Gaps in the Casting of India’s Foreign Policy

Context: There is a need for strategic depth in a country's international relations.

Gaps in India’s foreign policy :

• The excessive romanticisation of relationship with China: in the form of ‘Wuhan Spirit’ and ‘Chennai Connect’ in Mamallapuram.

• Now when the relationship has soured, we have falsely declared our victory even when the disengagement process in en-route.

• Taken for granted Russian support: Renewed relationship has been established after the Prime Minister visited Sochi and Vladivostock. However, challenges remain - 

• Russia’s quasi-alliance with China is a reality.
• India’s close defence relationship, with 60% of our arms supply coming from Russia is explicable, but not sustainable. 
• Not much support from Russia in a ministerial meeting with China and India a week after the loss of 20 Indian soldiers at the Line of Actual Control.

• The false impression of United Nation Security Council (UNSC) Reforms:  

• No progress on the issue of new permanent members since 1979.

• The vast majority of the members of the UN would want to abolish the veto rather than give it to more countries.

• Mirage of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Membership: 

• The NSG was set up originally to deny India any nuclear material following India’s nuclear tests in 1974.

• Every member of the NSG is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the best it could do was to give us an unconditional waiver, which we already have.

Conclusion: India needs to work on its strategic depth to address the gaps in its foreign policy.