Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday, June 19, 2026, took to X to mark 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, asserting that India has significantly strengthened its identity on the world stage under the guiding principle of 'Rashtra Pratham' — Nation First.

In his post, Saini wrote that through a 'strong foreign policy, growing trade relations, historic agreements and global cooperation,' India today plays an effective and influential role among the world's major powers and is scripting new chapters of development. The post was accompanied by a video, underscoring the BJP's broader campaign to highlight a decade-plus of governance milestones.

Context

The post comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party marks 12 years in power at the Centre, a period that began with Narendra Modi taking oath as Prime Minister in May 2014. Senior party leaders and chief ministers across BJP-ruled states have been amplifying a unified message on the government's foreign-policy record. Saini, who leads Haryana, is among those lending state-level voice to what is a nationally coordinated communication effort.

Policy Backdrop

Since 2014, the NDA government has pursued a foreign-policy doctrine built around multi-alignment — deepening ties simultaneously with the United States, Russia, and Indo-Pacific partners while avoiding binding alliances. Landmark initiatives such as the Neighbourhood First and Act East policies were launched in the early years to prioritise regional engagement.

India's hosting of the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023 was widely seen as a high-water mark for the government's diplomatic ambitions, positioning the country as a bridge between the Global South and advanced economies. Bilateral agreements such as the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and expanded participation in groupings like BRICS, the Quad, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have formed the architecture of this outreach.

Stakeholders and Impact

The narrative of an assertive, globally respected India resonates strongly with BJP's voter base, which has consistently rewarded the party for projecting national pride and strategic confidence. Diplomatic officials and trade partners who have engaged with India over this period point to a more structured and ambitious negotiating posture from New Delhi compared to earlier decades.

For ordinary citizens, the practical dividends have included expanded bilateral trade corridors, faster consular services abroad, and India's growing voice in setting global development and climate agendas. Critics, however, argue that some of the headline agreements have yet to translate into measurable gains for workers and small exporters on the ground.

What's Next

India's engagement in forthcoming BRICS and SCO summits will be closely watched as tests of whether the multi-alignment strategy can sustain momentum amid shifting global geopolitics. New trade and defence agreements currently under negotiation — particularly with partners in Europe, the Gulf, and the Indo-Pacific — are expected to define the next chapter of India's foreign-policy story. As the ruling party continues to consolidate its 12-year record into an electoral and ideological narrative, posts like Saini's signal that foreign policy will remain a central pillar of the BJP's public messaging well into the coming election cycle.