Realigning India's Foreign Policy

What is the issue?

• The emerging multipolar world is becoming complicated for the binary choices and easy solutions.
• It is high time that India realigns its foreign policy, and its recent moves are indicative of this.

What is the emerging scenario?

• The world is facing power shifts, uncertainty and competition over geopolitical ideas and political models.
• India is at a unique geographical position at the rimland of Eurasia and at the mouth of the Indo-Pacific.
• India has slightly drifted towards the U.S. for the past decade.
• However, it is now rediscovering a posture and policy for a multipolar world.
• It is also taking greater responsibility for its own future and destiny.
• India’s foreign policy is likely to be driven by a dual attention.
• It is the balance of power and order building in the continental and maritime environment around the subcontinent.

What are the recent developments?

• India is altering its approach to the Indo-Pacific and building deeper links with continental Eurasia.
• This was evident with the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
• Prime Minister Modi’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore signals an evolving foreign policy.

• World order - Relationships with Russia and the US are based on overlapping interests in international and Asian geopolitics.
• It is emphasized that India would project itself as an independent power and actor across Asia.

• India would not be part of a closed group of nations or aggregate Indian power in a bloc.
• It will however chart out its own course based on its own capacity and ideas.

• India would stand on the side of principles, and not behind one power or the other.
• This is seen to be a renewed emphasis on non-alignment.
• The preferences are referred to as the “strategic autonomy”.

• China - India-China relations is a complicated one, having “many layers”.
• China’s rise has undoubtedly increased the demand and space for India to increase its region-wide engagement.
• However, stability in the relationship is important for India and the world.
• Indo-pacific - India’s role in the vast Indo-Pacific is no longer envisaged as a China-centric one.
• India does not see the Indo-Pacific Region as a strategy or as a club of limited members.
• It is nor a grouping that India seeks to dominate.
• India’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific Region would rather be an inclusive one.
• It would entail pluralism, co-existence, open-ness and dialogue.
• India would prefer that the rules and norms should be based on the consent of all, not on the power of the few.

Source: The Hindu