Category Archives: International Relations

Present Indian IR

India’s Foreign Relations Today

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With the rise of Narendra Modi, foreign policy in India has shifted away from non-alignment and towards pragmatic engagement of all major powers in the world. Even within its regional sphere, the Modi government increased its focus on South Asian relations to the renewed expectation of its neighbours.1

As for conflicts, Indian foreign policy indicated a firmer response to China concerning border management. In fact, China’s rise remains a significant challenge to India, where the Modi government seeks to balance trade and economic ties with increased military presence as a deterrent. The current government is also vying for increased diplomatic relations in the face of China’s dominance.1

When evaluating how India is faring today in its foreign relations, Narendra Modi has been successful in engaging with the outside world but not necessarily improving its neighbourly relations. In fact, China appears to have been swaying India’s neighbours through investments in their economies. With Pakistan, relations have remained mixed with impromptu visits and military strikes in the contested region of Kashmir. And with former Cold War rivals, closer relations seem to be shifting away from Russia and towards the United States.2

Beyond bilateral relations, India’s engagement with international organizations remains diverse and its reputation towards developing countries is still excellent. The country is involved in many multilateral institutions such as the G-20, the G-77, the World Bank, and so forth. Of course, as discussed in this seminar, India remains an important figure in organizations such as IBSA and BRICS, especially in relation to development initiatives.3

Footnotes

1. Pant, Harsh V. (2014, November). Out With Non-Alignment, In With a ‘Modi Doctrine’. The Diplomat.

2. Jha, M. (2017, June 9). 5 Foreign Policy Trends In Three Years Of The Modi Government. The Huffington Post India.

3. Tilak, J. (2013). South-South Cooperation: India’s programme of development assistance–nature, size and functioning. Asian Education and Development Studies, 3(1), 58-75.

Historical Indian IR

History of India’s Foreign Affairs

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India’s independence was achieved on the heels of the Cold War, a time where the superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union competed. However, India took a noticeably different path by aligning itself with the Non-Alignment movement. India’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, proclaimed India as a part of this group where they commit to actions supporting peace.1

In the 1960s and 70s, India engaged in balancing its relations with other countries, but its international position waned with wars against China and Pakistan along with the souring of geopolitical relations in South Asia. Especially with Pakistan’s support by China and the US, India sought Soviet assistance in 1971. This was followed by an effort to improve relations with other countries in general (e.g. China, the US, etc.) by the 1980s, while further engaging in South Asia.2

In the 1990s, the end of the Cold War forced a shift in India’s foreign policy due to the displacement of its core, non-alignment purpose. Especially with the Soviet Union’s fall, India sought stronger ties with the United States and developed countries in general. The country also forged better ties with Central, Southeast, and East Asian states. Although India’s non-alignment opinion against the Global North’s dominance still persists, there are also differences with other Global South countries concerning national interests. 2

Footnotes

1.  Nehru, J. (1961). Conference of Non-Aligned Nations. Speech.

2. Heitzman, J., & Worden, R. L. (1995). Foreign Relations. India: A Country Study (Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1995).