India foreign policy dilemma came into focus after Christopher Clary, Associate Professor at the University at Albany and Nonresident Fellow at the Stimson Center, posted a sharp assessment of New Delhi’s options under the Modi government.
“The core reality of India’s foreign policy dilemma is this: Russia is too weak and too backward to provide India what it needs to ascend, the EU is militarily incapable and riven by its own divisions, China is too strong, and the US is erratic,” he wrote.
Clary’s view captures a growing debate among policy watchers.
India’s long reliance on Russian arms clashes with Moscow’s shrinking capacity.
European partners offer markets and tech but lack hard power heft.
China is both the main rival and the dominant regional power.
The United States swings between deep engagement and sudden policy shifts.
New Delhi has tried strategic autonomy to balance these forces.
But the room for maneuver looks tighter as conflicts and great power competition intensify.
Defence sourcing, semiconductor access, and energy security now sit at the heart of the challenge.
India foreign policy dilemma: shrinking space between rivals and restless partners
For Pakistan’s observers, the analysis matters because it shapes regional risk.
If India cannot square its ties with Washington and Moscow while managing a live rivalry with Beijing, pressure can spill over into South Asia.
Trade routes, crisis signaling, and military postures all feel the strain when big power bets misfire.
Clary’s critique also hints at the costs of over promising.
A slogan heavy foreign policy can struggle when supply chains, sanctions, and technology controls bite.
Without stable partners and predictable access to advanced tech, India’s ascent faces friction.
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