The Epstein shock, global power games and India’s foreign policy dilemma

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* 

The “Epstein” tsunami has jolted establishments everywhere. Politicians, bureaucrats, billionaires, celebrities, intellectuals, academics, religious gurus, and preachers—all appear to be under scrutiny, even dismantled. At first glance, it may seem like a story cutting across left, right, centre, Democrats, Republicans, socialists, capitalists—every label one can think of. Much of it, of course, is gossip, as people seek solace in the possible inclusion of names they personally dislike. 

Yet the tremors are real. Several governments, particularly in Europe, appear to be under stress. The Labour government in the UK faces difficult days ahead, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer may have to answer hard questions after one of his key ambassadorial appointments was found to have close ties with Jeffrey Epstein.

I do not wish to speculate on whose names appear or do not appear in the files. I neither have the time nor the resources to go through the massive volume of documents, videos, and material circulating. This requires teams of experts, and every country claims to be looking into it. I have little trust in Indian agencies doing so honestly, as they lack the autonomy required to challenge the powerful and the privileged.

The Epstein scandal has reinforced what many of us have been saying for years: capitalism is passing through one of its deepest crises. Frankly, it has failed as a model even in so-called liberal and democratic societies. One does not truly get freedom and liberty from backroom corporate games. 

In our part of the world, intellectuals often suffered precisely because they spoke the truth and refused to align with power. In the liberal democratic world, however, intellectuals themselves frequently possess enormous net worth, enjoy proximity to power, and are funded by corporate interests to push and legitimise specific agendas.

Many opponents of Donald Trump believed this scandal would weaken him, but instead it appears to have shaken the Western “deep state.” Whether Trump himself will be directly impacted remains uncertain. Some felt his aggressive posturing on Venezuela and Iran was an attempt to divert attention from his name appearing frequently in the files. 

Trump’s Iran bravado, however, failed to take off, with both Russia and China standing firmly with Iran. The United States continues to bully smaller nations, often through covert operations. European leaders who lecture the world on human rights remained shamelessly silent through all this. When Trump threatened to annex Greenland, EU leaders were busy warning about a Russian threat.

India’s role deserves special mention. Indian foreign policy has displayed why even close allies hesitate to trust New Delhi. President Vladimir Putin’s visit yielded little. Indian leadership could not even defend the purchase of Russian oil, which benefited the country immensely, though ordinary Indians saw little direct gain. Instead, it primarily helped large corporate houses that meekly surrendered to American diktats. 

The so-called US–India trade deal announced by Trump appeared deeply suspicious. It looked less like a deal and more like a diktat—flooding Indian markets with American products and effectively handing over agriculture to foreign interests, following a similar arrangement with the EU. Was this done under pressure? Was India bullied because of developments in the US involving India? We may know in time. What is clear is that such arrangements harm Indian farmers and national interest.

An Indian “religious intellectual” has reportedly found his name in the notorious Epstein emails. It would not be surprising if several more self-proclaimed liberal babas also enjoyed the so-called “spiritual atmosphere” of Epstein’s island.

Based on information circulating on social media, the apparent winner in the current crisis is Vladimir Putin and Russia. 

Western media has long portrayed Putin as a dictator and villain, but one of his speeches is now going viral, in which he warned Western citizens about leadership controlled by a deep state. Other so-called villains—Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, or Iranian leaders—are conspicuously absent from this liberal democratic ecosystem.

The impact of these revelations on Western socio-cultural life remains to be seen. One thing, however, is clear: deep states everywhere have used such networks to strike dirty deals. Jeffrey Epstein was not merely running a criminal operation; he was influencing global elites and decision-making. He could not have acted alone. This required an entire ecosystem—political power, greedy business leaders, compliant media, academics providing intellectual cover for illegitimate deals, gurus offering a “spiritual” façade, and billionaires funding charities to launder reputations.

The global crisis we are witnessing stems from this predatory elite that seeks to control resources worldwide. There are, however, leaders who resisted. Fidel Castro stood up for Cuba, which is why a small nation could withstand American pressure for decades. Today, similar forces are at work in Iran, Gaza, the West Bank, and Venezuela. These conflicts have nothing to do with “Make America Great Again”; they are about allowing big corporations to profit from the suffering of ordinary people.

The collapse of this rotten global order seems inevitable. A major restructuring and churning are underway. Russia, China, Cuba, Brazil, Iran, and South Africa are speaking up. But where does India stand? The current regime appears comfortable aligning with Western status quo forces. 

It has remained silent on the kidnapping of Venezuela’s president and on threats of strikes against Iran. It has not firmly countered Trump’s claim that India would stop buying Russian oil. If Trump’s statements are true, it bodes poorly for India. A country of India’s stature deserves better. One hopes wisdom will prevail and India will state clearly and boldly that it will not compromise on its priorities, including decisions about energy purchases. India must stand up to Trump’s bullying tactics. The coming days will reveal much.

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*Human rights defender