Shashi Tharoor: Why nations should pursue “soft” power

India is fast becoming a superpower, says Shashi Tharoor — not just through trade and politics, but through “soft” power, its ability to share its culture with the world through food, music, technology, Bollywood. He argues that in the long run it’s not the size of the army that matters as much as a country’s ability to influence the world’s hearts and minds.

Indian restaurants in Britain employ more people than the coal mining, ship building and iron and steel industries combined. So the empire can strike back!

–Shasi Tharoor