India’s Strategic Autonomy in a Multipolar World

• Shashi Tharoor, a fourth-term Member of Parliament, Congress, and author of ‘Pax Indica: India and the world of the 21st century’, discusses India’s strategic autonomy in a multipolar world.

• Strategic autonomy refers to a nation’s ability to make sovereign decisions in foreign policy and defense without external pressures or alliance obligations.

• The concept has deep historical roots, dating back to colonial subjugation and India’s determination not to let anyone else decide its place in the world.

• The current global landscape presents both opportunities and challenges for India’s strategic autonomy.

• India’s relationship with the United States has deepened over the past two decades, with joint military exercises and technology transfers.

• The Trump administration’s erratic trade policies and pressure from Washington to reduce energy and defense dealings with Russia have strained economic ties.

• India’s response has been measured, maintaining independent positions on global conflicts and insisting on the primacy of national interest over ideological alignment.

India’s Strategic Autonomy and Global Relations

China’s Challenges and India’s Approach

• China’s border clashes with India in 2020 have shattered illusions of benign coexistence.

• Despite diplomatic overtures, tensions remain high.

• India’s approach is one of cautious engagement and firm deterrence.

• India strengthens border infrastructure, deepens ties with Indo-Pacific partners, and invests in indigenous defence capabilities.

• India participates in multilateral forums such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, where China plays a leading role.

India’s Relationship with Russia

• India’s relationship with Russia is rooted in Cold War solidarity, defence cooperation, and shared strategic interests.

• Despite Moscow’s growing closeness to Beijing and Russia’s global isolation following the Ukraine conflict, India maintains ties.

• India diversifies its military imports, invests in indigenous production, and explores new partnerships without abandoning old ones.

India’s Vision for Global South

• During India’s G-20 presidency in 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared India as the voice of the Global South.

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar argues that partnerships should be shaped by interest, not sentiment or inherited bias.

• India’s rise is civilisational, plural, and deeply political.

Strategic Autonomy in a Globally Interdependent World

• Autonomy must be redefined as resilience and adaptability in a world of interdependence and technological ecosystem dominance.

• Autonomy requires not just diplomatic skill, but economic strength, technological capability, and political coherence.

• In a world of cyber threats, Artificial Intelligence warfare, and space competition, autonomy must extend beyond traditional domains.

India Global Geopolitics 2025 is important topic for Civil service exam (WBCS).

🚨Daily Current Affairs MCQ pdf download- Google Drive Link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PN6A2mDkCngLsGR115zhZ_vTV8W7AKN8?usp=drive_link

✅Telegram channel link: https://t.me/TheSoumyaSir

✅Attempt the daily current affairs test in our free section of app (android and ios) : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.iron.rrnvu

✅ Interview related telegram group https://t.me/IASWBCSInterview 🔥 Book free consultation with WBCS Gr A Officer: https://bit.ly/Free-Appointment-with-Soumya-Sir-Other-WBCS-A-Officer

✅ Courses https://www.wbcsmadeeasy.in/courses/

✅ Attempt previous years questions : Link: https://bit.ly/wbcs-pyq-wbcsmadeeasy

✅ Take subject wise Chapterwise mock test : https://bit.ly/wbcs-prelims-all-subjects-chapter-wise-test

✅ Bio – https://bit.ly/m/wbcs-made-easy

✅ App download – Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.iron.rrnvu&pcampaignid=web_share (iOS available too)

WBCS MADE EASY www.wbcsmadeeasy.in

8274048710/8585843673

Jawahar IAS www.jawaharias.in

7439954855