GS Paper 2: International Relations
Overview:
The editorial examines India’s aspirations to emerge as a major global power amid the intensifying US-China rivalry, highlighting the nation’s civilizational depth, strategic autonomy, and technological progress as key enablers of its rising international influence.
Context:
A Foreign Affairs article (July–August 2025 edition) questioned India’s great-power ambitions, arguing that India still trails behind the US and China and requires American support to counter Chinese assertiveness. The critique has reignited debates over India’s global positioning and foreign policy approach.
India’s Strategic Perspective:
- India views itself as transcending the middle-income trap and gradually attaining Big Power status.
- It aligns, where necessary, with China and Russia in resisting external disruptions to Asia’s existing order, while retaining its strategic independence.
Historical and Diplomatic Context:
- The criticism overlooks India’s transformational journey—from a famine-stricken state at independence to a food-surplus nation post-Green Revolution.
- During the Cold War, India’s Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) provided a moral and balancing force in global politics.
- India’s global standing declined temporarily after the US-China rapprochement (1970s) and its nuclear test in 1974, which strained relations with the West.
- Nonetheless, India has effectively balanced its foreign ties—enhancing cooperation with the US, maintaining strategic relations with Russia, and engaging China in multilateral platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Emerging Drivers of Power:
- In the current global order, technological dominance is the key determinant of geopolitical strength.
- India is making steady advances in technology, including AI, semiconductors, and space innovation, positioning itself as a credible challenger to US technological supremacy.
- Its approach combines civilizational wisdom, modern innovation, and strategic foresight to secure a stronger place in the evolving multipolar world.