India’s rising capabilities in a range of spheres has given it an influential voice in global affairs. With a stronger focus on a multidirectional foreign policy focused on national interests, India is today in the midst of a major geopolitical repositioning. While maintaining its traditional ties with Russia and China, it is building stronger strategic ties with a wide range of countries including the United States and Japan while further cementing its relationship with the Middle East and Africa. Rooted in multilateralism and South-South solidarity, India is increasingly seeking to reshape the contours of the international system and play a more influential role in global governance. New Delhi’s current presidency of the G20 provides yet another arena to shape the global discourse at a time of both crisis and continuity.
This roundtable will discuss recent trends in Indian foreign policy, identify specific areas of the multidirectional foreign policy and the new strategic environment that require further attention, and explore opportunities as well as challenges that lie ahead as New Delhi’s power and standing grows across the globe.