Paper: GS – II, Subject: International Relations, Topic: India’s foreign policy, Issue: India’s significance.
Context:
A Foreign Affairs article argued that India has “delusions of grandeur” about becoming a Great Power, and that it ranks nowhere near the U.S. or China sparking debate on India’s actual global role, its strategic positioning, and its unique pathway of progress.
Key Highlights:
Western misreadings:
- Critics dismiss India’s rise, terming it a “Great Power Delusion.”
- It reflects Western outrage at India’s rise, often compared unfavourably with China.
- U.S. sees India as dependent on Western assistance, particularly against China.
- Western analysts often undervalue India’s long-term trajectory, expecting linear progress.
- They fail to grasp India’s contradictions such as:
- Democracy with slow reforms, yet resilience.
- Engaging with U.S. while buying oil from Russia.
- U.S. and West underestimate civilisational continuity of India’s rise.
India’s significance:
- Historical Achievements:
- Food security: From a “famine-affected nation” to a leading exporter of food grains enabled by Green Revolution.
- Butter before guns: Prioritised economic strength and food security over military expansion.
- Strategic Autonomy:
- Avoiding confrontation: India has historically resisted being drawn fully into U.S.- or Russia-led blocs. For example, India led Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) post-1947.
- Independent stance: India maintains independent positions despite pressures such as Russian oil purchases despite U.S. opposition.
- Unique Path of Progress:
- Economic rise: India’s rise built on economic growth, democratic values, and civilisational ethos, not military adventurism.
- Balancing power: India avoided Cold War entanglements and emerged as a balancing factor in international relations.
- Civilisational Strength: India projects itself as a civilisational state with deep-rooted cultural heritage.
- Soft Power: Yoga, Ayurveda, democratic values, diaspora influence.
- Counterweight to China: In the context of U.S. – China rivalry, India seen as a counterweight to China. Quad partnership (U.S., Japan, Australia, India) reinforces India’s Indo-Pacific role.
- Technological Superiority: Strengths in IT sector, digital infrastructure (e.g., UPI, Aadhaar) and young workforce, innovation in AI & green tech gives India leverage despite slower military build-up.
- Economic Diplomacy: India’s market size, demographic dividend, and energy needs boosts its strategic importance.
Conclusion:
India’s rise is not a “delusion” but a reflection of its unique development model, prioritising economic growth, technology, and democratic values over militarisation. Rather than seeking validation from the West, India’s trajectory lies in leveraging its civilisational strengths and technological edge to emerge as a credible global power in its own right.
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/positioning-india-in-an-unruly-world/article70049679.ece
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