Reframing India’s Foreign Policy Priorities

Context: India needs serious restructuring of its foreign policy in the context of the ongoing clash with China in the Eastern Ladakh and changing geopolitics of the world.

Challenges to Indian foreign policy:

• Stronger China: visible in terms of -
  • Reviving links with the European Union (EU): seen through recently concluded EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment.
  • Positive economic growth: Only major country to do so in 2020.
  • Military capabilities: aiming to dominate the Indo-Pacific Ocean. e.g. China recently announced the launch of its third aircraft carrier in 2021.
  • Rising partnership with Russia: with enhanced military cooperation.
  • Position in Asia: strengthen through heavy-handed actions in Hong Kong and Uighur.
• Threat to Compact of Democracy: due to rising authoritarian leaders like Xi Jinping in China, Vladimir Putin in Russia, and Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.
• Geopolitical changes in Eurasia Russia’s stronger ties with China and reaching an entente with Turkey, signals reduced interest in countries such as India.
• Geopolitical changes in West Asia:
  • The Abraham Accords: have sharpened the division between the Saudi Bloc and Iran-Turkey and possibility of a confrontation between Israel and Iran has not reduced.
  • Strategic cooperation: China is contemplating a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement with Iran.
• Neighbourhood Challenges - Lack warmth in India-Iran relations; Marginalization in the Afghan peace process; Growing China-Pakistan relations; Strained India-Nepal relations; Indo-China conflict.

Issues with India’s foreign policy:

• Poor policy choices: altering the perception of India in certain quarters. E.g. Perceived closeness to the U.S. has resulted in the weakening links with Russia and Iran.
• Ideational vacuum in India’s foreign policy: lying at the root of our foreign policy inadequacies.
• Isolation: from the two important supranational bodies of which it used to be a founding member, viz., the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
  • Non-participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) (of which a majority of Asian countries are members)
  • Failing to take advantage of the RIC, or the Russia, India and China grouping, even as relations with Russia and China have deteriorated.
• Lack of understanding of the sensitivities of neighbours: such as Bangladesh and long-time friends (such as Vietnam and Iran).

Way forward: India’s foreign policy objectives-

• Ideational Restructuring: India should widen the sphere of influence, enhance its role across nations, and make its presence felt as an emerging power in an increasingly disruptive global system.
• To develop prudent plans, achievable objectives and a line of continuity to achieve its foreign policy objectives.