[Answered] “In a multi-polar world, it is very difficult for India to balance between rival nations.” In light of this discuss how India should manage its interests in a multi-polar world?

As an emerging global power, India plays a key role in the current multipolar world. To maintain the rules-based global order, therefore, it is vital that the EU and India implement effective multilateralism and global economic governance. The EU will seek to consolidate dialogue on multilateral issues, and to coordinate positions with India. Cooperation in the framework of the United Nations, the WTO and the G20 will be of priority.

How India should balance it’s strategic interests in a multi-polar world?

1. India should aim to strengthen the Strategic Partnerships by focusing on sustainable modernisation and on common responses to global and regional issues.
2. India should work to promote common global agendas on human rights and democracy, data protection, gender equality and women’s empowerment and the inclusion of young people. Enhancing humanitarian coordination and developing joint actions on food security and disaster relief, would bring clear added value.
3. India should seek regular exchanges and coordination with all the important nations on major foreign policy issues. Cooperation on security and defence policies should be enhanced in order to address together inter alia terrorism, cyber security, hybrid threats and maritime security. Crisis management ties, including military-to-military relations, should also be developed.
4. India should seek more coordination between its initiatives and those of other countries towards India. India should work together with all nations to provide a better understanding of the India to the world.
5. India’s approach to the emerging multipolar world should be progressive, constructive and unequivocal.
6. India should also work to make the India’s public diplomacy more effective so as to garner support in favour of India.
7. It is important for India to lobby hard for its interests. Also, India should focus more on backstage channels and diplomacy.
8. It is important for Indians to increase their presence all over the world. Indian Diaspora should increase, so that other countries’ policies should a tune to Indian demands.

Selective engagement with a globalised world is impossible for a country that is itself globalising. Besides, as an emerging power, India’s long-term interests lie in positioning itself to influence the formation of the new world order. Above all, the birth of the new world order also coincides with a historic shift in the locus of power from the West to the East. New value chains are being formed and India must remain open to them.