Prof. M. K. Bhat
drmkb1963@gmail.com
The creative destruction of India’s foreign policy from non-alignment to multi alignment has made India assertive in international affairs. This transition got a good test in 2025 with renewed diplomatic engagement with China on the one hand and defying America’s dictates on the other. India continued to acquire energy from Russia despite America’s tariff bomb. India a country of 1.4 billion people,4th-largest economy – with projection to become the third-largest by 2028, leading voice for the Global South, can neither be mute spectator to international happenings nor anyone can take it for granted. It contributed in the formation of multipolar world for global prosperity, conveyed eloquently to the world that it can’t be cowed down by any country, howsoever, powerful it may be. Its purchase of oil from Russia at the cost of American annoyance conveyed Trump administration that India of 2025 is different from its earlier perception. India overcame its challenges for energy, security and resilient supply chain through trade agreements / blocs like BRICS, SCO, and Quad etc. Its multi-alignment approach has helped it to navigate the geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges stemming from the unpredictable policies of the Donald Trump administration. China, although India’s long-term rival yet New Delhi has managed its relationship with Beijing with diplomatic subtlety and strategic foresight. Indian leaders are engaging with world with the spirit of world as one family “Vasudev kutumbkam” and expect the same from others.
It has firmly conveyed the world that India is sovereign to pursue its own agenda. It forcefully raised the issue of terrorism in various forums and showed clear defiance by not signing the final draft in SCO defence ministers meet at Shanghai for not including pahalgam massacre. India at present is pursuing a calibrated engagement with U.S., China and Russia to secure its national interests and also hints to India’s commitment for shaping a stable and multipolar world order. The two main reasons for Indias assertiveness have been its fast-growing national economy with a sound international profile and the proactiveness of its leadership in projecting its ambition to be a leading power on the world stage by 2047. Today it cannot talk about foreign policy without referring to de-globalisation, supply chain resilience, critical minerals, digital transformation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), climate change, terrorism etc, if it wants to make Vickshit Baharat possible.
The transition from non- alignment to multi alignment is not confined to India only but the whole world order is currently undergoing a significant reorganization from a unipolar, Western-led system to multi polar order. Multipolarity has replaced America’s unipolar moment during 1990’s and the bipolarity of the Cold War era. Mutli- alignment is going to shape a more equitable economic environment to enhance global prosperity. This tectonic shift is characterized by the decline of traditional Western dominance and the rise of the Global South with new power centres like China and India. Power is diffusing among several influential nations, rather than getting concentrated in one or two superpowers. This is leading to more complex alliances and rivalries, where countries increasingly pursue multi-alignment rather than aligning with a single dominant bloc. Nations in the Global South, especially major economies like China and India, are asserting greater influence in global affairs, challenging the existing norms and institutions that were primarily established by Western powers. The current period is also marked by simultaneous, interconnected crises, including ongoing conflicts between Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas, climate change, cyber warfare, global terrorism and economic volatility etc are straining the existing global governance mechanisms. The Post-World War II multilateral institutions like the UN and WTO are seen as outdated and less effective in managing contemporary global threats and challenges. This has spurred the creation and strengthening of alternative regional and sub-regional organizations such as BRICS, SCO, QUAD etc
Emerging powers like India called for a multipolar world initially to balance US hegemony, but increasingly acknowledge the growing diversity within the West itself. The strength given to India’s foreign policy by muti alignment gets reflected in the following spheres;
Strategic Autonomy: Growing India can’t remain dependent on any single country or bloc for its trade, independent decisions in defence and foreign policy matters. Strategic autonomy carries an important place for India, the concept has deep historical roots, going back to colonial subjugation and free India’s determination never allowed anybody else to decide our place in the world for us. From Nehru’s non-alignment during the Cold War to the Modi government’s “multi-alignment” in the current era, successive governments have sought to preserve India’s freedom of action while adapting to changing geopolitical realities. The strategic autonomy offers a middle path between rigid bloc politics and passive disengagement. In practice, it demands serious diplomacy, institutional resilience, and a clear-eyed understanding of national interest. It is a balancing act – sometimes precarious, often imperfect, but essential for a country such as India that aspires to have global leadership rather than becoming a client state.
Participation in institutions India being the world’s largest democracy with highest economic growth rate can’t act as subservient, to countries much less in population and economic size, for all times. It shall get due place in international bodies like UNSC, BRICS, SCO, and G20 etc. Muti alignment will be a stepping stone in this direction. India is a founding member of the UN and a major contributor of troops to UN peace keeping mission, often contributes nearly twice as many peace keepers as P5 countries but still lacks permanent membership of UNSC. This long overdue membership is sheer neglect of nearly one fifth of world population. It is worthwhile to point out that most P5 nations, including the US, UK, France and Russia have expressed support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council. India is also part of G4 group which includes Japan, Germany, Brazil all of these countries support each other’s bid for permanent seat in UN. India also actively participated in the Inter – Governmental Negotiations (IGN) to push for comprehensive UNSC reforms.
The primary obstacle to India’s permanent membership is the requirement of an amendment to the UN Charter, to be adopted by a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly and ratified by two-thirds of the member states, including all five current permanent members. China has historically been hesitant or has stonewalled efforts that would include India and Japan as permanent members, largely due to regional rivalries.
Economic Diversification: Multi alignment with lead to expansion of market for Indian goods and strengthen India’s role in global supply chains under the China+1 policy currently being adopted by various business organisations. The friction between US and China has led to political instability besides COVID-19 highlighted vulnerabilities of single-source reliance. It will also help us to use cost advantage to our benefit.
Security purpose: India being surrounded by enemy countries needs to upgrade its security setup. The multi-alignment with Russia, US, Europe, and Indo-Pacific, will ensure access to diverse defence technologies. India China came on table in SCO conference but can China be trusted is a big question in itself? India has to be cautious about Pakistan – China nexus and fuel to fire has become visible by the presence of both in Bangladesh.
There is no doubt that trade by its nature should be multipolar as it reduces dependence on one country / bloc but the problem lies with defence exercises, intelligence sharing, terrorism etc. The multipolarity will be a real test of our diplomacy.
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