A Legal Perspective on Constitutional Powers, International Law Commitments and Rule-Based Global Engagement

India’s global role has expanded in multiple directions, including diplomacy, trade, security cooperation, climate action, digital governance, and participation in international institutions. This growing role is not only strategic and economic; it is also legal, because international relations increasingly operate through treaties, customary rules, dispute settlement systems, sanctions regimes, and human rights obligations. This paper studies India’s emerging global role through the lens of law. It explains (i) the constitutional basis of India’s foreign relations and treaty-making powers, (ii) how international law becomes relevant within Indian courts and legislation, (iii) India’s engagement with key legal regimes such as trade, investment, maritime law, climate law, and humanitarian law, and (iv) the legal challenges that affect India’s credibility and effectiveness in global governance. The paper uses doctrinal legal research, relying on constitutional provisions, statutes, international instruments, and leading judicial decisions. It argues that India’s influence in the international system will depend not only on political will but also on consistent rule-based practice, stronger domestic frameworks for treaty implementation, and enhanced institutional capacity to shape global legal norms.