AI-10 (February, 2019) — Implication of 2019 Elections on Indian Foreign Policy

Fulltext download: Asia Insights 10

Implication of 2019 Elections on Indian Foreign Policy

Rajdeep Pakanati (Associate Professor, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India)

Indian Foreign Policy making and execution, is driven by greater continuityand greater change and the coming elections in 2019 will not have a dramatic impact on the conduct of IFP. To understand the conduct of IFP we need to look at the drivers of IFP and also how it is executed. The conduct of IFP is driven by a significant normative agenda coupled with a pragmatist perspective centered around India’s conflicts with Pakistan, China, and the United States. The normative agenda is seen is clearly seen in the post-Independence context when the non-violent struggle against colonialism greatly influenced India’s stance to propose and pursue the non-aligned movement (NAM). The other area where the normative stance is visible is the pursuit of nuclear weapons and then declaring a ‘no-first use’ doctrine. The pragmatist practices are clearly evident in the pursuit of its national interests when it comes its dealings with Pakistan, China and the United States, which capture the most interest in IFP – policy and practice. The paper will lay out how IFP will show the above-mentioned continuityand greater change in IFP can be discerned by looking closely at the three major relationships of India, vis-à-vis Pakistan, China and the….(for fulltext, please download AI-11)

Dr. Rajdeep Pakanati is an Associate Professor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India. He can be reached via: rpakanati@jgu.edu.in