From Non Alignment to Vishwamitra Bharat: Reimagining India’s Foreign Policy for a Multipolar Future

FOREIGN POLICY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE and established means of communicating a country’s national interests and strategic concerns within the geopolitical arena. From the principles of non-alignment established by a newly independent nation in the mid-twentieth century, to the famous declaration of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakkam during India's G20 presidency in 2022-23, which advocates for a shared future for the world, India's foreign policy frameworks have consistently demonstrated independence, pragmatism, and a focus on peace and stability, despite lacking a formal doctrinal or institutionalised approach. India's historical and cultural experiences have continuously shaped the philosophical foundations of its foreign policymaking. Furthermore, guided by a reflective intellectual tradition, India's foreign policy principles have anticipated and responded to geopolitical and national developments.