EMERGING GEOPOLITICAL DYNAMICS: ASSESSING INDIA'S FOREIGN POLICY

India has risen as a major player in the geo-politics at an international level.

- Neeta Baporikar

Part of this rise can be attributed to its dynamic, adaptive foreign policy and with regime changes, India's emphasis on its foreign policy has not been resolute over the years as a response to shifting global geopolitical dynamics (Horimoto, 2017). Some things have remained constant; some things, however, have brought changes in the position of the country in the global world. Emerging global issues today in geopolitical dynamics include climate change, preserving biodiversity, exploitation of deep-sea resources, ensuring a fair global trading system, keeping sea lines of communication open, air space for civilian aircraft and combating terrorism.

Emerging Geopolitical Dynamics and Current Scenario

India has a dominant role in a peaceful South Asia. But for that, it cannot remain bogged down in managing relationships in its neighbourhood. It should have the time and freedom to engage strategically with the rest of the world (Kukreja, 2020).

India will have to intensely engage, and delicately steer its way through the mutual regional rivalries of the Arab countries, Iran and Israel. Despite its relative decline, the US is the most powerful country in the world having unmatched comprehensive power. India also needs US cooperation to tackle the growing challenge of China. Of course, many differences remain, and at least some of them will not go away. However, both countries are in a pragmatic partnership and are cooperating in areas where interests coincide, without letting differences derail the relationship. Russia has traditionally been a very close and time-tested friend but for various reasons, this relationship occupies a somewhat lower priority in the foreign policy priorities of both countries. Russia has also become uncomfortably close to China. Even though Russia no longer occupies an unchallenged top spot among India's defence suppliers, it is a critically important defence partner.