Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
मनोहर पर्रिकर रक्षा अध्ययन एवं विश्लेषण संस्थान

Publication

Maldives, Populism and Politicisation of Foreign Policy: India in between India First and India Out?

This article posits that Mohamed Muizzu coming to power, and the shifting tectonics of India First and India Out fits in the template of populism, and politicisation of foreign policy. Deploying the discursive method, the article focuses on Muizzu’s speeches (2023–2025), and argues that the India factor was deployed for the purpose of politicisation and domestic mobilisation. However, I underline that politicisation of foreign policy may not always lead to tangible shifts in foreign policy orientation. This highlights the limits of populist politicisation by Muizzu, especially in the wake of economic crisis, and strategic passivity by China.

From Cold War Distance to Indo-Pacific Partnership: An Overview of the Past, Present, and Future of India-ASEAN Strategic Engagement

The year 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and ASEAN and its progression into a comprehensive strategic partnership. Meanwhile, the unfolding geopolitical developments in the form of great power competition are fast eroding ASEAN’s centrality, thereby shrinking the diplomatic space that ASEAN needs to balance the two big powers (Zhiqun Citation2024). Amid increasing great power competition, ASEAN’s act of straddling between the US-led security guarantee and the economic benefits of engaging with China is becoming increasingly difficult (Thompson Citation2024). This shift in the geopolitical environment in Southeast Asia is also pressurising India to recalibrate its regional strategies. A historical analysis of Indo-ASEAN relations is necessary for situating the evolving dynamics between the two in the Indo-Pacific context, as past choices and constraints continue to shape Indo-ASEAN engagement. This Commentary analyses three major geopolitical factors involving India and ASEAN from India’s independence to the Indo-Pacific era. The factors are: the similarity in their geopolitical objectives, the degree of convergence in their geopolitical alignment with the United States (US) and China, and the relative power dynamics between India and ASEAN. Drawing on this analysis, the Commentary highlights the extent of strategic convergence between India and ASEAN during each period, showing how Indo-ASEAN relations have evolved from symbolic diplomacy to substantive strategic cooperation.

Friends: India’s Closest Strategic Partners

In an era marked by geopolitical flux, strategic rivalries, and an increasingly multipolar world order, the question of how India can safeguard its national interests while asserting itself as a global power has become more pressing than ever. In his book titled Friends: India’s Closest Strategic Partners, Sreeram Chaulia offers a compelling response: the key lies in cultivating and sustaining dependable international partnerships. Through detailed case studies of India’s bilateral relations with seven pivotal countries—Japan, Australia, the United States, Russia, France, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates—Chaulia examines how strategic friendships are shaping India’s foreign policy and global positioning. His analysis provides a timely reflection on the evolving nature of diplomacy and India’s quest for strategic autonomy amid shifting global dynamics. Each of these countries gets its own chapter in the book, where Chaulia explains how the friendship with India developed over time, what it looks like today, and what challenges lie ahead.

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