Nawaz Deobandi’s grim warning about the “spreading fire” and the folly of the silent spectator offers a befitting frame for today’s global strategic dilemma. It is the bedrock of a stable, predictable international system in which trade and lasting partnerships can thrive. Our economic engagements are deepened and made more resilient by an unwavering commitment to a just, rules-based global order. Preserving the international system that gives such agreements meaning and longevity should be our paramount strategic task. As a civilisational state, India will ultimately be judged by its willingness to choose principle over passivity when it matters most.

Source: Indian Express January 22, 2026 01:16 UTC