Modi's India foreign policy is archived HERE - a 16-minute read.
A gist of this article by Hu Shisheng (胡仕胜) - Director of the Institute for South Asian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) - published by World Affairs in June 2024, reposted in
is reproduced herein:
Key Points
Indian foreign policy has flourished under Modi, but its “adventurism”, “opportunism” and double-dealing have been sources of growing diplomatic tensions.
Furthermore, the “inclusive” and “reformed” multilateralism that New Delhi advocates contradicts the “exclusive multilateralism” that it practises.
India’s diplomatic dynamism and assertiveness have been enabled by four main factors: indulgence by the West; India’s growing economic might; rising Hindu nationalism and strongman politics; as well as a belief that “destruction enables construction”.
New Delhi’s new-found confidence and determination to position itself as the leader of the developing world risk making multilateral organisations like the SCO and BRICS dysfunctional.
India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy is essentially an “India First” policy in disguise.
Coupled with its “divide and rule” and arm-twisting tactics in the region, anti-India sentiment is on the rise and New Delhi’s influence over its neighbours is declining.
Despite latent mistrust between the US and India, ties will continue to strengthen, with New Delhi helping Washington contain China in exchange for greater geopolitical sway in and around the Indian Ocean.
The US will continue to encourage India both to decouple from China and Russia and to increase its technological, military and political dependence on the West. However, New Delhi is unlikely to relinquish its strategic autonomy and become a pawn of the US.
In future, India will continue playing the world’s major powers off against one another and provoking Beijing on sensitive issues.
Sino-Indian relations are set to evolve into a state of “cold hostility” and “non-violent, non-cooperative” coexistence.
The FULL TEXT is accessible HERE.
