The world is going through a turbulent patch these days, what with the happenings in Iraq, Ukraine and Palestine. Many would consider these developments to be an added pressure for India which has strategic allies in the form of Russia and Israel as well as other global powers like the US and UK. As such, India has decided to follow Switzerland’s approach and opt for a neutral stand when it comes to dealing with international problems. India prefers to remain silent in these issues in order to maintain its ties with both sides.
Rewind back to 1947 when India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru drafted the nation’s first foreign policy which, sad to say, has changed little since then. For when it comes to handling international conflicts in some of the most hostile countries in the world, the largest democracy on the planet clearly shows its unwillingness to stand on either side.
Nehru’s Non Aligned Movement ensures that India enjoy the benefits of economic partnerships with other countries while avoiding offering them support in other arenas. Even though this may be considered a gimmick, there is no suitable alternative to this policy by India’s current political leaders who still prefer to remain mum as other countries around make noise.
Shying away from the responsibility of openly taking a stand on sensitive issues like the Iranian nuclear program, Syrian Civil War and the more recent Israel-Palestine conflict has helped India avoid unnecessary attention, thereby giving it more time to focus on domestic issues. It has also helps the nation maintain ties with Israel and Russia which happen to be India’s major partners in the areas of defense and military purchases. However, supporting its allies places India in the bad books of global powers like the US whose frustration with Israel and Russia is increasing day by day.
The silent policy may not be the best approach in today’s contemporary international community as it may alienate partnerships in relation to trade and defense. However, India has managed to follow this approach successfully till now. The nation can proudly say that apart from Pakistan and China, it does not have enemies anywhere else in the world. Therefore, while the rest of the world bothers about the nation not speaking up on important international matters, India has chosen to maintain its stand of silence and avoid getting caught in these contemporary global controversies.
India prefers to maintain a ‘silence is best’ policy when it comes to handling international issues and global controversies. Despite being asked to voice its support and take a stand, India remains silent owing to its strategic partnerships with allies on both sides. The approach has worked well so far for the nation, which aims to follow the same in the future as well.
