India's Foreign Policy in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities

India’s foreign policy in the 21st century has undergone significant transformation in response to changing global dynamics, emerging power structures, and regional complexities. This paper examines the evolving nature of India’s diplomatic strategy, focusing on key challenges such as geopolitical tensions, security concerns, economic dependencies, and climate commitments, alongside opportunities arising from globalization, strategic partnerships, and technological advancement. The study adopts a qualitative methodology based on secondary data from scholarly articles, government reports, and policy analyses. The findings reveal that India has shifted from a traditional non-aligned stance to a multi-aligned and pragmatic foreign policy approach. The paper concludes that while India faces structural and strategic constraints, it also possesses significant opportunities to assert itself as a global power through balanced diplomacy and regional leadership.