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Introduction

The deepening Russia-China partnership and intensifying great-power competition are reshaping India’s strategic environment. While strategic autonomy remains important, India’s trade, technology, and security interests increasingly require a pragmatic foreign policy rooted in geopolitical realism and diversified partnerships.

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India’s Trade and Strategic Imperatives

• Export Dependence: India’s major export markets lie in the West making economic engagement with them strategically essential.
  Eg: India exports more goods to the Netherlands than to China and Russia combined.
• Technology Access: Advanced technology, R&D collaboration, and innovation partnerships are largely concentrated in Western economies.
• Investment Needs: India’s modernization requires foreign capital and manufacturing partnerships to accelerate growth and industrial capacity.
• China Dependence: Excessive dependence on Chinese manufactured goods creates strategic and economic vulnerabilities.
  Eg: India’s trade deficit with China has crossed $110 billion. 
• Supply Diversification: India seeks resilient supply chains through partnerships to reduce strategic risks.
  Eg: India joined initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

Need for a Shift towards Geopolitical Realism

• China Challenge: China’s military, economic, and regional assertiveness necessitates balancing through external partnerships.
  Eg: India faces a disputed boundary and growing Chinese influence in South Asia.
• Western Partnerships: Closer ties with the West, Japan, and Australia strengthen India’s economic and strategic capabilities.
• Quad Cooperation: Practical coalitions like Quad enhance maritime security, technology sharing, and Indo-Pacific stability.
  Eg: India is hosting the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting despite concerns over US-China rapprochement.
• Internal Strengthening: External cooperation supports India’s modernization in manufacturing, defence, and critical technologies.
  Eg: India-US initiatives on semiconductors and critical technologies under iCET.
• Issue-Based Alignment: Geopolitical realism allows India to cooperate selectively without rigid alliance commitments.
  Eg: India maintains ties with Russia while simultaneously deepening engagement with the West.

Continuing Relevance of Strategic Autonomy

• Decision Independence: Strategic autonomy preserves India’s freedom to take independent foreign policy decisions.
• Multi-Alignment: India benefits from engaging multiple power centres simultaneously.
  Eg: India participates in Quad, BRICS, SCO, and G20 together.
• Energy Security: Independent policy enables India to secure affordable energy and defence supplies.
  Eg: India increased discounted crude oil imports from Russia after 2022.
• Global South Voice: Strategic autonomy strengthens India’s credibility among developing countries.
• Conflict Flexibility: Non-alignment with rigid blocs helps India maintain diplomatic flexibility during crises.

Conclusion

India’s foreign policy must combine strategic autonomy with pragmatic geopolitical realism. In an era of shifting power balances and China’s rise, India’s national interests are best served through diversified partnerships, economic modernization, and flexible issue-based engagement while retaining independent decision-making capacity.

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