The architects of India Foreign policy have long preferred a multipolar world.They believe that India with its limited economic and military capabilities can play a prominent rrole on the global stageonlky when its nt dominated by one or two super powers.Even when India drew closer to trhesole super power, the U.S,its leaders spoke of strategic autonomy which some ananlyst have re3ferred to as non-alignment 2.0
But will this strategy be sufficient for a global order that is likely to be dominated by United states or China
China is not only a neighbour of Indias but also a rival thaqt is engaged in territorial disputes with New Delhi.For india policy Makers ,Beijing poses a threat unlike U.S and Soviet Union . it has chalenged India i its own backyard as it competes for influence. For indian Leaders, Chinas agressiveness poses a potential clash for economic and political interests between the two most populous nations in the wold not to mention military conflict
since 1962, China has sought to build ties with India periphery in order to expand its influence; what some strategists refer to as a means to encircle it. Today China is the top trading partner with South Asian countries including India.
The more china continues its Confrontational and aggressive policies, the easier it will be for India to align more closely with America and its allies.
In recent times , The U.S. and its allies including Japan, Australia, Canada and European Union have expressed varying degrees of Alignment with India in order to counter china’s Aggressive behaviour. New Delhi have slowly warmed to such overtones even as it resists being enlisted in U.S. coalition against China, the Quadrilateral Dialogue, has step up its activities for the first time ,and India signed an agreement with Australia this summer to use each each other Military bases, followed by a military supply pact with Japan in September.
At the end of the day , what role India plays in the region and the world will depend on its domestic Stability, economic power, military capabilities and readiness to project power. All these require consistent policies and political will from Political Leaders. Unless is India is ready to curb its perfectionist tendencies, and become a more outward-looking in economic and security policies, it will not be able to play a major role in a multipolar world.
