India's Foreign Policy
Strategic Autonomy and Multi-Alignment
India's foreign policy doctrine since independence has rested on the principle of strategic autonomy — the ability to make independent decisions without being bound to any single power bloc. This was institutionalised as Non-Alignment during the Cold War under Jawaharlal Nehru. Post-1991, India has shifted toward "multi-alignment" or "strategic multi-alignment" — maintaining close relationships with multiple competing powers simultaneously (US, Russia, Israel, Iran, Arab Gulf states, EU). The India-Israel relationship demonstrates this balancing act: India has deepened security ties with Israel while maintaining its historic support for Palestinian statehood at the UN, voting in favour of Palestinian full UN membership and ceasefire resolutions even as defence cooperation with Israel grows.
- Non-Aligned Movement (NAM): Founded 1961; India a founding member under Nehru's leadership
- India's current doctrine: Strategic autonomy / multi-alignment (not formal non-alignment)
- India-Israel: Deepened defence and technology ties since 1992 full diplomatic normalisation
- India-Palestine: India supports Palestinian statehood; voted for Palestinian UN membership (2024)
- India-Iran: Traditional ties; Chabahar Port cooperation; India imports Iranian oil subject to sanctions
- India-Arab Gulf: $180 billion+ trade; 8+ million Indian diaspora; I2U2 grouping
- "De-hyphenation" policy (2017): India treats Israel and Palestine as separate bilateral relationships
● Tracked since February 26, 2026 · last seen May 15, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes