performance. It aims to convince the international community that its military response is calibrated, directed at non-state actors, and rooted in the imperative to defend its sovereignty against terrorism — not as a pretext for escalating an old and unresolved national rivalry. From this angle, the move reflects a calculated strength: a confidence that India’s case, if communicated properly, can take the moral high ground and secure international solidarity.But at the same time, the very need for such an extensive exercise points to an underlying legitimacy deficit. If India’s position were entirely beyond reproach or universally acknowledged, would such explanation tours be necessary? The fact that India must engage in diplomatic clarification suggests a concern that its actions might be misread, misframed, or lost in