MAKING INDIA’ S IDEA OF STRATEGIC AUTONOMY SIMPLE. NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT REVISITED

Abstract

India’s foreign policy decisions and actions are often questioned and debated in the context of great power polarities. Although the context for discussions is relevant, India’s experiences in recent history, especially during the Cold War have been underestimated and overlooked. This article argues that challenges during the Cold War and the foundations of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) should be considered fundamental when explaining India’s foreign policy decisions and the idea of strategic autonomy that drives its politics on international arena. Even more, considering the NAM principles and building upon post-Cold War decisions, India’s idea of strategic autonomy reflects Nehruvian idealistic and moralistic principles combined with PM Modi’s realistic foreign policy principles. These principles and the idea of strategic autonomy will be explained through three Indian foreign policy choices. Firstly, India’s focus on the region exhibits the desire to build up a strong region to minimise the risks from possible great power rivalries. Secondly, relations with emerging powers like BRICS and IBSA demonstrate the ambition of building up a just world order. Thirdly, India’s ambition to reform UN and its economy exhibits its ambitions of raising into a great power status where power and responsibilities are interrelated. Finally, India’s idea of strategic autonomy will be explained, where power, responsibilities and moralistic world view are all part of it.