One of the key tools he has used is soft power to position China as a responsible global power. Soft power, a term coined by Harvard University scholar Joseph Nye in 1990, describes the influence a nation exerts through its culture and values. This spending potential, channelised towards countries of strategic importance — China, Japan, Myanmar and Nepal — represents a tremendous lever of soft power for India. The recent Doklam standoff showed that India and China cannot afford another military conflict, and that it is preferable to exercise soft power for influence. Tourism has the potential to be a key lever in promoting our strategic interests and enhancing bilateral relations.

Source: The Hindu October 22, 2017 16:52 UTC