In contemporary world no state can remain in isolation at international level. They must engage with other states in a systematic way with well-defined goals, with goals and objectives of the state reflecting in its foreign policy. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, foreign policy has been high priority. In a fast-changing multipolar world to which India is closely connected, no Indian leader has shown such remarkable understanding to simplify an otherwise complex situation.
Global power politics is a serious game requiring countries that matter to think and act big. India belongs to this group but was in the running for want of an inspiring leader with a clear national vision, the ability to get the things done and the will to put India to the path of accelerated growth, prosperity and to great power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised the world with his enthusiasm for rejuvenating India’s foreign policy. In his very first days in his tenure as Prime Minister, Modi injected new dynamism into conduct of India’s external relations. As elected leader of first majority government in three decades, taking advantage of extraordinary mandate, he warmed up to America, recast approach to China and Pakistan, sustained old friendship with Russia, deepened strategic partnership with Japan and Australia, boosted India’s neighbourhood policy, wooed international business leaders and reconnected with Indian diaspora. In reviving India story, Modi brought personal energy to Indian diplomacy. The pragmatism he has brought to bear on Indian diplomacy could turn out to be most important contribution to Indian diplomacy and his determination to make diplomacy the base of India’s economic advancement can help Delhi build up India’s comprehensive national power, expand its traditional spheres of influence in Indo-Pacific and restore India’s geopolitical momentum.
Since assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Modi has turned India into a strategic player with highly effective foreign policy, by shifting India away from old strategy of strict non-alignment, paving way for stronger ties with great and middle-sized powers. India has embraced United States and its Indo-Pacific strategy in an effort to balance a rising China and keep the region open and free from coercion. Today, while India remains technically non-aligned, US’s need to balance rise of China has led it to court India as key partner in the Quad, which includes Japan and Australia, which is perceived as a way of countering China’s growing military and economic might and its increasingly aggressive territorial claims in Asia Pacific.India has its own reasons for wanting to counterbalance Chinese influence, including its disputed Himalayan border, where more than 20 Indian troops were killed in a battle with Chinese counterparts in June 2020.The breadth and scope of India-US relations have extended exponentially in every field. Yet India is not just a camp follower of US, which Modi proved during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite enormous pressure from US and its NATO allies, India broke rank with Quad by refusing to condemn Russia as the aggressor. Instead, India did a delicate balancing act, refusing to vote against Russia at UN and opting to remain neutral. India also provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. At same time, India picked up oil at cheaper rate from Russia and when criticised for doing so pointed to Europe’s dependence on Russia’s oil and gas. India has drawn red lines when it comes to national interest and has unapologetically gone ahead with what suits its people.
In past eight years, India’s proactive and pragmatic diplomatic initiatives have led to high level engagement with unprecedented number of countries. India’s global footprint is scripting the narrative about India from one of a flailing power to that of a resurgent global force; from being a balancer to becoming a leader, from following rules to making rules and setting agendas. For Prime Minister Modi global understanding is not about ridiculous assertions or claims, but a firm belief that in an age of a globalised, polycentric world, which is uniquely tied with prosperity and vulnerability, foreign policy is closer home than ever before. The foreign policy today is a stronger alignment of diplomacy with domestic development strategy, be it in projecting India in more robust manner or seeking foreign investments. Prime Minister Modi has made growth and development the guiding light for all his policies, including foreign policy. In his declarations of India’s readiness to engage the world for mutual benefit there is better articulation of India’s national interests. Modi totally redefined and restructured Indian diplomacy architecture making it entirely India-centric.
Modi’s approach to global affairs is based on linking India’s foreign policy to domestic transformation. While on one hand, his policies seek to attract foreign capital, technology and open foreign markets for Indian products, on the other, the policies are geared towards regional stability, peace and prosperity. He has earnestly pursued India’s flagship programmes like Make in India, Digital India, Smart Cities, Clean Ganga, Swachh Bharat, Skill India, Startup India, Atmanirbhar Bharat. There is a development story in Modi’s foreign policy. For first time in history, he worked on great Indian diaspora spread across the world to generate necessary positive buzz all around which convinced the world that something has really changed in India. As American foreign policy expert Joseph S. Nye would describe, ‘Smart Power’ approach became core of Indian diplomatic dealings. Prime Minister Modi reached out to many countries which for decades no top Indian leader had visited. Under his stellar leadership, foreign policy has found new energy and has built deeper relationships with all nations of the world. At heart of this engagement is an assertion that India is vital partner in economic and security wellbeing of the world and should continue to bolster her position to maintain global peace.
Under Modi, India has rediscovered its ‘immediate neighbourhood’ of South Asia, encapsulated in the phrase ‘neighbourhood first’. This was manifested when Modi invited all leaders of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Mauritius to his swearing–in ceremony in May 2014. India’s foreign policy reveals wide range of India’s ties with countries in South Pacific, Southeast and South Asia, other parts of Asia, Europe, IndianOcean region, Africa, North America and Latin America. India is leading member of UN, invitee to G7, founding member of BRICS and pivotal part of G20 now ready to take over as its Chair. India perceives itself as a member of group of nations that control world affairs and has nurtured relations with major powers – US, EU, Germany, France, U.K., Japan, Russia and China. By enjoying proximity with West and demonstrating capability to cooperate and communicate with Russia and China, India acts as balancer. By not ignoring neighbours, equations with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives today are excellent. On West Asian front, prospects have improved with establishment of I2U2 (India, Israel, U.S. UAE), due to phenomenal progress in India-UAE, India-Israel and UAE-Israel relations. India’s engagement with ASEAN has matured over decades since policy to focus on East Asia was launched. From ‘Look East’ policy, India has now moved to ‘Act East’ and beyond in Indo-Pacific theatre.
Despite its enormous population and increasing prominence on international stage, India still does not possess a permanent seat at UN Security Council (UNSC). In contrast to its UNSC frustrations, India’s influence in global economic affairs is both considerable and growing impressively. For number of years now, India has attempted to take on a role as leader amongst developing states in fora such as World Trade Organisation (WTO). Its multilateral diplomacy has been impressive overall; India has proven adept at building and maintaining coalitions and striking hard bargains that benefit itself and its partners. In matters of global economic governance, India is immensely more powerful than it was a few decades ago. Not only is India major player in WTO negotiations, but is also prominent in G20, World Bank and other international fora. Given China’s considerable ambitions, one interesting question for future of international relations is how India and China will cooperate and compete in coming years. Although BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) grouping has received great deal of attention, there are reasons to question the likelihood that permanent ‘BRICS bloc’ will emerge as coherent force in international relations as there is absence of common interests and ideological goals. India is participating in Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) but will have to grapple with China’s ambitions to remake international system in ways that it finds amenable. India will find cooperation with China be increasingly problematic. As a rising power, India faces a complex array of diplomatic challenges and opportunities. India is taking on an increasingly prominent role in variety of multilateral institutions, particularly ones addressing global economic governance. However, as a nascent great power, it also must calculate how it will manoeuvre in an increasing multipolar global environment. In the case of a ‘Modi-fied’ foreign policy, there is constant effort at calculating costs and gains, risks and rewards, and intent is to take advantage of opportunities, while containing risks presented by each option, rather than shunning opportunities for fear of attendant risks. We need more of this as world and balance of power around us change rapidly.
Panchamrit has clearly emerged as new supporting pillar of India’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Samman – Dignity and honour; Samvad – greater engagement and dialogue; Samriddhi – shared prosperity; Suraksha – regional and global security; and SanskritievamSabhyata – cultural and civilizational linkages are the five themes. India’s external strategy has developed its future-oriented agenda, a vehicle that can now facilitate and symbolize its global aspirations and potentials. The World has witnessed some of the most dynamic outreach in each of these five areas. India’s message and approach to civilizations of the world has been of one of true partnership, of non-exploitation, respect for and enrichment of diversities and perpetuation of essential civilizational identities and world views. Prime Minister Modi’s thrust has essentially been a reiteration of that timeless message. It has reinforced and percolated image of India as a responsible rising power that seeks to lead through strength of its ageless wisdom that has once radiated across most of the civilized world.
Articles in this edition of the Journal examine various dimensions of Diplomacy and Security related issues.
