India’s foreign policy is currently facing an existent crisis. The second term of the Trump administration, which was previously welcomed by India, has harassed India’s careful foreign policy. Recently the Indo-Pakistan struggle should also be seen as ‘Wakeup Call’. As a details about China’s military connection border and equipment transfer for Pakistan, India will have to take notice.
Next to China-Pakistan Nexus in the region, it is India’s approach to the events of West Asia and Israel-Iran struggle, which clearly requires a relay. India has tried, not very successfully, as far as the current Israel-Iran war is concerned to sit on the fence, but perhaps there is a need to think what is the best in its interest. The bets are more with the United States, which are directly in the Israeli-Iran-Iran struggle, which saw it, first, to destroy Iran’s nuclear features at its GBU-57 bunker Bunker Buster Bomb Ford, Natanj and another embedded atomic site. Neutrality is no longer an option, and despite the declaration of a ceasefire, the possibility of an all-out war is a different possibility.
A word that is no longer forbidden
With the use of GBU-57 accurately directed bombs, conflict in West Asia has clearly gained a new dimension. The dreaded ‘n word’ is no longer forbidden. Therefore, India needs to answer whether it can continue to maintain its stance of neutrality. The situation is becoming increasingly complicated and it is no longer the only wakeup call for India and countries around the world. The danger has all become very real.
It can be very far away to claim that a neutral India is ‘friendless’ in today’s world. However, a look at the situation of India’s worrying cases, however, it can become well – and it may continue for a long time in the future. It did not get any dividend during the recent India-Pakistan struggle due to the leadership of India’s global South and the conservation of nations in West Asia. Instead, India has been reminded since then – if it was needed – that it faces two hostile nuclear powers in its neighborhood, both would not have a moral compilation in using nuclear weapons, if the opportunity arises. Therefore, India, for any long time, cannot bear the risk of believing that its current policies are giving fruits. A correct reading of the currently present ‘The Tea Leaves’ is essential for the present and future of India.
Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ (Maga) policies are adversely affecting India on other levels other than trade and economics today. The claims of the US President have influenced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the Small India-Pakistan struggle in May-something that contradicts India, but Pakistan’s ‘maximum leader’ Field Marshal Asim Munir has publicly supported-sets India on a collision course with the US President and his administration. Mr. Trump’s lunch for Field Marshal Munir and the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose not to respond to Trump’s invitation to visit Washington (while returning from the G -7 meeting in Canada), again the US and around the world are likely to be played by elements that favor Pakistan against India.
The Israeli-Iran struggle is still another situation in which India finds itself as ‘outsider’. ‘Neutrality’, in today’s compelling circumstances, is out of the sink with reality as is also a position on the ground. In recent times, India’s inclination towards Israel will appear, something around India’s neck has become something around the neck. India’s Iran policy is going to take something beyond India’s borders today. Its policy of maintaining an equality between Israel and Iran has so far proved to be low use, as far as the properties of non-composition are concerned.
Of course, we live in dangerous times. Today’s situation is not in favor of India’s long -held policy tips. Israel’s prefabricated attack at Iran’s nuclear sites – America is aid to release bunker buster bombs – very little condemnation worldwide. Iran, who needed a strong voice of support like India to combat India’s Israel, America and West, will get some rest on all sides in India’s ‘Call for Restrants’. India’s support and voice, based on its moral strength, matched that it was seen to support an attack victim rather than maintaining a similarity between Israel and Iran.
It is true that in today’s world, it is fashionable to discredit the consensus in favor of ‘Met’. For example, in the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore in May, the criticism of ‘Hard Power’ against ‘Soft Power’ was emphasized, in which the dialogue is the back seat. The platform was determined by the US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, who announced that a ‘independent and open India-pacific’ was non-sign poet for peace in the region, and was unstable for China’s ‘Call for Hegman’ in Asia. He reminded the audience of Singapore that ‘the first island chain is unacceptable by any unilateral attempt to change the situation in the South China Sea’. It disturbed the plasid environment in general seen in the Shangri-La dialogue, and currently produced a strong repatriation from the Chinese representative. Subsequently, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman warned that ‘we should never play with fire on Taiwan’s question.’
What India needs to do
Therefore, it will be intelligent in circumstances to prepare for all kinds of future events for India. To begin with, there should be a detailed study of the growing China-Pakistan military relationship of India-Pakistan conflict in May this year, only the ‘Pose button’ has hit. Even more importantly, India should try and better understand how deeply Chinese military capabilities have been made with the people of Pakistan, today the important role played by Chinese weapons in Pakistan’s defense plans, and how Pakistan has succeeded in integrating Chinese systems with its defense plans and procedures, including claims to fight a attack. Additionally, India requires more information about the number of J-10CS and JF-17 fighters in Pakistan’s list.
As a part of its preparation for future struggle, India will also do well to check whether it is required for long periods of time. For example, the United Kingdom recently conducted a thorough study of its defense capabilities, which helped highlight areas of significant weakness, including ammunition stockpiles, the need to establish a new national ordnance system, and to maintain a new cyber and electromagnetic command to oversee the network and electronic warfare. In addition to learning a lesson from the Russia-Ukraine War for India for two front war for India, many such aspects should also refine their policies. Undoubtedly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a national priority. To neutralize drones, electro-magnetic maneuvers such as aspects, sages and glide bombs that dominate the sky today during the period of conflict, must be high priority again.
Chinese white paper
While India is busy with Pakistan, it will also do well to read the fine print in China’s recently published white paper on national security in “New Era”. This is clearly clearly of Chinese strategic thinking and mentions that ‘development and safety are like two wings of an body’. The white paper reads like a ‘will on the importance of maintaining scientific and technical security at all times, and the importance of ensuring stability of supply chains. This also mentions the prevailing situation in the neighboring regions of China, underlining the fact that these pose is a threat to China’s borders.
To conclude, it may mention that if China intends to strengthen its strategic objectives in Asia, especially in South Asia, to surround India, should be judged by reducing the criticism of its coalition with Pakistan. In addition, at one time, when ‘N Word’ is being openly tied up, India should consider with the fact that China has a profit of more than 3: 1 on India in the matter of deploying nuclear warheads, and the nuclear warheads of China and Pakistan jointly have a profit of about 5: 1.
MK Narayanan is a former director, intelligence bureau, a former National Security Advisor, and former Governor of West Bengal
Published – July 01, 2025 12:16 AM IST