India's National Interests and Diplomatic Activism
India's National Interests and Diplomatic Activism
India's National Interests and Diplomatic Activism
By OLIVER STUENKEL
Introduction:
The fundamental shift of power towards Asia i.e. China and India. During the cold war , India was the only democratic regime that did not align with the West. Traditionally India was for the conflict with Pakistan , today it is routinely analysed in the context of a rising China . The need to understand Indias perspective has never been greater , and today no global challenge- be it climate change, nuclear proliferation or poverty reduction can be tackled successfully without Indias active contribution and engagement .
Indias biggest weakness is its incapacity to exercise regional leadership : Far from having a clear and attractive vision for the region . Intra regional trade remains minimal . Democracy as a political priority is largely absent from Indias foreign policy : India is surrounded by unstable and often autocratic regimes, which may react negatively to democracy promotion . Can India be a GLOBAL POWER without being a REGIONAL POWER? India simply cannot leapfrog problems in its vicinity to play on the world stage . India in the past attempted to ignore its neighbourhood. The last decade indicates Indias sphere of influence has grown considerably.
Pakistan
Most Indians believe that a failed Pakistani state is not in India's interest, as nuclear weapons could fall into the hand of radical Islamists.
United States
United States and India signed a Nuclear agreement, a direct result of the United State belief that the US could exploit an emerging rivalry between China and India
Conclusion
India risk losing the support of developing countries that have long formed the core of Indians followership as no longer see India defending poor countries interest at international level. Instead of focusing on states, as it has often done in past decades, Indias foreign policy is likely to become more pragmatic.