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Modi Government’s NAM 3.0 Or a shift to Multi-Alignment?

Prachita Singh Writes: India’s non alignment policy has evolved over the years but can it still be classified as ‘non alignment’? or is it just a game of choosing alliances to counter balance one another?

Prachita Singh Writes:In the backdrop of developing economic and social stability and co-operation in the region, the BRICS summit will be held in New Delhi this year after the G20 summit. What the Shanghai co-operation and the finance ministers’ annual summit seek to achieve is greater co-operation in the Eurasia region, especially amongst countries like China, India and Russia on issues of mutual concerns in Asia-pacific Region.

Questions have been raised in China regarding India trying to further its national interests by becoming close to the US. Concerns have also been widespread in China on India’s military cooperation with US, especially, after the logistics deal signed by Ashton Carter and Manohar Parrikar, the Defence Secretaries of the two nations. One such example I take is of the article -‘India Seeks Interest from Geopolitical Tensions’ published in Global Times, a popular daily newspaper in China, dated 17th April, 2016 which throws light on these concerns by China regarding Indian non alignment policies.

One can ask questions like what are the real reasons behind strengthening these ties? and what is the present and future of non alignment in India? The world now sees India’s non alignment policies, especially under the Modi government as more of a shift towards multi-alignment under the shield of non-alignment. It’s not necessarily a bad scenario unless India goes beyond its reach to achieve greater benefits in national interests and in-turn gets drawn into internal conflicts in Asian.

Another concern for China regarding India’s non-alignment policies under the Modi government is that, China is seeing India as an opportunist country who has the  proclivity to take benefit from both countries, namely US for military alliances and Asian powers like China and Russia for  development issues. India is trying to follows a dual policy of non-alignment on one side and enjoys a high amount of solidarity with other nations (due to geo-political tensions in the Asian region). The question, therefore, is where is India going with this? Will India emerge as the pivotal power in the region or will its policies back fire?

Although, the latter situation happening  is highly unlikely as both the blocs see India as pivotal in balancing the international power game.  Russia being an old time ally, will always enjoy better and greater alliance with India in the South Asian region as India is the largest country. Some may see India as an opportunist who seeks to further its national interests by exploiting its geopolitical location, (and if India plays its cards right, it can become a major emerging power that can play a pivotal role in this world order). There is nothing wrong in it because in international relations a country’s main objectives is to further their national interests.

However the major features of this non alignment 3.0 are indeed puzzling. If one sees the trajectories – Firstly, India supported US and Japan on issues of maritime in Asia-pacific. It could have supported China and Russia to avoid conflict and bring a common forefront as a regional bloc. Secondly, again on other global issues like Middle East, India distanced itself from its responsibilities of supporting China and Russia to avoid conflict with USA.

The most important aspect for India should be to have greater co-operation with Asian countries because external powers will always have an agenda behind their alliances. For greater development, one needs a stable home environment or else India may become a pawn in the hands of US in Asia (to counter China). However, there is no doubt that India is indeed exploiting the geopolitical tensions between US and China, and US and Russia. India’s non alignment policy has  evolved over the years but can it still be classified as ‘non alignment’? or is it just a game of choosing alliances to counter balance one another? And with the fundamentals of India’s foreign policy evolving, will the world see major changes in India’s foreign policies and its choice of alliances?

 

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