Navigating Multipolarity: India's Evolving Foreign Policy Strategy

Abstract International relations are conducted between nations through their respective foreign policies. The global system is constantly changing and evolving. The relations between the nations are very dynamic. Nations interact with one another through the instrument of foreign policy. A country's foreign policy dictates the terms on which it will interact with other countries. The transformation of the international system from a largely unipolar structure to a multipolar configuration has significantly altered the conduct of foreign policy for emerging powers. The contemporary international system is undergoing drastic changes. After the end of the Cold War, we witnessed the rise of a unipolar world, but over time, the diffusion of power across multiple regions gave rise to a multipolar world. The world also witnessed the development graph of the countries from various regions, and it also gave rise to the global disparities, which created a difference between the global north and the global south. One of the main players in the Global South is India. India's foreign policy possesses its own unique features, right from the non-alignment to today’s multilateralism, which has evolved exponentially. India’s foreign policy has responded to this change with a multifaceted, pragmatic, and interest-driven foreign policy. By examining its historical development, guiding principles, strategic alliances, regional and international engagements, and new challenges. This paper investigates India's foreign policy in a multipolar world. In order to protect national interests and promote international stability, it contends that India's current foreign policy strikes a careful balance between strategic autonomy and active global engagement. The paper also further explores how, in changing times, India’s engagement with emerging multilateral platforms, such as the G20, QUAD, SCO, and BRICS, has helped India balance competing interests while advancing national development goals. This aligns with the objectives envisaged in the Viksit Bharat @2047.