HPAS 2025 GS2 Question 7

HPAS 2025 Mains GS-2 Question 7

Describe the impact of Strategic Partnership on India’s foreign policy.

Solution:

A Strategic Partnership (SP) is a long-term bilateral or plurilateral relationship between nations aimed at achieving shared interests in security, technology, and economic growth. In the post-Cold War era, India has moved away from traditional non-alignment toward “Multi-Alignment,” leveraging these partnerships to safeguard its national interests.

1. Enhancement of Defense and Security

Strategic partnerships have fundamentally altered India’s defense architecture:

• Defense Technology & Trade: Ties with the USA (Major Defense Partner status) and France have enabled the procurement of advanced platforms like Predator drones and Rafale jets.
• Co-development: Under the iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology) with the US, India is transitioning from a buyer to a co-developer of jet engines and semiconductors.
• Interoperability: Foundational agreements (LEMOA, COMCASA, BECA) and exercises like Malabar enhance India’s maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific.

[Image of India’s major strategic partners map]

2. Ensuring Strategic Autonomy

Unlike formal military alliances, strategic partnerships allow India to maintain Strategic Autonomy—the ability to take independent decisions based on its own merits.

• Balancing Act: India maintains a time-tested partnership with Russia for energy and S-400 systems while simultaneously deepening ties with the Quad (US, Japan, Australia) to counter regional assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
• West Asia: Strategic partnerships with both Israel (defense/tech) and the UAE/Saudi Arabia (energy/diaspora) showcase India’s ability to navigate conflicting regional interests.

3. Economic and Technological Advancement

SPs are a primary vehicle for achieving India’s domestic development goals:

• Investment Hub: Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) with countries like Japan and Singapore have channeled FDI into infrastructure projects like the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
• Energy Security: Strategic energy partnerships with the US (LNG) and Gulf nations ensure a stable supply of resources essential for India’s growth.

Concise Model Answer (150-Word Limit)

Strategic Partnerships (SPs) have shifted India’s foreign policy from Cold War-era non-alignment to a pragmatic Multi-Alignment strategy. These partnerships enable India to protect its interests without entering formal military blocs, thus preserving Strategic Autonomy.

Major impacts include:

1. Defense Modernization: Transitioning from a buyer to a co-producer of high-tech weaponry via partnerships with the USA (iCET), France, and Russia.
2. Regional Balancing: Using minilaterals like the Quad to ensure a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and counter maritime assertiveness.
3. Developmental Goals: Leveraging SPs with Japan and Israel for technology transfer in semiconductors, high-speed rail, and precision agriculture.
4. Global Stature: SPs with the EU and ASEAN elevate India as a “consensus builder” in global governance and the Global South.

Ultimately, SPs provide India with the diplomatic flexibility and military strength required to emerge as a Leading Power in the 21st century.