The world in 2024 stood at a crossroads, with world fault traces deepening and crises multiplying. Wars in Europe and the Center East upended the worldwide order, disrupting vitality markets and meals safety, whereas cascading challenges rippled by each area. The Indo-Pacific remained a theatre of rivalry, with China’s aggressive manoeuvres destabilising the South China Sea and its borders with India. In Europe, the battle in Ukraine continued to pressure world vitality provides and exacerbated inflation. The Center East witnessed escalating tensions with the Israel-Hamas battle, which drew in worldwide actors and deepened divides throughout the area. In the meantime, Myanmar’s inside strife and Bangladesh’s political unrest threatened regional equilibrium, highlighting the fragility of South Asia’s neighbourhood. These crises coupled with the persistent risk of local weather change and rising inequality underscored the interconnectedness of worldwide challenges and the pressing want for coordinated responses.
On this fraught surroundings, India’s overseas coverage demonstrated outstanding readability and resilience. Balancing strategic autonomy with world engagement, India ensured its pursuits had been safeguarded even because it contributed to stability past its borders. Its financial methods, equivalent to diversifying vitality imports and fostering renewable vitality partnerships, underscored a practical method to securing vitality independence amidst world volatility.
Trump’s Return
Main elections in 2024 added layers of geopolitical uncertainty. The return of Donald Trump as US President introduced shifts in Washington’s overseas coverage priorities. A robust Trump presidency represents each alternatives and challenges for India. Whereas his said focus is on ending the 2 main conflicts, countering China and deepening ties with like-minded democracies aligns with India’s targets, potential shifts in commerce insurance policies and his transactional method to alliances might require India to navigate complexities with warning and tact. Moreover, Trump’s stricter immigration insurance policies, equivalent to adjustments to H-1B visa laws and family-based immigration programmes, might considerably affect Indian professionals and the diaspora. Nonetheless, the bipartisan consensus on strengthening India-US relations stays intact and because the world’s two largest democracies, the partnership continues to evolve as a cornerstone of stability in an more and more polarised world. India’s diplomatic agility might be important in navigating these dynamics.
India’s outstanding legacy within the G20 below its Presidency is being carried ahead by the successive presidencies of Brazil and South Africa. The continuation of India’s insurance policies rooted in human-centric globalisation and dealing for the worldwide frequent good have enhanced its overseas coverage imprint on the worldwide stage. The idea of Vishwa Mitra (Good friend to the World) displays India’s dedication to collaboration for world well-being and sustainable growth. From its management within the G20 to its vaccine diplomacy, its advocacy for equitable entry to digital public items to its function as a primary responder in occasions of want, India exemplifies the ideas of inclusivity and shared progress.
Below PM Modi’s management, India has positioned itself as a companion for addressing world challenges, fostering mutual respect and advancing a imaginative and prescient of a peaceable and equitable world order. His dedication to reaching peace by diplomacy and dialogue was borne out by his visits to Russia and Ukraine on this endeavour.
Enhancing Defence
On the similar time, the worldwide conflicts of 2024 underscored the pressing want for sturdy defence capabilities. With world army spending at unprecedented ranges, India’s defence funds of $81 billion alerts its dedication to nationwide safety. Amid rising tensions, India’s give attention to self-reliance, in crucial sectors like defence manufacturing and rising applied sciences, demonstrates its capability to innovate whereas assembly strategic wants.
Regionally, India has needed to take care of unprecedented challenges arising out of financial turmoil and nice energy rivalry in our quick area. In Sri Lanka and the Maldives, it prolonged monetary and technical help to stabilise economies, whereas calibrated diplomacy ensured continued engagement with Bangladesh. To safeguard its core pursuits in Bangladesh amidst its political unrest, India wants extra proactive engagement with all stakeholders within the nation. The Israel-Hamas battle additional examined India’s diplomatic steadiness because it safeguarded its diaspora, offered humanitarian assist and referred to as for peaceable resolutions.
Strategic Autonomy Is Key
As 2025 approaches, India should proceed leveraging its strengths whereas addressing rising challenges. India’s coverage of pragmatic strategic autonomy might be essential in navigating multilateral platforms and addressing the complexities of rising geopolitics. Considerably upping our strategic ties with the US is a chance afforded by Trump’s unprecedented win. Participating with trusted companions and people not so trusted, alike, is important if we’re to safe our bigger pursuits.
Geopolitically, tactfully managing China’s assertiveness and guaranteeing regional stability will demand sustained engagement with Quad companions and in multilateral boards like BRICS and the SCO. Any rapprochement with China would should be calibrated on peace and tranquillity within the border areas.
India’s overseas coverage will even must proceed to observe its ‘neighbourhood first’ method. Managing relations with our quick neighbours is not going to solely safe our important nationwide pursuits however enable us to take care of our main interlocutors extra successfully. Extending PM Modi’s most imaginative and prescient of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas‘ in our quick neighbourhood will guarantee ‘sabka vishwas’.
On the worldwide stage, India can additional leverage its G20 legacy to champion the considerations of the International South, notably in debt aid and local weather financing. India should proceed its help for Africa and nations within the creating world, together with by extending crucial help in areas equivalent to infrastructure growth, healthcare and renewable vitality. Increasing digital public infrastructure as a world public good is not going to solely elevate India’s technological management but in addition foster inclusivity. Power safety might be crucial in 2025, and India should proceed to diversify its vitality sources and speed up its clear vitality transition.
(Harsh Vardhan Shringla is a former Overseas Secretary of India and Ambassador to USA, Bangladesh and Thailand.)
Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the writer
