India’s Foreign Policy

Course Type	Course Code	No. Of Credits
Discipline Core	NSUS1P0610	4

Course Coordinator and Team: SES Faculty

Email of course coordinator: pcbabed@aud.ac.in

Pre-requisites: No

Course Description: "India's Foreign Policy" is a comprehensive course that delves into the evolution, principles, and contemporary challenges of India's foreign relations. The course explores India's strategic goals, diplomatic practices, and interactions with major global powers and neighbouring countries. Students will examine the historical context, key doctrines, and institutional frameworks that shape India's international conduct. The course also covers India's role in global governance, economic diplomacy, security concerns, and its approach to emerging global issues. Through case studies and critical analysis, students will gain insights into India's foreign policy's complexities and its impact on regional and global dynamics.

Course Objectives:

Understanding the ever-evolving nature of India’s Foreign policy to conduct
Analysing various phases of India’s Foreign Policy.
Acquiring the knowledge to interpret and critically engage with the dynamics of India’s Foreign Policy.
Interpreting and analysing the emerging trends in India’s Foreign Policy.

Course Outcomes:

Trace the historical evolution of India's foreign policy and identify key events and figures that have shaped it.
Critically assess India's strategic goals and how they influence its foreign policy decisions, particularly in relation to major global powers and neighbouring countries.
Evaluate the institutional frameworks and doctrines guiding India's foreign relations, including diplomatic practices and international partnerships.
Discuss and analyse contemporary challenges facing India's foreign policy, including security concerns, economic diplomacy, and participation in global governance.
Apply critical thinking to real-world scenarios, understanding the impact of India's foreign policy on regional and global issues.

Brief description of modules

Module I: Determinants of Foreign Policy

This module focuses on the key factors influencing a country's foreign policy decisions. It explores how internal and external elements shape a nation's approach to international relations. This module examines the factors shaping India's foreign policy, focusing on its unique geopolitical and historical context. This module helps understand how India navigated in the past and currently navigates its foreign policy objectives amidst complex regional and global challenges. Understanding the determinants is crucial for analysing how states interact and pursue their foreign policy goals.

Module II: India in Cold War Era

This module explores India's foreign policy and strategic positioning during the Cold War (1947-1991), a period marked by global tensions between the US-led capitalist bloc and the Soviet-led communist bloc. Key aspects in this module include:

Non-Alignment Movement (NAM)
Regional Conflicts and Security Concerns
India’s Nuclear Policy

This module highlights India's role as a key actor in Cold War geopolitics while maintaining a distinct, independent foreign policy through non-alignment.

Module III: LPG and India

This module examines the economic reforms in India after adopting the LPG (Liberalization, Privatization, and Globalization) model in 1991. These reforms transformed India's economic policies and global engagement. This module provides insights into how LPG reforms reshaped India's economic landscape and its role in the global arena.

Module IV: Emerging Trends

This module explores the evolving nature of India’s interactions with key regional and international organizations, reflecting its growing influence on the global stage. Key trends include:

Strengthening Ties with Regional Organisations: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Engagement with International Organisations: United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), G20 and BRICS
Emerging Strategic and Economic Partnerships: Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
India’s Leadership in Global South: India continues to champion the interests of developing nations, focusing on climate change, sustainable development, and equitable economic growth in international forums.

This module offers an overview of India’s emerging and diversified relationships with regional and global organizations as it strives for greater influence in shaping global governance and regional security.

Module V: Prospects of India in a Multipolar World

This module explores India’s strategic positioning and opportunities in a multipolar global order, where power is distributed among several key global players rather than dominated by one or two superpowers. Key aspects include:

Emergence of Multipolarity and India’s Strategic Autonomy and Role as an Emerging Power
India’s Relations with the US and the West, Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka

This module highlights India’s prospects as it navigates the complexities of a multipolar world and strives for a greater role in global and regional leadership.

Assessment Plan

Assessment	Weightage
Assignment 1: Engagement with the educational resources. This involves in-class quizzes and short response notes	30%
Assignment 2: assignments and/or presentations	30%
Assignment 3: End-term assessment	40%

References

Ganguly, Sumit (2012), India’s Foreign Policy: Retrospect and Prospect, India: OUP.
Sumit Ganguly (ed), (2016), Engaging the World-Indian Foreign Policy since 1947, New Delhi, Oxford University Press
David M. Malone, C. Raja Mohan, and SrinathRaghavan (ed. s), The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy, (U.K: Oxford University Press, 2015).
Sikri, Rajiv (2013), Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy, India: Sage Publications.
D.M. Malone & C. Raja Mohan & S. Raghavan (eds) (2015), The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy, United Kingdom, Oxford University Press
The End of the Cold War, P. Allan and K. Oldman (eds.), Dordrecht Martians, 1992.
International System and the Third World, S.P. Verma, New Delhi Vikas publishing house 1988.
Ragi, Sangit K. et.al. (2018), Imagining India as a Global Power: Prospects and Challenges, Oxon and New York, Routledge.
India’s Foreign Policy, V. P. Dutta, New Delhi Vikas publishing house 1987
India's Foreign policy, S. C Singhal, Lakshmi Narain Agarwal, Agra 2016