Prof.SudhanshuTripathi
sudhanshu.tripathi07@gmail.com
Indeedthecurrent foreign policy of Indiaclearly supports a multipolar world order,notwithstanding the US’ supreme ascendance with self-obsessed approach in international relations. That gravely endangersthe national interests of relatively weak and developing nations clubbed as Third World including India, though it is now identified as the fourth largest economy in the world. That inevitably discourages the consolidation of the international and regional institutions in the evolving multipolar world and also hurts the solemn spirit ofmultilateral negotiations leading to much loss to the Third Worldnations.
Inthis scenario,India’s national development goals need freedom of decision-making and independent actions to be pursued by its foreign policy characterized by the doctrine of nonalignment, so as to procure and preserve its national interests and discourage alignment of nations in rival blocs,thus consolidatingthe spirit of multi-polarity in international relations and promoting larger interests of the global humanity.
While the changing world today often poses considerable challenges or even threats to very survival of a state due to one reason or the other, given the structural compulsions and constraints in the international relations as pointed out by a great realist of our times John Mershemier,India’s ancient moral traditions and rich cultural heritage characterized by peace, non-violence, justice, freedom etc. underscore its magnificent policy of humanism and globalism for welfare of the entire humanity.
As evident, the above mentioned structural compulsions significantly result into risingeconomic inequalities and military threats altogether engenderingtheir security concerns as witnessed in the recent short military flash out between the US and Iranand also Venezuela,besides long continuing Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas bitter armed conflict taking an ugly turn with horrible terror-outfits viz. Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houti from Yemen have opened new war fronts against Israel.
Allthese threats together tend toshift theso-obtained liberal-democratic order towards a likely new world orderdominated by prominent developing economies of third world viz. Brazil, South Africa, India, Argentina and more,along with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus, asthat was recently witnessed in the latestSCO’s 25thsummit heldduring 31 August 2025 to 01 September 2025 at Tianjin in China.
In fact, the SCO founded in 2001 has now emerged as an effective economic forum for the poor and developing countries known as Third World, striving hard to rebuild themselvesafter suffering centuries of long discrimination and exploitation, thus forging the spirit of south-south cooperationadvocated much earlier by the Non-aligned Movement, whereof India is a prominent founding member and firm believer in the doctrine of non-alignment.
This is why, India’s foreign policy continues to strive ahead with suitable modifications and rising self-esteem and confidence as witnessed in the aforesaid SCO 2025 meet and Trump’s compromising gestures with India’s PM NarendraModi on tariff issue, reminding once again the earlier cordial relations between India and the US during his first presidential years. As appears, the SCO summit has almost altered the global scene bycausing to emerge aTroika comprising Moscow, Beijing and New Delhi and that has considerably challenged the US’ hitherto maintained global supremacy sustaining Washington’s self-absorbed approach in international relations and global affairs.
While India continues to carry its flagship policy of non-alignment intact in the international relations, it essentially needs more and more American support to enter into the United Nations Security Council and many other prominent forums viz. G-8, AUKUS, Nuclear Supplier Group, Fissile Material Control Regime etc., apart from securing latest scientific technologies related to energy security particularly nuclear energy and other non-conventional sources of energy, super computer, information technology, space and ocean exploration, weather and monsoon studies, critical engineering technology, and latest medical advancements, besides military modernisationand development of latest arms and weapons technology etc..
These besides, India faces grave threats on Mac-Mohan line or international borders with China due to Beijing’s expansionist assertions leading to both neighbours drifting apart in addition of Pakistan exported cross-border terrorism.Besides fighting organized violence by international terror-networks and economic crimes by big economic offenders etc., New Delhi demands Washington’s clear and manifest support not only for itself but for overall peace and security of South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia too.
Further, to counter the US’ imperialist designs co-extensive with Russian and Chinese expansionist and neo-colonial goals, the nation-states in the Global South including Non-aligned states must strengthen the spirit of the aforesaid south-south cooperation and various other instruments of regionalism and globalism, besides investing in worker-centric policies and rejecting neo-liberal frameworks sustaining Western economic interests at the cost of specific local development. These apart, a renewed focus on strengthening multilateral institutions such as BRICS, BIMSTECetc. and regional-trade agreements outside the US influence is necessary.
Also the global trade and tariffs policies must be restructured to prioritise fair labour-practices, environmental-protection and economic justice for developing nations apart from restraining the emerging differences between the US and the west-European states in the overall interests of peace, security and liberal-democratic-progressive traditions of the West including NATO alliance.
Also India supports the growing reality of a multi-polar world, as it does of a multi-polar Asia,besides participating actively in global negotiations for common interests of international community including itself.Evidently, the emerging realist approach in India’s foreign policytruly underscores the independent goals to be achieved by the countrywith a view to accomplish its vital national interests while discouraging alignment of nation-states in rival groupstoo.
The post Current Foreign Policy of India:Compulsions and Constraints appeared first on Daily Excelsior.