When the people speak in the world’s most populous nation, we win too

India’s 2024 election is a reminder of deep commitment to democracy by citizens of the world’s most populous country. From their first opportunity to vote after achieving independence in 1947, Indians have enthusiastically engaged in the electoral process.

While other former colonial countries have suffered periods of dictatorship, India has steadfastly maintained a commitment to popular election of leaders. Only Indira Gandhi’s 21-month emergency has come close to dismantling India’s democratic fidelity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets supporters as he arrives at Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday.Credit: AP

When Gandhi called an election in 1977, voters decisively demonstrated their dissatisfaction. Gandhi’s Congress party suffered an electoral wipeout and the prime minister found herself without a seat in parliament.

Two years after Winston Churchill was defeated as Britain’s prime minister in 1945, he said “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried”.

In India and other democracies, including Australia, are numerous examples of government’s losing, notwithstanding expectations of victory. The genius of democracy is that citizens, not corporations, pollsters or other experts get to decide the outcome.

Coalition governments have been the usual outcome of India’s elections. When Narendra Modi won office in 2019, he did so with an alliance of parties. He achieved a remarkable majority in India’s lower house, the Lok Sabha.

This year’s election sees a return of a BJP-led alliance. It’s a result that should see a continuation of Modi’s commitment to economic reform, engagement with the world and a continuation of India’s strategic efforts across the Indo-Pacific to deliver the Quad’s vision of a stable, prosperous and free neighbourhood.

It’s a positive outcome for Australia as we seek a free-trade deal with the world’s fastest-growing economy. India will be critical in delivering Australia’s goal of being a global renewable superpower. Its push for increased domestic manufacturing, especially in critical technologies, will provide much-needed competition for world markets.

The Modi government’s opening up of sectors of the Indian economy and its massive investment in infrastructure have already created opportunities for Australian investors and companies.

As Churchill reminded us, democracies aren’t perfect and many exhibit practices which concern others. This is as true for India as for countries such as Australia and criticism of the offshore detention and immigration policies pursued by both sides of Australian politics for the past two decades.

The return of an alliance government offers the hope of tempering the type of traditional political tactics which, at times, overshadow and detract from India’s remarkable transformation. Increasingly in recent times, these tactics have failed to deliver votes in India’s national and state elections, a development that may discourage their ongoing use.

The efforts of Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who has finally transformed India’s Congress party into the semblance of a functioning opposition, also bodes well for India’s future governance. For too long the party’s dynastic dysfunction has denied India the accountability and better outcomes voters deserve in a healthy democratic system.

This type of progress should help to reduce the India scepticism in business and government that too frequently dismisses the nation’s achievements and the opportunities and agency for good that it offers in dealing with an increasingly challenged region.

India has already demonstrated its ability to assist the Quad in the Pacific and, because of its shared history and experiences with South-East Asian countries, it has the capacity to help Australia achieve its objectives in that region.

For too long the India sceptics have questioned its democracy. The 2024 Indian election should provide them with cause to rethink.

When asked about the strength of India’s democracy, Peter Varghese, a former Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary – and my predecessor as Australia’s High Commissioner to India – would opine: “There’s nothing wrong with Indian democracy that can’t be fixed by what’s right with Indian democracy.”

Australians and Indians share many values and it’s clear that exercising the right to choose their leaders and governments tops the list.

Barry O’Farrell served as Australia’s high commissioner to India from 2020 to 2023. He was the premier of NSW from 2011 to 2014.