Consumer brands can be seen as an extension of “soft power” which political scientist Joseph Nye broadly defined as a nation’s ability to attract and persuade rather than coerce. In this respect, India certainly has an advantage over China which does not have strong private sector brands in the consumer space, except perhaps in electronics.

Bollywood fever is sweeping Africa's political capital, with a week-long festival of 14 films, including blockbusters like Sholay and 3 Idiots, enthralling cinegoers.

The programme on May 21 here was yet another feather in the hat of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi which has in the last two years unleashed cultural diplomacy. The cultural diplomacy has seen holding of a first-ever Bangladesh Film Festival in the Indian capital a year ago and screening of films by directors like Zahir Raihan.

It is often been said that no diplomacy is complete without a good measure of food diplomacy. At the ongoing India-Africa summit here, India threw a lunch comprising mouth-watering vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies to 15 heads of state and other delegates whose food habits are as exotic as it could get.

India may have certain soft-power advantages, including its Bollywood film industry as well as widespread English fluency and a history of living under British colonial rule that it shares with many African countries. There is also a significant Indian diaspora in Africa.

Across Africa, India is reaching out with a generous mix of aid, education and technology transfers it hopes will pay rich dividends in the global scramble for natural resources.

Soft power of soap operas Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi... and a hospital and a road would supposedly transform the country into an Indian state–never mind the fact that Bharat does not have a contiguous border with Afghanistan and never mind the fact that the Afghans (with or without the Taliban) are ferociously Anti-Indian and vociferously Anti-Hindu...

At the heart of public diplomacy is a commitment on the part of nation-states to open up, reach out and engage people globally. People are the ultimate beneficiaries of all public diplomacy efforts being made by a few key countries.