From Geography of Borders to Geometry of Interests: The Evolution of India's Foreign Policy
Syllabus Mapping: GS-2: India and its Neighbourhood, Bilateral & Regional Relations, Effect of Policies of Developed Countries, International Institutions and India’s Strategic Interests.
India’s foreign policy has evolved from being primarily shaped by geographical proximity and territorial considerations to one increasingly driven by strategic, economic, technological and maritime interests. In an era of multipolarity, India’s diplomacy reflects a shift from the ‘geography of borders’ to the ‘geometry of interests’, characterised by issue-based partnerships, multi-alignment and strategic autonomy.
Drivers of India’s Shift from Geography to Geometry of Interests
- Multipolar World Order: The transition from a unipolar to a multipolar world has encouraged India to diversify strategic partnerships beyond its immediate neighbourhood. Eg: I2U2 & QUAD.
- Changing Nature of National Security: Security concerns now extend beyond territorial defence to include maritime security, cyber threats, critical technologies and resilient supply chains. Eg: India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
- Geoeconomics: Trade, connectivity, technology, energy and resilient value chains have become central determinants of foreign policy. Eg: India has concluded CETA with the UK recently.
- Critical & Emerging Technologies: Competition in semiconductors, AI, quantum technologies and trusted digital ecosystems has expanded the scope of strategic partnerships. Eg: India–US iCET
- Energy & Supply Chain Security: Energy diversification and resilient supply chains have become strategic priorities amid geopolitical disruptions. Eg: India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
- Global South Leadership: India increasingly seeks to shape global governance by acting as a voice for developing countries. Eg: Global South Summit, African Union’s admission into G20 (2023).
Pillars of India’s Emerging Strategic Architecture
- Strategic Autonomy: Maintain independent decision-making while engaging multiple power centres without alliance commitments.
- Issue-Based Coalitions: Build flexible partnerships based on converging interests rather than ideological blocs. Eg: BRICS
- Neighbourhood First Policy: Prioritise regional stability, connectivity and economic integration in South Asia. Eg: India–Sri Lanka energy connectivity, Maitri initiatives.
- Act East & Indo-Pacific: Strengthen strategic, economic and maritime engagement across the Indo-Pacific.
- Voice of Global South: Advocate reforms in multilateral institutions and promote inclusive global governance.
- Technology & Connectivity Diplomacy: Use digital public infrastructure, critical technologies and connectivity corridors as instruments of foreign policy. Eg: Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository, IMEC and INSTC.
Challenges in Realising India’s Global Strategic Vision
- Strategic Balancing: Managing relations simultaneously with the US, Russia, Europe, Iran and the Gulf amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry without strategic contradictions requires careful diplomatic calibration.
- Neighbourhood Volatility: Political instability, debt crises and external influence in South Asia complicate India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy. Eg: Bangladesh political transition, Sri Lanka debt crisis, etc.
- Technology Dependence: Dependence on imported semiconductors, critical technologies and rare earth supply chains constrains strategic autonomy.
- Regional Instability: Conflicts in West Asia, Myanmar and the Indo-Pacific threaten India’s connectivity, trade and energy security.
- Institutional Constraints: Slow reforms in global institutions reduce India’s influence despite its rising geopolitical profile.
- Implementation Capacity: Ambitious initiatives such as IMEC, SAGAR and Global South partnerships require sustained financial, technological and diplomatic capacity.
Towards a Future-Ready Indian Foreign Policy
- Build Comprehensive National Power (CNP): Enhance economic competitiveness, defence capabilities, technological innovation and diplomatic capacity to sustain India’s global ambitions.
- Institutionalise Multi-Alignment: Deepen issue-based partnerships while preserving independent decision-making in an increasingly polarised global order.
- Lead Global Governance Reforms: Champion reforms of the UNSC, WTO, IMF and Multilateral Development Banks while amplifying the concerns of the Global South.
- Secure the Indo-Pacific & Neighbourhood: Strengthen India’s role as a net security provider along with acceleraing regional connectivity, energy integration and development partnerships to reinforce India’s leadership in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific Ocean Region.
- Economic Statecraft: Integrate trade, investment, connectivity and resilient supply chains into foreign policy to enhance strategic influence and reduce external vulnerabilities.
- Development Diplomacy: Leverage Digital Public Infrastructure, climate leadership, healthcare and capacity-building initiatives to position India as a trusted development partner. Eg: Global Biofuels Alliance.
India’s rise demands a foreign policy that transcends the geography of borders and embraces the geometry of interests. By combining strategic autonomy with economic statecraft, civilisational influence and trusted partnerships, India can shape a stable, connected and inclusive multipolar order.
PRELIMS BOOSTERS
1 . Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued a fresh draft notification proposing an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) of 56,825.7 sq. km across the Western Ghats.
- The draft proposes restrictions on mining, quarrying, new thermal power plants and Red Category industries, while permitting agriculture, plantations and other sustainable livelihood activities.
- Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate activities in ecologically fragile regions.
- The proposed ESA covers six States: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- The proposal is based on the recommendations of the High-Level Working Group (HLWG) headed by K. Kasturirangan (2013), which recommended protection of about 37% (~59,940 sq. km) of the Western Ghats.
- The earlier Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) headed by Madhav Gadgil (2011) had recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats (~1,29,037 sq. km) as an Ecologically Sensitive Area.
- The Western Ghats were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012) with 39 serial sites across four States.
- The mountain chain is recognised as one of the world’s 36 Biodiversity Hotspots due to its exceptional endemism and species richness.
- It is the origin of major peninsular rivers including the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Periyar.
- The region supports several endemic and threatened species such as the Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Malabar Civet and Purple Frog.
- Major protected areas include Silent Valley National Park, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Kudremukh National Park and Anamalai Tiger Reserve.
2. SHeat2: Oral Therapy for Cervical Cancer
- ICMR has developed SHeat2, an experimental oral small-molecule therapy for cervical cancer, which targets the cancer-causing proteins of Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
- Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV), with HPV-16 and HPV-18 accounting for nearly 70% of cases
- HPV is a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Papillomaviridae family and is primarily transmitted through sexual contact.
- The therapy is intended for high-grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) and early cervical cancer, and does not prevent HPV infection like a vaccine.
- In India, the indigenously developed Cervavac (by Serum Institute of India & DBT) is a quadrivalent HPV vaccine providing protection against HPV-6, 11, 16 and 18.
- The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) currently does not include HPV vaccination; however, several States have introduced HPV vaccination programmes for adolescent girls.
3. Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) & Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER)
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) uses the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) and Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as broad indicators of the external competitiveness of the rupee.
- NEER (Nominal Effective Exchange Rate) is the trade-weighted average of the rupee’s exchange rate against a basket of currencies of India’s major trading partners without adjusting for inflation.
- REER (Real Effective Exchange Rate) is the inflation-adjusted NEER, reflecting the rupee’s competitiveness after accounting for inflation differentials between India and its trading partners.
- The RBI publishes NEER and REER using both the 40-currency and 6-currency baskets, with 2015–16 = 100 as the base year.
- REER > 100 generally indicates the currency is relatively overvalued, while REER < 100 indicates it is relatively undervalued, compared with the base year.
- A depreciation of the rupee makes exports relatively cheaper and imports costlier, whereas appreciation has the opposite effect.
- NEER alone does not measure competitiveness, as it ignores inflation; REER is considered a better indicator of export competitiveness.
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used to adjust NEER while computing the REER.
- Exchange rate movements are influenced by factors such as capital flows, crude oil prices, inflation differentials, interest rate differentials, current account balance and RBI interventions.
- The RBI follows a market-determined exchange rate system with intervention only to contain excessive volatility, not to target a fixed exchange rate
