How can India leverage its strategic autonomy, soft power, and civilisational strengths to emerge as a leading global power, while managing the influence of China, the U.S., and ot

GS2 International Relations
How can India leverage its strategic autonomy, soft power, and civilisational strengths to emerge as a leading global power, while managing the influence of China, the U.S., and other major players?

Discuss

  • 15 marks
  • 8 min
  • 150 words
  • Easy

The Hindu

Read article →

India’s strategic autonomy is a competitive advantage in a multipolar world, enabling issue-based alignment without treaty-bound dependency. Its soft power and civilisational capital amplify diplomatic reach beyond hard geopolitics. However, managing Sino-U.S. rivalry while scaling national power requires calibrated balancing, economic resilience, and institutional credibility.

Key pillars of India’s rise:

  • Strategic Autonomy: Non-aligned heritage now evolved into multi-alignment. Example: India in Quad (security) without NATO-style commitments; member of BRICS & SCO despite China’s presence—showing hedged autonomy.
  • Soft Power: India ranks top 5 globally in soft power influence (culture, diaspora, digital public goods). Indian diaspora ~32 million acts as a global lobby and investment bridge.
  • Civilisational strengths: Yoga, Ayurveda, Buddhism diplomacy; 40+ countries teach Indian studies, Nalanda University revival, LiFE Mission for climate leadership.
  • Tech diplomacy: UPI operational in 7+ countries (2025 target 20), population scale 1.4B helps deploy Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) faster than peers.
  • Managing China & U.S.: Counter China via ASEAN outreach, BIMSTEC, IPEF trade hedge, Act East, border infra push; engage U.S. for semiconductors, defence, space while retaining independent foreign policy.

Way forward: boost manufacturing, blue-water navy, AI + DPI exports, narrative power, and economic security to translate autonomy into global primacy, not neutrality.