India's Doctrine of Strategic Autonomy and Multi-Alignment
India's foreign policy has evolved through three phases: Non-Alignment (1947–1991), Strategic Autonomy (1991–2014), and Multi-Alignment (2014–present). Non-Alignment — co-founded by Nehru, Nasser, and Tito as part of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961 — sought to keep India outside Cold War power blocs. After 1991, "strategic autonomy" replaced non-alignment as the operative doctrine: India would pursue independent decision-making free of external pressure, while engaging with multiple power centres. The current multi-alignment approach formalises India's simultaneous participation in groupings such as QUAD, BRICS, SCO, and RIC — treating each as a distinct issue-based coalition.
- NAM was formally established at the 1961 Belgrade Conference; India was a founding member
- India maintains defence relations with Russia (S-400, MiG, Su-30), Israel (drones, radar), France (Rafale), and the US (P-8I, C-17) simultaneously
- India's participation in QUAD does not preclude BRICS membership — a deliberate multi-alignment posture
- The India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, if concluded, will be India's first such deal with a major Western power
● Tracked since February 02, 2026 · last seen June 11, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes