New Delhi, April 16 (IANS): Noted thinker S. Gurumurthy has said that the ensuing 2024 elections hold significance for the world too as the growing hostilities and face-offs in Europe and Middle-East have pressed the need for a "player who could prevent the cold war situation in future".

Speaking exclusively to NDTV Editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia, Gurumurthy said that India has emerged as the only player who can probably avoid a cold war in the future.

"If you are electing a leader this time, you are electing a global leader on the Indian soil," he added.

He cited the example of the Russia-Ukraine war to buttress his claims on India's "peacenik" role and said that the Modi government's adept handling of the situation earned the country appreciation from all quarters.

He said that the Modi government's decision to buy Russian oil in rupee terms after the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict helped prevent the prices from snowballing to the tune of $200 per barrel.

"This not only brought down the oil price threat, which in turn could have damaged Indian and global economy," he explained.

He also slammed the Opposition parties over claims of an 'Undeclared Emergency' under the Modi government and cited a personal example to counter it.

"I worked underground during the Emergency in 1975-77. It was pitched dark everywhere. I worked as an underground activist during that period. I couldn't eat inside my house, also I couldn't attend my father's last rites," he told Sanjay Pugalia.

"Opposition's claims of undeclared Emergency shows their illiteracy and ignorance of facts," he said.

He further explained, "Emergency is a constitutional clampdown on all rights. It doesn't happen that a strong leader makes a strong decision. A person is an autocrat only when constitutional rights are taken away."

He also shared his views on India's emergence on the global level and spoke about how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's key decisions helped the world powers change their opinions about him.

"He was seen as a mini-Hitler but because of his exemplary leadership, the country is taking rapid strides on all fronts and today the world is looking up to India," Gurumurthy pointed out.

For this paradigm shift, two policies of the Modi government proved crucial -- the biggest vaccination drive during the pandemic and Indian diplomacy during the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.