Conference Program

Since the beginning of the 21st century, India has been one of the fastest growing countries in the Global South. Its significant location for the world's sea lines of communication, as well as its economic and population potential (India is the world's most populous or, as it likes to call itself, largest democracy) make it a regional power in the Indian Ocean Region and one of the potential key partners for the US-led West in the Indo-Pacific. On the other hand, India still remembers the period of colonialism and was one of the leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement, opposing the Cold War bloc system, and is now involved in institutions and organizations that are a kind of alternative to the Western liberal international order (such as the BRICS group, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank), while calling for UN reform with a special focus on the UN Security Council.

The above-mentioned factors have forced India to implement a specific foreign policy of balancing between different powers in the international arena. This policy, from the Indian perspective, is called 'strategic autonomy' and is aimed at increasing India's global importance. However, for the rest of the world, as well as a number of media and academics, such policies make India a 'swing state'.

This paper focuses on India's perception of the liberal international order, and synthesizes and explains the characteristics of Indian foreign policy in light of the concepts of the 'swing state' and 'strategic autonomy'.

The crisis in multilateralism, democracy, and liberal values has challenged the resilience of the Liberal International Order (LIO) in contemporary times. There has been a robust debate analysing this crisis unfolding in the core domains such as values, leadership, and multilateralism. There are both internal and external factors that have contributed to the decline of LIO, necessitating a reinvention and revision.

This paper attempts to explore the crisis in the LIO and its implications for global governance. The interrogation of the debate explores the alternative ways in which the Liberal International Order can reinvent itself.

As a major player in the Global South, India can play a significant role in addressing the crisis in the LIO and enriching non-Western perspectives. With growing economic and political influence, India has a long history of practicing democratic values and human rights. India has also been the strongest proponent of multilateralism and a vocal advocate for the rules-based international order. India’s rise has been characterised by peace and harmony. It has strengthened its ties with other countries in the Global South and has also been actively engaging with the US, China, and Russia to promote cooperation and stability in the international system. This paper argues that the incorporation of non-Western perspectives from India can be helpful in addressing the crisis in the LIO. The study will primarily employ descriptive and analytical methods.

The West perceives India as a strategic partner in upholding a liberal world order, particularly amidst the ascent of authoritarian China, whose economic clout cannot be ignored but ideological foundation cannot be embraced. The ongoing war in Ukraine, Israel-Hamas conflict, and its spill over in West Asia, and the potential for a third, invasion of Taiwan by China, have plunged the world into a geopolitical flux. The Great Power Politics between the US and China is unfolding, as China seeks to advocate an alternate World Order. India is at the crossroads, aligns itself with the democratic liberal alliance while simultaneously positioning as a plausible counterforce to China within the Asian sphere. However, India maintains its strategic autonomy while pursuing its national interests in these turbulent times by maneuvering between its strategic partners and the historical partner.

This paper seeks to delineate India’s foreign policy trajectory by delving into its historical foundations and contextualizing it within the contemporary global flux. It also refers to the sources that underline India's strategic thinking and situates its foreign policy within the prevailing circumstances and capabilities that shape its influence. The study concludes by emphasizing the challenges arising from shifting power dynamics, particularly in India's immediate and extended neighborhood, and the opportunities presented amid the ongoing geopolitical upheavals.

India has been integrating gradually with the Liberal International Order only after the end of the Cold War and start of its economic liberalisation in 1991. Under the right-wing BJP government of Narendra Modi India has been promoting itself as the champion and defender of globalisation, free trade and rules-based order, while calling itself as the Vishwaguru – “World’s Teacher. This notion, based on ideology of Hindu nationalism, is meant to promote a rise of India as a leading power and civilizational state that will emerge as a pole in multipolar world order. This suggests that India cannot be simply co-opted to the existing Liberal Order, rather it will promote its own vision of alternative international system. The paper reconstructs the world’s vision held in India and analyses how it can impact the liberal order. It shows how India’s civilizational roots and major power aspirations can pose a serious challenge to the Western–dominated system.

In order to fully understand India's dedication to upholding the free international order, it will be of utmost importance if India attains the status of a major global power in the future. This paper explores the transformative role of India as a pivotal player in the Global South's collective challenge to the established Liberal International Order (LIO). Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, India's ascent as a major global actor has become increasingly pronounced, fostering a recalibration of power dynamics. The paper examines India's diplomatic, economic, and strategic initiatives, like tackling China and making consensus for various agreements at G20 despite Russian-Ukraine war hot topic, that contribute to a reconfiguration of the international order, challenging traditional Western-centric structures. India's rise is characterized by a nuanced approach that balances its strategic partnerships with the West while simultaneously strengthening ties within the Global South.

Furthermore, the paper investigates the implications of India's emergence on the principles of global governance, human rights, and economic development. It examines how India's trajectory challenges certain tenets of the Liberal International Order, offering alternative perspectives that resonate with the aspirations of developing nations. By shedding light on India's evolving role, this paper contributes to a broader understanding of the Global South's agency in reshaping the international system, offering insights into the dynamics that will define the future of global governance.