India's Doctrine of Strategic Autonomy
Strategic autonomy is India's long-standing foreign policy principle of maintaining an independent position on global affairs — retaining the freedom to engage with all major powers and pursue national interest without binding alignment to any single bloc or alliance. The term traces to Nehru's "non-alignment" tradition and has been updated in successive administrations.
- Non-Alignment Movement (NAM): India was a founding member in 1961 (Belgrade Declaration); NAM represented the "third path" between US-led NATO and Soviet-led Warsaw Pact
- Post-Cold War evolution: India shifted from formal non-alignment to "multi-alignment" — maintaining deep ties with the US, Russia, Israel, Gulf states, and Iran simultaneously
- The doctrine allows India to buy Russian defence systems (S-400) while also signing defence agreements with the US (LEMOA, COMCASA, BECA — the "Foundational Agreements"), a balancing act often criticised by Western partners
- Key articulations: PM Modi's phrase "this is not an era of war" (2022 G20 Bali) and India's consistent abstentions at the UN on Russia-Ukraine resolutions reflect strategic autonomy in action
● Tracked since March 03, 2026 · last seen May 19, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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