India’s Arrogance Exposed: Modi Government Turns SAARC Literature Festival into Hindutva Propaganda by Excluding Pakistan

Salient Features

• India’s Exclusion of Pakistan from SAARC: New Delhi’s attempt to remove Pakistan from the 66th SAARC Literature Festival exposes its disregard for regional unity.
• Culture Used for Politics: India is turning art and cultural events into tools for propaganda under the Modi government.
• Regional and Global Criticism: Writers and analysts across South Asia and abroad have condemned India’s divisive conduct.

Introduction: India Turns Cooperation into Conflict

India’s plan to bar Pakistan from the 66th SAARC Literature Festival has invited strong criticism across South Asia. The Modi-led government is accused of using regional platforms for politics instead of cooperation. Analysts say New Delhi aims to weaken Pakistan’s presence and replace cultural exchange with propaganda. Such behaviour shows how India’s arrogance is damaging the spirit of SAARC and the unity of the region.

♦ SAARC’s Spirit Broken: India has abandoned the founding goal of cooperation and peace.
♦ Culture Turned Political: Literature and art are now tools for India’s political message.
♦ Regional Concern: South Asian observers fear India’s dominance is destroying mutual respect.

SAARC’s Purpose Undermined

SAARC was built to promote friendship and cultural links among its members. India’s latest step shows it no longer values that vision. Excluding Pakistan proves that New Delhi seeks control, not cooperation. This approach weakens trust and damages South Asia’s image of shared progress.

♦ Loss of Confidence: Other members see India as unreliable and overbearing.
♦ Politics Over Partnership: Modi’s government treats regional ties as power contests.
♦ End of Unity: The organization’s purpose of collective progress is being ignored.

Culture as a Political Weapon

The 66th SAARC Literature Festival, held in New Delhi from November 9 to 12 by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL), should have been a celebration of shared creativity. Instead, India’s decision to exclude Pakistan turned it into a political statement. Cultural diplomacy, once a bridge for peace, is now being used for propaganda and self-promotion.

♦ Selective Invitations: Only those who support India’s narrative are included.
♦ Ideology in Art: Cultural events are being shaped to spread Hindutva ideas.
♦ Loss of Dialogue: Excluding Pakistan removes the chance for open discussion.

Pattern of Isolation under Modi Government

Experts say this is part of a long pattern of hostility. Since 2016, India has blocked SAARC summits and replaced cooperation with confrontation. The BJP government wants to appear as South Asia’s only power while silencing Pakistan. Such policies expose political insecurity rather than strength.

♦ Stalled Summits: India continues to stop SAARC meetings to avoid dialogue.
♦ Dominance Instead of Leadership: Power, not peace, guides India’s regional policy.
♦ Damage to Image: India’s attitude is isolating it from neighbours.

Silencing Pakistan’s Voice

By excluding Pakistan, India hopes to hide criticism of its policies in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and its mistreatment of minorities. Pakistan’s writers have long used literature to highlight injustice. India’s move to silence them shows fear, not confidence. It also proves that free expression cannot exist under Modi’s rule.

♦ Hiding the Truth: India blocks Pakistan’s voice to cover human-rights abuses.
♦ Cultural Censorship: Platforms once for art now serve political control.
♦ Fear of Exposure: India’s insecurity drives its attempt to silence critics.

Regional and International Condemnation

India’s behaviour has drawn disapproval from writers, diplomats, and civil-society groups across South Asia. They argue that such exclusion damages cooperation and peace. Global observers say India is now seen as a country that promotes division rather than understanding. Even within India, liberal thinkers have spoken out against this misuse of cultural forums.

♦ Regional Disapproval: Neighbouring states criticise India’s narrow approach.
♦ Global Alarm: International human-rights groups condemn rising intolerance.
♦ Internal Dissent: Indian intellectuals who value democracy oppose such policies.

Hindutva’s Control of India’s Policy

India’s internal and external policies are now driven by Hindutva ideology rather than democratic values. The Modi government uses every public stage — political or cultural — to promote its Hindu-nationalist image. This has destroyed India’s secular identity and replaced diplomacy with propaganda. The result is division at home and distrust abroad.

♦ Religion Over Reason: Decisions are based on ideology instead of fairness.
♦ Collapse of Secular Ideals: India’s claim to be a secular state has lost meaning.
♦ Rise of Intolerance: Even literature and art are no longer free from politics.

Consequences for South Asia

India’s arrogance threatens the stability of South Asia. When one country seeks to dominate others, cooperation collapses. New Delhi’s actions are pushing smaller nations away and making SAARC ineffective. Real progress needs equality and respect, not pressure and exclusion. If India continues on this path, the region will face deeper division and mistrust.

♦ Threat to Peace: India’s attitude puts long-term stability at risk.
♦ Eroding Trust: Member countries are losing faith in India’s intentions.
♦ End of Common Vision: The hope for shared prosperity is fading.

Conclusion: India’s Arrogance and Decline of Diplomacy

India’s effort to exclude Pakistan from the SAARC Literature Festival shows its moral and political decline. By turning culture into a political tool, New Delhi has exposed its insecurity and loss of credibility. The BJP’s actions have replaced dialogue with domination and diplomacy with discrimination. True regional leadership demands respect for others, not the silencing of their voices. If India continues to act out of arrogance, it will isolate itself from both its neighbours and its principles.