India's Foreign Policy: Navigating US Unpredictability and the 'Moral Clarity' Debate
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (India-US relations, India-Russia relations).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): India and its neighborhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.
General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics): Ethics in international relations.
Essay: The debate between national interest (Realism) and moral values (Idealism) in foreign policy.
Key Highlights from the News
US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi assured him that India would stop oil imports from Russia.
India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a 'soft denial', without directly refuting the claim.
Trump's chimerical nature poses a major challenge for India's foreign policy diplomats.
The author criticizes India for maintaining ambiguity and not taking a clear stance on global issues like the Russia-Ukraine war.
The article argues that if India wants to become a true global power, it must learn to speak with moral clarity, instead of merely balancing interests.
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