India's Diplomatic Balancing East and West Through Strategic Autonomy
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (India's foreign policy doctrines, Groupings - SCO, BRICS, Quad, RIC); Bilateral relations.
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): India and its neighborhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India; Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. This article is a perfect case study for a Mains question on India's foreign policy balancing act.
Key Highlights from the News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China and participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit created significant shifts in India's foreign policy.
Modi's friendly meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin created the impression that India was moving away from the "Western bloc" towards the China-Russia axis.
Although US President Donald Trump initially reacted sharply to this, by the end of the week, both leaders made conciliatory statements, indicating that the relationship was strong.
The article argues that these reversals are part of India's long-standing foreign policy of strategic autonomy.
In the context of US tariff threats, normalising ties with China was a strategic necessity for India.
By engaging simultaneously with the US (through Quad) and China-Russia (through SCO/BRICS), India is trying to protect its interests.
COMMENTS