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This term was coined by Jyotindra Nath Dixit, who was a former Foreign Secretary. ‘Bharatnatyam’ in Indian diplomacy means that – “you may appear in different forms to others but after you have first secured your interests.” The following events can be regarded as an example:
1.) Republics and Moscow – After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, India accepted the challenge. It started to build new relationships with newly formed republics in Central Asia, South Caucasus, Central Europe. While maintaining its traditional ties with Moscow.
2.) Israel – In 1992, India established a full diplomatic relationship with Israel, leading to one of India’s most significant strategic partnerships.
3.) Nuclear deal – In 1992, India and US bilateral meeting it was decided that the countries need to have frank exchanges on issues that divided them during the Cold War. This ultimately led to the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in 2008.
4.) ASEAN – Establishment of ‘Look-East’ policy in 1992. Since 2002, this relationship has strengthened as an annual India-ASEAN summit.
5.) China and Taiwan – In 1993, confidence building measures were initiated. Such as Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control in India-China border areas. Simultaneously, India and Taiwan negotiated to open economic and cultural centers.
Use of similar strategy by India during Ukraine-Russia war
The Dixit principle is visible in India’s stand on the Ukraine conflict in the UN. The Indian government has chosen to ‘abstain’ based on its core interest. ‘Abstaining’ reflects a grey zone. It can either be seen as a sign of helplessness or create space for diplomatic maneuvers. In this case, both West and Russia should feel satisfied that India is not giving into Russian or western persuasion respectively.
Source: This post is created based on the article “‘Bharat Natyam’ in Indian diplomacy” published in The Hindu on 16th March 2022.
