As global balance of power evolves, India faces a pivot dilemma

The much-touted strategic autonomy that remained at the heart of India’s foreign policy discourse is now under test. It is time for New Delhi to revisit its foreign policy.

- MOHIT ANAND & RAJESH MEHTA

India for decades have zealously guarded and promoted its strategic autonomy in this multipolar world. Now the very same has been under strain and question, thanks to tensions with China, trade and tariff tantrums with an unpredictable Trump (USA) and not to mention its turbulent neighbourhood. Time has come for India to make a difficult choice and overcome the dilemma as to which side it should pivot.

The much-touted strategic autonomy that remained at the heart of India’s foreign policy discourse is now under test. It is time for New Delhi to revisit its foreign policy in this fast changing and volatile times with changing alignments and emerging realignments that are shifting the global balance of power. This calls for a calculated pivot towards either the US-led western order or towards Russia-China led nexus. Both bring opportunities as well as challenges for India’s foreign policy. Therefore, India’s manoeuvring of its foreign policy in this chaotic and tumultuous world order needs deep reflection and reinvention.

On one hand India did not outrightly condemn the attack by Russia on Ukraine but at the same time gave signals to the West about its partnership with them to strengthen the international liberal order, examples being its cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Quad, negotiating trade agreements, etc. At the same time, India is also participative in the Chinaand Russia-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), it is also a founding member of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), BRICS etc.