Context

• India’s pursuit of strategic autonomy is grounded in historical experience and contemporary geopolitical realities.
• It is a pragmatic approach aimed at safeguarding sovereignty in a world shaped by shifting power balances.
• No longer a niche academic concept, strategic autonomy now sits at the heart of India’s foreign policy thinking.
• As global volatility increases, this principle acts as the foundation of India’s international engagement and national resilience.

Understanding Strategic Autonomy: Between Isolation and Dependence

• Strategic autonomy means the ability to make independent decisions in foreign and defence policy, free from external pressures or binding alliances.
• It is not synonymous with isolationism or neutrality; instead, it embraces flexibility, adaptability, and sovereign agency.
• India''s colonial past has instilled a long-standing commitment to protecting decision-making from external domination.

Navigating Great Power Equations

1.              Engaging the United States: Cooperation without Compromise

• India’s ties with the U.S. have expanded significantly across defence, intelligence, technology, and multilateral cooperation.
• Partnerships in forums like the Quad, I2U2, and new connectivity initiatives underline shared strategic interests.
• However, India has resisted pressure to dilute ties with Russia or accept unequal trade terms, signalling a clear intent to protect its strategic space.
• Engagement with Washington is deep and collaborative but never at the cost of national interest or policy independence.

2.              Managing the China Relationship: Containment without Confrontation

• China remains India’s most complex foreign policy challenge, marked by both competition and economic interdependence.
• Military tensions, particularly post-2020 border clashes, have pushed India to strengthen regional partnerships and its defence posture.
• Despite growing rivalry, India continues economic and diplomatic engagement through platforms like BRICS and SCO.
• This approach reflects calibrated duality—asserting deterrence while avoiding a full strategic rupture.

3.              Balancing the Russia Equation: Legacy Meets Realism

• India has sustained energy and defence ties with Russia despite global criticism following the Ukraine conflict.
• At the same time, it has diversified its defence sources and invested in domestic production capabilities.
• The engagement with Moscow is driven by pragmatism, not nostalgia, ensuring flexibility amid an increasingly polarised global environment.
• India’s choices in this regard reinforce the principle that its strategic decisions are not subject to external dictates.

4.              Positioning Within the Global South: Leadership Through Sovereignty

• India’s recent G20 presidency highlighted its role as a representative of the Global South.
• New Delhi projected itself as a sovereign and pluralistic voice, advocating for equitable global governance.
• Strategic autonomy here takes on a normative dimension—offering middle powers a model of global engagement without forced alignment.
• This reinforces India’s image as a credible, independent actor in global politics.

Expanding the Scope of Autonomy in the Modern Era

• Strategic autonomy now extends beyond defence and diplomacy into economic and technological spheres.
• Emerging domains—cyberspace, artificial intelligence, and space—require autonomy in digital infrastructure and innovation.
• India’s initiatives in building indigenous digital platforms, securing critical minerals, and participating in global tech rule-making reflect this broadened vision.
• The goal is to secure autonomy not just in foreign policy, but also in supply chains, data governance, and technological ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: Principles for a Resilient Global Posture

• India’s strategic autonomy is a tool for navigating global turbulence without sacrificing core interests or identity.
• The approach involves:
• Partnering with the U.S. without subordination
• Dissuading Chinese aggression without escalation
• Retaining relations with Russia without embracing isolation
• Achieving this requires not only diplomatic acumen but also robust domestic capabilities—economic strength, institutional stability, and technological innovation.

Conclusion: Standing Tall, Not Alone

• Strategic autonomy is ultimately about agency—India’s ability to shape outcomes, not merely adapt to them.
• As the global order becomes more fragmented and multipolar, India’s nuanced balancing act offers a compelling vision for others navigating similar challenges.
• This is not a call for solitary action, but for sovereign engagement—standing tall, clear-eyed, and principled in a contested world.