While the Cold War (US-USSR) was raging and shaking international politics, in the initial two decades following India’s independence, India’s foreign policy was heavily determined by the policy of non-alignment, which later became a full-fledged movement and forum of discussion in 1961 (Non Alignment Movement).

But today, India skillfully maneuvers between China-led or Russia-led groupings such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), along with its involvement in US-led groupings such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), in which Japan and Australia are also members.

In order to understand the practicality of multi-alignment, we need to flip back a few pages of history to understand the non-alignment approach first.

History of Non-Alignment in India

• The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was created and founded during the collapse of the colonial system and the independence struggles of the peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions of the world and at the height of the Cold War.

• In 1960, it was at the fifteenth ordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly that the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries was created, resulting in the admission of 17 new African and Asian members.

  • The then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru also promoted the concept of ‘non-alignment’, or equidistance of the ‘third world’ from the two superpowers of the Cold War. These concepts found their way to the Bandung Conference of 1955.

    • The primary objectives of the non-aligned countries focused on the support of self-determination, national independence and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, non-adherence to multilateral military pacts.

• By the end of the 1980s, the Movement was facing the great challenge brought about by the collapse of the socialist block. The end of the clash between the two antagonistic blocks that was the reason for its existence, name and essence was seen by some as the beginning of the end for the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.

India’s New Multi-Alignment Approach

• Multi-Alignment: It is a series of parallel relationships that strengthen multilateral partnerships and seek a common approach among the grouping towards security, economic equity and the elimination of existential dangers like terrorism. Below are a few forums where India''s Multi-Alignment Approach is clearly evident:

  • International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): A 7,200-kilometer multi-modal transport corridor that combines road, rail and maritime routes, connecting Saint Petersburg (Russia) to Mumbai.

    • International North-South Transport Corridor offers a platform for India to collaborate with Russia, Iran, and the Central Asian Republics towards fostering a Eurasian Free Trade Area.

    • Once fully operational, INSTC is expected to reduce freight costs by 30% and the journey time by 40% compared to the deep-sea route via the Suez Canal.

  • BRICS: BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, seeks for economic, political and security cooperation including people-to-people exchange through a well-planned mechanism.

    • India was instrumental in co-founding the New Development Bank (NDB), a new multilateral initiative expected to rival the World Bank.

  • Shanghai Cooperation Organization: SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and military organization aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.

    • Membership: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

      • Iran and Belarus are likely to be the two newest additions.

    • From SCO, China and Russia are looking to counter the West, especially the expansion of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

  • Quadrilateral Security Dialogue: QUAD is the informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region and counter China.

Contemporary Challenges for India’s Foreign Policy

• Growing Russia-China Axis: Russia has become increasingly interested in its periphery''s affairs. Furthermore, sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea have pushed it towards a closer relationship with China that can certainly deflect its interest in India.

• Self-Imposed Isolation of India: Currently, India remains isolated from supranational bodies like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Moreover, India has opted out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

  • Self-imposed isolation does not fit with India''s ambition to become a global power.

• Weakening Ties with Neighbors: A more worrying concern for Indian foreign policy is weakening ties with the neighbors. This can be seen from instances like China’s Cheque Book Diplomacy vis-a-vis Sri Lanka and Pakistan, strain in relation with Bangladesh on National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue and a border dispute with Nepal.

  • Thus instead of looking towards development of the country, India is forced to invest heavily in security.

Road ahead

• Strengthening Ties with Neighbors: India should make valiant efforts to improve relations with some of its neighbors such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

  • In this context, India can look forward to extending more diplomatic policies like "vaccine diplomacy" under its Neighbourhood First Policy with neighbors, which supplied vaccines for free or at affordable prices in 2021.

• Thinking Beyond Geo-Political: It is imperative to expand the focus of India''s foreign policy agenda beyond the traditional thinking of geopolitical boundaries to address issues such as regulatory oversight of trans-boundary digital giants, big data management, trade issues and disaster relief.

• G20 in 2023: India''s presidency of G20 in 2023 will give it the chance to weave geoeconomic themes with geopolitical interests. Until now, India has played the role of an emerging power trying to become a global power. The G20 summit of 2023 will allow India to articulate and be proactive on issues that matter to the world.