India’s landmark policy of strategic autonomy, rooted in non-alignment, remained a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy. It allowed India to manoeuvre in international relations and avoid external pressure without entering into binding alliances and taking sides. This was a masterstroke as it allowed India to maintain good relations with all major powers of the globe and pursue its own interests. India’s firm position during the Cold War displayed the effectiveness and practicality of this approach. However, over a period of time, changing global dynamics have caused this autonomy to appear more like ambiguity, where India’s foreign policy posture relied on unclear signalling rather than clearer geopolitical choices, and silence that kept its partners and allies guessing rather than having clear indications.

India’s first test for strategic autonomy came in 1998 after Pokhran-II, when the US sanctioned India, Blacklisted its 208 entities, blocked World Bank/IMF loans, and cut off defence and dual-use trade. India, however, sustained this pressure, and in the post 9/11 era, the United States’s priorities changed, and the Bush Administration signed a civil nuclear deal with India in 2008. Recognising India as a legitimate nuclear power outside of the NPT or CTBT.

Since then, India has managed to avoid this stress by invoking policies such as non-alignment 2.0, multi-alignment, Quad and BRICS. India adopted a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine war and continued the purchase of Russian oil. India also made heavy investments in the Chabahar port of Iran without getting into conflict with its Trans-Atlantic Partners. This worked well........

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