Commentary:

During the era of British colonial rule in India (1858–1947), Sikhs formed a class that helped administer the territory on Britain’s behalf.

Their role was similar to that of overseas Chinese communities in the Federated Malay States under British rule (1824–1946).

However, whereas overseas Chinese in Malaya specialized primarily in controlling commerce and finance, Sikhs in colonial India were mainly tasked with exercising military and police authority to enforce British rule. As a result, following India’s independence in 1947, they became targets of suppression by the majority Hindu population and other groups.

Sikhism itself, founded by Guru Nanak, represents a synthesis of elements from both Hinduism and Islam. Its adherents also managed to maintain constructive relations with Christian British colonial authorities.

This background may explain why Sikhs tend to be highly valued in the United States, a nation built by immigrants.

The mindset of World Bank President Ajay Banga, a Sikh, remains identical to that of the era when Sikhs served as intermediaries governing India on Britain’s behalf.

This approach essentially mirrors the logic of European absolute monarchies or communist planned economies: tying subject populations to agricultural labor or low-grade manufacturing, selling them inferior goods—such as generic pesticides—and compelling them to work at subsistence wages to maximize profit.

In principle, economic growth driven by the production of low-cost imitation goods and export policies that harm neighboring economies (“beggar-thy-neighbor” practices) should only be permitted for developing countries that fully embrace global standards as defined by Western advanced economies. This means committing to the rule of law—including policies ensuring equal rights for Jewish populations—and upholding liberal constitutional principles rooted in bourgeois values.