Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday, 19 June 2026, invoked the #12YearsOfIndiaFirst hashtag to mark what the ruling BJP frames as a transformational decade-plus in Indian foreign policy, asserting that the country has moved from hesitation to resolve on the world stage.

Context

Writing in Kannada, Minister Joshi declared: 'ಭಾರತದ ವಿದೇಶಾಂಗ ನೀತಿಯ ಪಯಣವು ಹಿಂಜರಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ದೃಢಸಂಕಲ್ಪದ ಕಡೆಗಿನ ಪರಿವರ್ತನೆಗೆ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿಯಾಗಿದೆ' ['India's foreign policy journey has witnessed a transformation from hesitation to firm resolve']. He described India today as the focal point of significant global discussions, building strong partnerships with various nations, shaping global agendas, and effectively championing the interests of the 'Global South'.

The post is part of a coordinated BJP communication exercise marking 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which came to power in May 2014. Senior party leaders across the country have been amplifying the #12YearsOfIndiaFirst hashtag to highlight what they describe as a decisive shift in India's international standing.

Policy Backdrop

Since 2014, Indian foreign policy has moved away from traditional non-alignment toward what analysts describe as 'multi-alignment' — cultivating simultaneous partnerships with the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the Gulf states without binding itself exclusively to any single bloc. This approach has been consistently branded as 'India First' in BJP's political messaging.

A landmark moment in the Global South narrative came during India's G20 presidency in 2023, when New Delhi successfully secured the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the grouping — a move widely seen as reinforcing India's claim to speak for developing nations. Earlier, in January 2023, India hosted the Voice of the Global South Summit to gather inputs from developing countries ahead of the G20 New Delhi Summit.

Stakeholders and Impact

The Global South framing carries significance for Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia, regions that have historically felt underrepresented in institutions such as the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods bodies. India's diplomatic positioning as a bridge between developed and developing nations has found receptive audiences in these groupings.

For the Indian diplomatic corps and the Ministry of External Affairs, the political messaging from senior cabinet ministers reinforces the government's broader push for multilateral reform — including a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council. Domestically, the Kannada-language post signals outreach to Karnataka, a key electoral state where Joshi is a senior BJP figure.

What's Next

India's participation in upcoming BRICS and G20 summits will be closely watched for continued emphasis on Global South priorities and possible new bilateral or multilateral initiatives. The #12YearsOfIndiaFirst campaign is expected to intensify through the coming weeks as the BJP marks the anniversary across platforms and states. Whether the political messaging translates into fresh policy announcements from the Ministry of External Affairs remains to be seen.