Less than three weeks before the first phase of India’s general election, one of the largest-ever democratic exercises is under scrutiny from global bodies and some of New Delhi’s closest friends. For a country that touts itself as the mother of democracy, this should be a matter of concern deserving self-reflection. In recent days, the United States of America, Germany and the United Nations have all separately commented on the arrests of key Opposition leaders — most recently, that of the Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal — and the Congress’s allegation of ‘tax terrorism’. They have stressed the need for India to ensure that all individuals have access to their legal rights and that the election is conducted in a manner that allows political forces to compete. This, after the Congress claimed that the loss of access to its bank accounts meant it could no longer meaningfully campaign for the general election. The Narendra Modi government has, unsurprisingly, retaliated at the perceived criticism, describing the comments as unacceptable and suggesting that they stem from a lack of understanding of India’s legal and democratic institutions. The ministry of external affairs has summoned senior diplomats from Germany and the US to issue its formal rebuttal to the statements from Berlin and Washington.

However, the rumbles have not dissipated. The US State Department, in fact, iterated its concerns even after India lodged its protest over Washington’s comments. Within India, these tensions have fuelled a revival of distrust of and criticism against the US, in this case among supporters of Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. To be sure, India could point out how in the US too, Joe Biden’s principal political rival, the former president, Donald Trump, faces a slew of legal cases in an election year. But that would not take away from the hard-to-ignore perception that just ahead of the Lok Sabha vote, India’s law enforcement agencies are picking off prominent members of the Opposition. No matter who wins the election, the fact that this perception has gone global is worrying for Indian democracy. India’s offer of a level playing field in politics has been its biggest diplomatic and democratic draw. When friends caution New Delhi that they are worried about its path, it blemishes this legacy. Damaging both democracy and friendships can only hurt India, now and in the long run.