Priorities in India’s Indo-Pacific Order: Astute Realpolitik or Flexible Diplomacy? By Jagannath Panda, Julie Yu-Wen Chen, and Richard Ghiasy

In a recent article for The Diplomat, authors Jagannath Panda, Julie Yu-Wen Chen and Richard Ghiasy analyze India’s current foreign policies. They scrutinize India’s diplomatic balancing act, noting that recent China-India troop withdrawal agreements signal a thaw in relations, which raises questions about India’s tilt toward the West, particularly the U.S., in its Indo-Pacific strategy. Prime Minister Modi is simultaneously strengthening ties with Southeast Asia, Europe, and U.S.-led initiatives like the Quad, while also participating in China-dominant forums like BRICS. This indicates that India is pursuing a multipolar Indo-Pacific vision rooted in pragmatic, flexible diplomacy to maintain stability and bolster its global standing.

The authors conclude with the assessment that”India’s approaches to fostering the Indo-Pacific order align with its outlook that a multipolar Indo-Pacific that includes a strong India is the bedrock for peace and stability.”

You can find the full article here.

This work is part of a Stiftung Mercator-funded project titled “Order in the Indo-Pacific: Gauging the Region’s Perspectives on EU Strategies and Constructive Involvement.”

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