The modern international system is becoming more uncertain, with geopolitical conflicts becoming more severe, long-term wars, economic pressure, and strategic insecurity. Unlike the earlier globalisation-induced arguments that postulated the decline of state authority, the nation-state has once again become the main actor in international relations, charged with the responsibility of bringing about security and coherence in policies, as well as strategic independence. In this respect, the idea of One Nation, One Election (ONOE) is not only a domestic electoral change but also an institutional tool that has great international consequences. The main core argument is that the capacity of India to act as a coherent nation-state in an unpredictable global order lies in the political stability and harmonised governance within the country. The internal sense as a united nation for India is of utmost priority to combat its external rivals in contemporary global challenges like countering China’s expansionist policies, the United States’ trade policies and protectionist steps, and the persistent threats of cross-border terrorism. According to International Relations, a nation-state is characterised by sovereignty, territorial integrity, centralised political power, as well as legitimacy to govern a specified population. Classical and Neo-Realist theorists like Hans J Morgenthau and Kenneth Waltz theorise the state as the unit of analysis, mainly driven by the demands of survival, power, and pursuit of national interest in an anarchic international order. In this sense, the issue of domestic political stability is not just internal but a vital source of external power, which allows states to develop and support consistent foreign policies. On the other hand, continual election fragmentation may create policy instability and strategic inconsistency, and diminish the ability of a state to take decisive action in the international system.

The recent global landscape that India has been facing is characterised by an era of uncertainty that is marked by growing multipolarity coupled with a revival of great-power competition. With this, constant threats of insecurity in the region and international border issues have remained a challenge to the strategic preparedness of India. The external environment has also been complicated by economic warfare,........

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