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India's Strategic Autonomy Doctrine in Foreign Policy

India's continued Russian oil purchases are an expression of its long-standing strategic autonomy doctrine — one of the most testable concepts in GS2 International Relations.

Key details

Strategic Autonomy (also "multi-alignment" or "non-alignment 2.0"): India's foreign policy principle of maintaining independent positions on international issues, avoiding binding alliance commitments, and diversifying partnerships across major powers.
This traces to Nehruvian non-alignment (NAM — Non-Aligned Movement, founded 1961 at Belgrade) but is distinct: non-alignment was about avoiding military blocs during the Cold War; strategic autonomy is about maximising policy freedom in a multipolar world.
India simultaneously participates in: Quad (with US, Japan, Australia — security), BRICS (with Russia, China — economic/political), SCO (with Russia, China, Pakistan — security), G20 (global economic governance), and bilateral partnerships with both the US and Russia.
Russia has been India's largest defence equipment supplier historically (~50-60% of military hardware), though this share is declining as India diversifies toward US, France, and Israel.
The India-Russia Annual Summit format and the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership (since 2010) formalise the bilateral relationship.
India's Ukraine policy: India has abstained on all major UN General Assembly resolutions condemning Russia, while calling for dialogue and respect for territorial integrity — a balanced ambiguity reflecting strategic autonomy.