If Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi can revive a faltering economy, as his people clearly believe he can, India may finally be able to deal with overseas allies, foes and rivals from a position of strength.
Elections are won and lost on domestic issues, and the 2014 ballot, in which Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a resounding victory in results Friday, was no exception. But the Hindu nationalist's focus on reviving a flagging economy will also feed through into foreign policy issues ranging from regional security to trade.
"If the country looks strong, then even its companions will change, neighbors will change and the atmosphere will change," Modi, 63, said in a recent TV interview.