India’s strategic autonomy in a multipolar world , Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Strategic autonomy is now central to India's foreign policy, guiding decisions in a multipolar world.
• India balances relationships with the U.S., China, and Russia to protect its interests.
• India's approach involves cautious engagement and firm deterrence with China, despite border tensions.
• India maintains ties with Russia due to historical solidarity and shared strategic interests.
• During its G-20 presidency in 2023, India positioned itself as the voice of the Global South.

Detailed Insights:

• Strategic autonomy allows India to make independent foreign policy and defense decisions, engaging with multiple powers on its own terms.
• India's relationship with the U.S. has grown through defense cooperation and strategic partnerships like the Quad, but faces challenges over trade and alignment with Western positions.
• India strengthens border infrastructure and collaborates with Indo-Pacific partners while participating in multilateral forums like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) where China is a key player.
• India's ties with Russia are rooted in Cold War solidarity and are maintained despite Western criticism, focusing on diversifying military imports and exploring new partnerships.
• India aims to be "non-West" without being "anti-West," appealing to the Global South by prioritizing peace, stability, and geopolitical and economic interests.
• India's pursuit of strategic autonomy requires economic strength, technological capability, political coherence, and resilience in cyber, AI, and space domains.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Strategic Autonomy: A nation's ability to make independent foreign policy and defense decisions without external constraints.
• Multipolarity: A world order with multiple centers of power, rather than a single dominant power.
• Global South: Countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, often with shared histories of colonialism and similar developmental challenges.