Introduction

India&s;s emergence as a consequential global actor has accelerated in the post-Cold War era. Once constrained by the bipolar structure of the international system, independent India initially embraced non-alignment and moralist internationalism as the guiding principles of its external engagement. 1 In the decades following 1947, its diplomacy was shaped by anti-colonial and anti-racial solidarity, support for peaceful coexistence, and advocacy for sovereign equality among nation-states (the Panchsheel Principles). 2 However, over the past three decades, New Delhi has adopted a more pragmatic and strategically calibrated approach, driven by economic transformation, evolving security challenges, and structural shifts in global power distribution.