Building on foreign policy is about strengthening and expanding a country’s relationships with other nations to achieve its goals and ensure a stable and prosperous future. For India, this means working closely with other countries to promote trade, security, and cultural exchange. By building on its foreign policy, India aims to create strong alliances, attract investment, and address global challenges like climate change and terrorism. This approach helps India to protect its interests, boost its economy, and play a more influential role on the world stage.
Tags: GS-2- IR- India Foreign Policy– Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India’s Interests
Context:
- India aims to revise its “neighbourhood first” policy to assert its redlines and foster economic integration and connectivity with its neighbours.
- Emphasises that earning respect is pivotal to building trust with neighbouring countries, underscoring India’s regional leadership aspirations.
Key highlights of india foreign relations:
India’s Strategic Relations with the US:
- Importance: The relationship with the US is pivotal for India, characterised by substantial defence and security ties.
- Challenges: Despite its significance, various extraneous issues hinder the full potential of this partnership.
- Way Forward: There is a need to recalibrate and reimagine the bilateral ties to align more closely on strategic interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
China as a Strategic Threat:
- Perceived Threat: China is viewed as the primary strategic challenge for India, necessitating a robust strategy for external balancing.
- Strategic Alliances: India engages in alliances like the Quad, partnerships with the US, France, Japan, and defense relations with Philippines and Vietnam to counterbalance Chinese influence.
- Security Imperatives: Securing the Himalayan border and the Indian Ocean from Chinese influence is crucial for India’s national security.
Maintaining Dialogue with China:
- Diplomatic Engagement: Despite strategic tensions, maintaining dialogue with China remains essential.
- Challenges: Recent developments indicate a hardening of positions, complicating bilateral relations.
- Future Prospects: The possibility of a direct engagement between Indian and Chinese leadership remains on hold pending further developments.
European Union and UK Relations:
- Trade and Economic Agreements: India aims to conclude Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the EU and UK swiftly post-elections.
- Reform Agenda: Economic reforms, including those in land, labor, and agriculture sectors, are critical for enhancing India’s economic standing and attracting foreign investments.
Middle East Engagement:
- Strategic Partnerships: Sustaining and strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia and UAE are crucial, despite challenges posed by regional conflicts like the Gaza war.
- Strategic Projects: Initiatives such as the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC) require continued advocacy and support.
Handling Russia Diplomatically:
- Balancing Act: India navigates its relationship with Russia diplomatically amid global tensions, emphasizing dialogue and de-escalation in global conflicts.
- International Relations: India’s participation in global peace initiatives, such as the Ukraine peace conference, reflects its stance on promoting dialogue over conflict escalation.
Neighbourhood Policy Revisions:
- Policy Objectives: India aims to revise its “neighbourhood first” policy to assert its redlines and foster economic integration and connectivity with its neighbours.
- Trust Building: Emphasises that earning respect is pivotal to building trust with neighbouring countries, underscoring India’s regional leadership aspirations.
The moral aspects of India’s foreign policy:
- Panchsheel (Five Virtues): Originating from the 1954 Agreement on Trade between Tibet (China) and India, these principles guide India’s international relations:
- Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
- Mutual non-aggression.
- Mutual non-interference.
- Equality and mutual benefit.
- Peaceful co-existence.
- Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family): Reflects India’s belief in global unity and cooperation:
- Emphasises Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas (Collective Effort, Inclusive Growth, Trust of All).
- Advocates harmony and collaboration across the global community.
- Proactive and Impartial Assistance: India supports democratic principles worldwide:
- Offers capacity building and institutional strengthening to promote democracy.
- Engages with countries like Afghanistan to support democratic governance.
- Global Problem Solving Approach: India champions global discussions and consensus on critical issues:
- Advocates for global cooperation on trade regimes, climate change, terrorism, intellectual property rights, global governance, and health crises.
- Notably, India’s Vaccine diplomacy initiative distributed 60 million doses globally, including significant grants, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is India’s foreign policy facing current challenges?
Russia-Ukraine Issue:
- Balancing geopolitical interests with moral imperatives in the Russia-Ukraine conflict poses a significant challenge.
- Russia is a crucial trade partner and holds geopolitical leverage in the Eurasian region.
- India’s stance must navigate between maintaining relations with Russia and responding to international pressures for sanctions, highlighting the complexities of realist diplomacy.
Internal Challenges:
- A nation’s external power projection is constrained by its internal stability and strength.
- India’s soft power, including cultural influence and diplomatic initiatives, hinges on robust domestic support and governance.
- Strengthening internal infrastructure and governance is essential for India to effectively wield its influence on the global stage, echoing the wisdom of former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Refugee Crisis:
- Despite not being a signatory to international refugee conventions, India faces significant challenges in managing refugee influxes, notably from crises like the Rohingya refugee situation.
- Balancing humanitarian obligations with national security imperatives is crucial for India’s foreign policy.
- Addressing refugee issues proactively can enhance India’s reputation and influence in regional and global human rights discourse.
Way forward to India’s Foreign Policy:
- Collective Approach to Environmental Issues:
- Lead global efforts on environmental sustainability, exemplified by commitments like reaching net zero emissions by 2070.
- Integrate social, economic, and ecological sustainability into policies to achieve comprehensive development aligned with Sustainable Development Goals.
- Balancing Internal and External Development:
- Foster an external environment conducive to inclusive domestic development, ensuring benefits reach the most marginalised.
- Strengthen India’s presence and influence on global platforms to shape opinions and policies on critical global issues like terrorism, climate change, and global governance reforms.
- Ethical Foundation in Foreign Policy:
- Uphold ethical principles in diplomatic engagements, echoing Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on politics grounded in ethics.
- Reaffirm India’s commitment to collective global development, enhancing its moral leadership on the world stage.
- Evolutionary Policy Adaptations:
- Maintain a proactive, flexible, and pragmatic foreign policy framework that can swiftly respond to evolving global dynamics.
- Ensure consistency with core principles of national beliefs, interests, and strategies while adapting to new challenges and opportunities.
- Shaping the Global Agenda:
- Assert a leadership role in shaping global norms and institutional frameworks, reflecting India’s aspirations as a leading global power.
- Advocate for reforms such as a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, garnering international support to strengthen its global influence.
- Diplomacy for Development:
- Integrate economic diplomacy with political diplomacy to support India’s growth initiatives like Make in India, Skill India, and infrastructure development.
- Attract foreign investments, technology transfers, and financial assistance crucial for sustaining India’s economic trajectory and development goals.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQ)
Mains
Q:1 “The long sustained image of India as a leader of the oppressed and marginalised nations has disappeared on account of its newfound role in the emerging global order.’ Elaborate. (2019)
Q:2 Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post-Cold War international scenario. (2016)
Source: HT
FAQs
Q: What is foreign policy?
A: Foreign policy is a country’s strategy for dealing with other nations. It includes decisions about trade, defense, diplomacy, and international agreements to promote the country’s interests and ensure national security.
Q: Why is foreign policy important for a country?
A: Foreign policy is crucial because it helps a country build strong relationships with other nations, protect its interests, ensure security, promote trade, and work together on global issues like climate change and terrorism.
Q: How does a country decide its foreign policy?
A: A country’s foreign policy is shaped by its government based on national interests, values, and goals. Leaders and diplomats consider factors like economic needs, security concerns, historical relationships, and international laws to make decisions.
Q: What are some key areas of focus in foreign policy?
A: Key areas of focus include trade agreements to boost the economy, alliances for security and defense, participation in international organizations (like the United Nations), and addressing global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and human rights issues.
Q: How can ordinary citizens be affected by foreign policy?
A: Foreign policy can impact everyday life through things like job opportunities created by international trade, safety from global security efforts, travel restrictions, and prices of imported goods. It also shapes the overall reputation and influence of a country on the world stage.
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