India’s Strategic Autonomy in a Multipolar World

Syllabus: GS2/International Relation

Context

• The concept of strategic autonomy is shaping India’s foreign policy decisions amid rising global turbulence, as the global order shifts from unipolar dominance to multipolar complexity.

What Is Strategic Autonomy?

• Strategic autonomy is not isolationism or neutrality. It is the ability to make sovereign decisions in foreign policy and defence free from external pressures.
• Historically rooted in India’s colonial experience and Nehru’s non-alignment, the concept has evolved under successive governments into today’s ‘multi-alignment’ approach — flexible, pragmatic, and guided by national interest.

India’s Pursuit of Strategic Autonomy

• US–China Rivalry and Indo-Pacific Tensions: As tensions escalate between the United States and China, India is under increasing pressure to pick sides, and it continues to walk a diplomatic tightrope:
  • India is a key member of the QUAD, I2U2, and IMEC aimed at countering China’s influence. Simultaneously, India engages with China through BRICS & SCO and maintains dialogue on border disputes.
  • China remains a top trading partner and key regional actor.
• Russia’s Isolation and India’s Leverage: Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many Western nations imposed sanctions.
  • India, however continued importing Russian oil and defense equipment, and avoided condemning Russia at the UN, citing national interest.
  • It has increased India’s leverage with Russia, allowing it to play a more influential role in global diplomacy—without compromising its ties with the West.
• Defense and Technology Partnerships: India’s strategic autonomy is visible in its diversified defense procurement:
  • It buys S-400 missile systems from Russia.
  • It co-develops jet engines and drones with the US.
  • It invests in indigenous platforms like Tejas fighter jets and INS Vikrant.
• Middle East Diplomacy and Global South Leadership: India’s nuanced positions on conflicts like Gaza and Ukraine show its desire to lead with principle and pragmatism:
  • It supports a two-state solution in Palestine but maintains strong ties with Israel.
  • It champions the Global South at forums like G20 and BRICS, advocating for equitable development and climate justice.
• Global South and India’s Voice: India positioned itself as a voice of the Global South, during its G20 presidency in 2023.
  • India emphasizes partnerships driven by interests, not inherited bias, that resonates with many nations seeking agency over alignment, reinforcing India’s image as a plural, sovereign pole in global politics.

Redefining Autonomy in a Connected World

• True strategic autonomy in modern times goes beyond defence and diplomacy. It requires:
  • Economic resilience and technological self-reliance.
  • Data sovereignty and digital security in the face of cyber and AI threats.
  • Supply chain diversification and critical mineral security.
  • Domestic political coherence and institutional strength are equally vital for sustaining independent decision-making.

Conclusion

• Strategic autonomy, for India, means partnering without dependence, deterring without provoking, and engaging without surrendering agency.
• India walks a delicate tightrope in navigating ties with the US, China, and Russia.
• But in doing so, it reclaims its space as a civilisational power — standing not alone, but tall, resilient, and self-assured in a turbulent world.

Source: TH