The subtle art of influence: We must leverage India's soft power

We can potentially hold sway across the world through all that makes our country so attractive

- HARSH GOENKA

India is no longer knocking on the doors of global influence—we're being invited in. Whether it's at G20 summits, the Met Gala, or Silicon Valley boardrooms, the world is looking at India with newfound admiration. Yes, our economic growth is impressive, but what will truly define our global legacy is something less tangible, yet infinitely more enduring—our soft power.

Soft power, as defined by Joseph Nye, is the ability to shape global preferences not through force or finance, but through attraction. Think Hollywood, Harvard and hamburgers. Think K-pop, kimchi and Korean skincare. India's version? It's not manufactured in strategy rooms—it flows organically. Our strength lies in our people, our stories and our soul. And that soul—rich with centuries of thought, art and philosophy—is finally finding its rightful audience. There is a quiet pride in the way India is stepping forward: not with fanfare, but with timeless flair.

Take cinema. Bollywood has long dazzled global audiences with its colour, drama and emotion. But if we want to truly export Indian cinema, we must move from masala to meaningful.

RRR showed us what's possible. When we invest in production quality and universal themes, the world watches. Our regional cinema, from Kerala to Maharashtra, is a goldmine of storytelling. With the right subtitles, global distribution and festival presence, we can elevate Indian narratives to a global stage.