Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
India’s foreign policy, traditionally rooted in non-alignment, has undergone significant shifts in the 21st century, particularly in the last two decades. Driven by a rising economy, evolving geopolitical landscape, and changing domestic priorities, India has sought a greater role in global affairs. However, this journey has been fraught with challenges. These range from managing relationships with major powers like the US and China, to dealing with regional instability in South Asia, and addressing internal constraints impacting its external engagements. The core debate revolves around whether these challenges are fundamentally driven by domestic political concerns – such as coalition compulsions, electoral calculations, or bureaucratic inertia – or are inherent to the complex strategic environment India navigates.
Challenges to India’s Foreign Policy (Last Two Decades)
The challenges can be broadly categorized into external and internal factors, with significant overlap between the two.
External Challenges
- Rise of China: China’s economic and military rise presents a significant strategic challenge. Border disputes, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and China’s growing influence in South Asia require careful calibration of India’s foreign policy. The Doklam standoff (2017) and the Galwan Valley clash (2020) exemplify this challenge.
- US-India Relationship Dynamics: While the US-India strategic partnership has deepened, issues like trade imbalances, intellectual property rights, and differing approaches to multilateralism (e.g., climate change) create friction. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its implications for regional stability also pose challenges.
- Regional Instability: Instability in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka directly impacts India’s security and economic interests. Cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan remains a major concern.
- Global Terrorism: The evolving nature of global terrorism, including the rise of ISIS and its affiliates, necessitates enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation with international partners.
- Changing Multilateral Order: The weakening of multilateral institutions and the rise of protectionism pose challenges to India’s advocacy for a rule-based international order.
Internal Challenges
- Domestic Political Constraints: Coalition governments and frequent changes in leadership can lead to policy inconsistencies and hinder long-term strategic planning. Domestic political considerations often overshadow strategic imperatives.
- Bureaucratic Inertia: A slow and cumbersome bureaucratic process can impede the effective implementation of foreign policy initiatives.
- Economic Constraints: Limited economic resources and infrastructure bottlenecks constrain India’s ability to project power and influence abroad.
- Lack of a National Consensus: Absence of a broad national consensus on foreign policy objectives can lead to conflicting signals and undermine India’s credibility.
- Capacity Building: Shortage of skilled diplomats and area specialists hampers India’s ability to effectively engage with the world.
Are these ‘Concerns’ or ‘Strategic’ Issues?
While many challenges appear as ‘concerns’, they are fundamentally ‘strategic’ issues with domestic political dimensions. For instance, the border dispute with China is a strategic issue, but domestic public opinion and political pressure influence India’s response. Similarly, the US-India relationship is strategically important, but trade negotiations are often influenced by domestic industry lobbies.
| Challenge | Primarily ‘Concern’ or ‘Strategic’? | Domestic Political Influence |
|---|---|---|
| Rise of China | Strategic | Public opinion, border security concerns influence policy |
| US-India Trade Imbalance | Concern with Strategic Implications | Domestic industry lobbies, electoral considerations |
| Regional Instability (Afghanistan) | Strategic | Domestic security concerns, refugee management |
| Bureaucratic Inertia | Concern | Political appointments, lack of administrative reforms |
The interplay between domestic politics and strategic considerations is crucial. For example, India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy, while strategically sound, is also driven by the need to maintain stability in the region and address domestic security concerns. The abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (2019) had significant foreign policy ramifications, demonstrating how domestic decisions can have international consequences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the challenges to India’s foreign policy in the last two decades are multifaceted, stemming from both external strategic realities and internal domestic constraints. While domestic political considerations undoubtedly influence policy formulation and implementation, the core issues are fundamentally strategic in nature. Successfully navigating these challenges requires a long-term vision, a robust bureaucratic framework, and a broad national consensus on foreign policy objectives. India must strive to balance its domestic priorities with its strategic interests to effectively assert its role as a responsible global power.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.