http://www.ted.com 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. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10 Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/tednews Checkout our Facebook page for TED exclusives https://www.facebook.com/TED

Comments

1. I think Japan fits the idea of a soft power. India still has a long way to go, but I believe we are moving in the right path.
2. What an orator.? I would definitely root for this guy to be the Prime Minister if ever his party manages to win.
3. excellent !
4. Bande mein dum hai
5. seducer of prose
6. So that Empire can strike back....
   Empire sure is striking back with their Retarded Christian missionaries. Which are converting Indians in the name of Money.
7. LEvel !
8. Great talk, but the one with Akshay kumar is better
9. define India as any better....🙌
10. He made another incredible speech in Oxford. "Britain does owe reparations" I think it's called. It's on youtube.
11. He was well trained by western for fooling and cheating around his country people with their "western democracy is the best" propadanda. Sorry for Indians with such a "good" liar. India could not receive real respect in the international community and still has so much slums also because India has too many such kind of "good talkers" like him.
    Indian friend, in the world no country could be respected only because it has "western democracy" or it could buy different weapons from other countries, most important is how could you build up your country successfully and become the valuable trade partner with other countries. China now has been keeping the no.1 trade partner with most countries in the world, for example, with USA, India ... What is your Indian trade level in the world? Don't only blabla here .... Give us the real data! Otherwise, no one recognize your "soft power" and you could never receive the respect from western.
12. This man is in a wrong party.
13. impressive.
14. What did he say at 0:44 the entire notion of world leadership seems to be terribly.....?
15. Didn't know how I missed it. Remember this was posted in 2009. 😎
16. A person who doesn't have any money obviously says money isn't important!
17. Plz go to times now and thrash that idiot Arnab Goswami
18. Dr Shashi Tharoor, someone we can proudly project to the world as proud Indians
19. I loved his way of articulating the issue..
20. Proud to be a keralite and proud of Dr,Tharoor..