India's bilateral relations: First year of the Narendra Modi era

In-Depth Analysis 17-07-2015

'Build a strong, self-reliant and self-confident India': that was the 2014 electoral promise of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has not wasted time, and has immediately started to work on relations with New Delhi's immediate neighbours and with the south-eastern partners through the new 'Act East' policy. Major powers have showed a renewed interest in India. But while relations with Washington and other Western countries are promising, this has not come at the detriment of New Delhi's traditional ties with Moscow. A mix of mutual interest and competitiveness characterises relations with China. All this demonstrates how India's foreign policy is guided by the pragmatism necessary to gain global status. Now that Prime Minister Modi has gained trust at international level, his next challenge is to overcome internal resistance to the required major economic reforms to make India a global manufacturing hub.