Written by: Vanisha Krishnani
It is a well-known fact that foreign policy is the basis of all international relations. Ruth Brooks, an academic scholar, states that foreign policy is the mechanism national governments use to guide their diplomatic interactions and relationships with other countries[1]. Foreign policies reflect the nation’s values, interests, and ideologies. A nation’s ruling party or presiding governance plays a significant role in its foreign policy. Ultimately, it is the ruling party’s ideologies that are reflected in its foreign policy. This is why a nation’s stance on international relations perpetually fluctuating. There’s a great range of fluctuations that occur in foreign policy when ruling parties change. A shift in ruling parties means a shift in ideology, and that implies a shift in foreign policy.
We have witnessed a massive transformation in foreign policy following ideologies from time to time. The transition of foreign policy in India from the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government to the BJP (Bhartiya Janta Party) -led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) exemplifies the connection between ideological tides and their impact on foreign policy. The UPA usually followed a centrist leftist ideology whilst the BJP-led NDA is perceived as more rightist. Ever since the ‘Modi Government (NDA) has been governing the center, which is since 2014, New Delhi has practiced a more assertive and dedicated foreign policy. The 2015 Nepal blockade is a portrayal of the assertion exerted by India since 2014. Since the Modi government assumed power, one of their significant aspects of focus has been the “Neighbourhood First” policy[2]. India has begun prioritizing South Asian countries such as Maldives and Sri Lanka, quite distinguished from Congress, which has perpetually been known to prioritize Russia. India is also known to lend a significant amount to the nations above. Loans have been provided to the Maldives for a multitude of finance infrastructure projects such as Line of Credit, the Greater Male Connectivity Project, the Addu Roads Project, the Hanimaadhoo Airport Development Project, and more[3]. India also extended a $1 Billion line of credit to Sri Lanka by one year[4]. This reflects its increased role as a provider in the global forum.
Another strong stance taken by the Modi government was launching the ‘Make in India’ initiative in 2014, this maneuver aims to make India an integral part of the global supply chain[5]. If one were to compare this to Congress’s economic isolation and self-sufficiency policy that existed before 1991. After Israel faced an attack by Palestine on the 7th of October, the Modi government clearly stated that India stands firmly with Israel[6]. This happens to contrast greatly with the non-aligned approaches and neutral standpoints the previous governments have had. Overall, the foreign policies undertaken by the current ruling party and the foreign minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, happen to be quite self-assured and authoritative. Not only was this form of foreign policy not conducted by the Congress-led governments, but it was also not appreciated by them. The Congress has also branded S. Jaishankar as “India’s most failed Foreign Minister”[7].
Through India’s miscellaneous examples, we understand how much foreign policies differ from right-wing governance to that of the left-wing. Another good example would be how the United States' foreign policy has molded since the Biden government took charge. The Republican government, before Joe Biden’s administration, was a fairly rightist administration led by Donald Trump. His approach towards foreign policy was quite limited, unlike the Indian right-wing, however, it was still authoritative. Trump was far more focused on preserving the nation’s self-interest and promoted his slogan “Make America Great Again”. This exhibits a unilateral approach. Joe Biden, on the other hand, is an upholder of multilateralism and “has promised to return the United States to the international community after four years of confrontational policies under Donald Trump”[8]. The Trump government withdrew from the Paris Agreement officially in 2020, as he believed it to be unfair towards the United States as they were asked to reduce their fossil fuel usage[9]. When Joe Biden was handed over Donald Trump’s position, on his very first day, he signed the instrument to bring the US back to the Paris Agreement[10]. This illustrates how perspectives differ on climate diplomacy from right-wing to left-wing. Donald Trump and Joe Biden have had divergent approaches towards multifarious other things such as China relations, the Iran Nuclear Deal, Immigration Policies, and Human Rights.
In essence, the observed shifts in foreign policy from left-leaning to rightist governance in India and the United States portray the significant impact of ideological tides. These ideological currents shape national priorities and prompt a pivoting stance on the global stage. The phrase "ideological tides" encapsulates the transformative dynamics influencing foreign policy, revealing the adaptability of nations in navigating the ever-changing landscape of international relations.
The opinions expressed and suggestions made in the article belong solely to the author. Diplomania and O.P. Jindal Global University do not endorse the same.
References:
[1] Ruth Brooks, University of York (N.D.), What is Foreign Policy
[2] 2 Mukesh Kumar Srivastava, The Kathmandu Post (May 2022), India’s Neighbourhood First Policy
[3] PM India (August 20220, India Maldives Joint Statement
[4] Aljazeera (May 2023), India extends $1bn credit line for Sri Lanka by a year
[5] Ministry of External Affairs (N.D.), Make in India Initiative
[6] New Delhi Television Ltd (October 2023), "India Stands Firmly With Israel": PM Modi Receives Update From Netanyahu
[7] The Hindu (February 2023), Jaishankar is India’s most failed Foreign Minister: Congress
[8] John Feffer, Institute for Policy Studies (N.D.), REPORT: MULTILATERALISM AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
[9] Patt Mcgrath, BBC (November 2020), Climate change: US formally withdraws from Paris agreement
[10] The US Department of State (February 2021), The United States Officially Rejoins the Paris Agreement
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