Deep Dish on Global Affairs Is India Under Pressure to Pick a Side?
Aug 14, 2025
Ravi Agrawal, Editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy and author of 'India Connected,' joins Raghuram Rajan, a Booth School professor and former RBI governor, to discuss India's strategic autonomy amid global pressures. They tackle India's aspirations to become a major global player by 2047, the challenges of rising U.S. tariffs, and the complexities of foreign policy shifts. The influence of the Indian-American diaspora and the importance of language in diplomacy also come under scrutiny as they explore the intricacies of India's economic and diplomatic landscape.
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India As China Alternative
- India has become more confident and seen as an investment and manufacturing alternative to China.
- Global de-risking from China and India's growth make it a natural choice for firms and investors.
Institutional Power Lags Economic Size
- India wants economic wealth and a bigger global role but faces halting progress in multilateral institutions.
- Existing global bodies still over-represent old powers, limiting India's institutional rise.
The Limits Of Multi-Alignment
- India pursues multi-alignment to maximize benefits from multiple partners while avoiding moralizing positions.
- This strategy boosts soft power but may be strained if major powers force binary choices.
