Strategic signals

Republic Day has never been only about remembrance. It is also about projection ~ about how India chooses to present itself to the world at a given moment.This year, that moment arrived at a sensitive intersection of geopolitics, trade uncertainty and strategic recalibration.

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As India marked another anniversary of its Constitution, the presence of the European Union's top leadership at the ceremonial heart of New Delhi is difficult to read as routine protocol. The timing alone invites interpretation. With a high-level India-EU summit scheduled immediately after the celebrations, the choreography appears deliberate: symbolism first, substance next. For decades, the choice of chief guest has functioned as a quiet diplomatic language. It has signaled priority geographies, emerging partnerships and, at times, strategic discomforts. This year’s message appears less about alignment and more about insulation ~ an effort to widen India’s diplomatic and economic room for manoeuvre at a time when global trade is becoming increasingly politicised.