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India's Diplomacy Mirrors Domestic Coalition Politics

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  //politics-government.news-articles.net/content/ .. plomacy-mirrors-domestic-coalition-politics.html
  Published in Politics and Government on Thursday, December 25th 2025 at 4:08 GMT by ThePrint

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India’s Diplomacy in the Age of Coalition Politics: A Summary of R.K. Jaishankar’s Recent Address

In a recent interview with The Print, Foreign Secretary and senior diplomat R.K. Ja Shankar drew a striking analogy between contemporary global politics and the coalition governments that have long characterised India’s own parliamentary landscape. Speaking at a policy‑forum in New Delhi on 26 November 2023, Ja Shankar warned that the international arena has become a “shifting coalition of interests” and urged India to preserve its “nimbleness” in this new environment. The article, which spans more than 1,200 words, dissects the nuances of his remarks and situates them within India’s evolving diplomatic calculus.

1. The Core Analogy: The World as a Coalition

Ja Shankar opened by noting that the world’s major powers are no longer engaged in a clear‑cut bipolar rivalry. Instead, “the global order is fragmented, with multiple powers vying for influence across overlapping spheres.” He used the familiar image of a coalition government—where parties must constantly negotiate, trade concessions, and keep the pact intact—to describe the post‑COVID, post‑Brexit, and post‑U.S.–China tense status quo. “Coalition politics is about balancing diverse interests without alienating allies,” he said. “The same principle applies to international relations today.”

The analogy, the article notes, serves to underscore a critical point: just as coalition governments must stay flexible to survive, so too must a country that seeks to maintain a positive global standing.

2. India’s Strategic Autonomy: The Need to Stay Nimble

Central to Ja Shankar’s message was the concept of “strategic autonomy” – an idea long championed by India’s leaders but made especially relevant in the context of rising great‑power competition. He urged India to avoid the pitfalls of aligning too closely with either the United States or China, and to instead preserve “room for manoeuvre.” The article cites his insistence that India’s foreign policy must be “situational, not dogmatic.”

Ja Shankar emphasized that India’s past diplomatic successes stem from this very flexibility. Whether it was negotiating trade terms with the United States in 2019 or managing the delicate relationship with China on the border, India has repeatedly shown an ability to pivot without compromising core national interests.

3. Pragmatic Partnerships in the Indo‑Pacific

A significant portion of Ja Shankar’s address focused on the Indo‑Pacific, a region that has become a focal point for U.S., China, and regional powers alike. He stressed that India’s “Indo‑Pacific strategy is not about confronting China but about maintaining a healthy, rules‑based order.” The article notes his call for strengthened cooperation with like‑minded partners such as Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. He highlighted existing frameworks like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) while stressing that India should not rely on any single alliance to dictate its policy direction.

The piece also references Ja Shankar’s remarks on maritime security, noting that India is investing in naval modernization to ensure freedom of navigation, a stance that resonates with the U.S. while being neutral enough to avoid provoking China.

4. Multilateralism: The Platform for Balanced Engagement

Ja Shankar reiterated India’s commitment to multilateral institutions – the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G20, and the Paris Climate Agreement – as critical arenas for diplomatic engagement. The article quotes him saying, “In a coalition world, consensus is the currency of stability.” He argued that through multilateralism, India can influence global norms without being dragged into unilateral conflicts.

The article also references Ja Shankar’s view that India should leverage its significant voice in the G20 to shape post‑pandemic economic recovery, while simultaneously supporting the reform of the WTO to reflect the realities of a multipolar world.

5. Domestic‑International Symbiosis: Lessons from India’s Own Coalition

Drawing a parallel with India’s own internal political fabric, Ja Shankar pointed out that the nation’s experience with coalition governments has taught it the importance of compromise, negotiation, and adaptability. “India has survived and thrived on its ability to bridge divergent interests,” he said. The article elaborates that this domestic skill set is transferrable to foreign policy, particularly in managing relationships with diverse global partners.

Ja Shankar also touched on the importance of a “soft‑power” approach – using cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, and digital outreach to maintain a positive image globally. The article cites his remarks on the Indian diaspora’s role as a bridge between India and other nations.

6. Emerging Challenges and the Path Forward

Finally, Ja Shankar addressed a range of contemporary challenges – cyber‑security threats, climate change, the rise of populism, and the instability in the Middle East and South Asia. He urged India to adopt a “flexible, multi‑layered” strategy that can address both hard‑power and soft‑power dimensions.

The article underscores his assertion that India must keep diplomatic channels open with all major powers, even as it pursues its own national interests. “In coalition politics, you never fully isolate a partner; you always maintain an open line,” he said.

7. Follow‑up Links and Additional Context

The Print article includes several hyperlinks that deepen the context:

1. “Coalition Politics in the 21st Century” – a feature on the evolving nature of global power dynamics, providing a comparative analysis of U.S. and China’s approaches.
2. “India’s Indo‑Pacific Strategy: A Balancing Act” – an earlier Print interview that elaborates on India's maritime diplomacy and its role in the Quad.
3. “Strategic Autonomy: A Cornerstone of Indian Foreign Policy” – a policy brief that traces the history of India's autonomy doctrine, from Nehru to Modi.
4. “The G20 and India: A Platform for Global Governance” – an article detailing India’s leadership roles within the G20 framework.
5. “Soft Power Diplomacy: How India Engages the World” – a profile on India's cultural outreach programs, including the Digital India initiative and international scholarship schemes.

These links enrich the main article by offering readers deeper insights into the specific institutions and policies Ja Shankar mentions, and they provide concrete examples of how India has historically applied the principles of coalition‑style diplomacy.

Conclusion

R.K. Ja Shankar’s remarks, as summarized in The Print, paint a compelling picture of a world that is no longer dominated by a single superpower but is instead a mosaic of competing coalitions. His advice to India – to remain nimble, preserve strategic autonomy, and leverage both bilateral and multilateral channels – is rooted in the country’s own experience navigating coalition politics at home. By adopting a flexible, pragmatic approach, India aims to secure its interests while contributing to a stable, rules‑based international order. This article, with its comprehensive analysis and linked resources, offers a thorough overview of that vision for readers seeking to understand India’s diplomatic stance in the 21st‑century geopolitical landscape.