Navigating India’s Global Rise Amidst Regional Decline

Source-This post on Navigating India’s Global Rise Amidst Regional Decline has been created based on the article “The paradox of India’s global rise, its regional decline” published in “The Hindu” on 3 May 2024.

UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-2-International relations- India and its Neighborhood Relations

Context – The article highlights a paradox in contemporary Indian foreign policy. On one hand, India is rising globally, whereas on the other hand its influence in the South Asian region is declining.

What are the reasons behind India’s global rise?

1) India’s global rise is attributed to growth in absolute power (economic growth, military capabilities, young demography), peer accommodation, and a conducive international situation.

2) India’s inclusion in key global institutions like G-20, G-7, Quad, BRICS, and SCO highlight its geopolitical significance and powerful global presence.

3) Increased global focus on the Indo-Pacific, where India plays a central role, has helped boost India’s global standing.

What are the factors that have led to decline in India’s regional power?

Despite its global rise, India’s influence in South Asia has declined sharply compared to the Cold War era or China’s current influence in the region.

1)  Indian Influence Decline and Global Prominence-India’s rising global prominence is also one of the reasons for its regional declining status. For instance- the American withdrawal from the region and China’s increased presence have negatively affected India. However, these factors have led the United States and its allies to back India’s global goals in countering China’s influence.

2) Neighboring Strategies– Smaller South Asian countries are using strategies like balancing, bargaining, hedging, and bandwagoning, perceiving China as a beneficial counterbalance to India.

3) The Rise of China and its Impact -China’s rise is the main factor behind India’s regional decline. This is because, for the first time, India faces stiff geopolitical competition from a rising superpower neighbor. The arrival of China in South Asia, the U.S. withdrawal, and India’s tilt towards the Indo-Pacific have shifted the regional balance of power in Beijing’s favor.

What are the implications of this paradox for India?

1) India’s situation of rising globally but weakening regionally has big consequences for its global goals.

2) It raises questions about whether a country that is not able to maintain its prominence in its periphery then how it can be a pivotal power in international politics.

Read more– On Potential of India-China Relations: A China-India partnership, its vast global potential

What steps can be taken by India to regain its regional prominence?

1) India needs to recognize that the region, its neighbors, and the geopolitics have changed significantly in the past fifteen years or so.

2) There is a need to revisit traditional conceptions of the region and ‘modernize’ India’s primacy in South Asia.

3) India should focus on its strengths rather than trying to match China’s might in every aspect. For ex- reclaiming the Buddhist heritage.

4) India should leverage its maritime advantages in the Indo-Pacific to address its continental handicaps by engaging smaller South Asian nations in the Indo-Pacific strategy. For ex- India and its partners like the U.S., Japan etc. can find ways of engaging and partnering with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh as part of their larger Indo-Pacific strategy.

5) There is a need to view the region through a non-India-centric lens and work with external friendly partners in the Indian Ocean and South Asia.

6)  India’s soft power need to be utilized innovatively to maintain influence in the region, like promoting informal communication among political and civil society figures in countries where India is reluctant to engage directly in conflicts. For ex-dealing with Myanmar crisis.

Question for practice

Highlight the factors that have led to decline in India’s regional power? What steps can be taken by India to regain its regional prominence?