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?

Question

PocketIAS · Accepted Answer

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.

✍️ Practice Mode

Write. Evaluate. Improve. Repeat.

The model answer is ready.

Comments (0)