Vol. VII / No. 5 | March 2026
Authors:
Chaula Rininta Anindya – Lecturer, Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia
Summary
India’s premier geopolitical forum, the Raisina Dialogue – organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs – underscored New Delhi’s commitment to strategic autonomy and multi-alignment amid global turbulence. This commentary draws from the author’s personal and independent observation as a 2026 Raisina Young Fellow. It examines India’s foreign policy through the lens of this year’s Dialogue. First, it analyses debates on India’s rise via the US’s offensive realism and India’s Kautilyan politics. Then, it traces India’s foreign policy evolution from non-alignment to multi-alignment, as shown by its ties with Israel and Iran. Finally, it explores India’s statecraft as embodied in this year’s theme Saṁskāra (assertion, accommodation, advancement).
Keywords: India, Raisina Dialogue, Strategic Autonomy, Multi-alignment, Iran-Israel War
Introduction
In early March, India hosted its flagship geopolitics and geoeconomic conference, the 2026 Raisina Dialogue. This year, the Raisina Dialogue was held just a few days after the US-Israel War on Iran. Despite the thousands of cancellations due to the airspace closure and the ongoing conflict, 2,700 participants from 110 countries flew to New Delhi to attend in person, underscoring India and the conference’s significance. The 2026 Raisina Dialogue’s theme, Saṁskāra (an Indian philosophical concept) – assertion, accommodation, advancement – not only reflects the current geopolitical conditions but also India’s attempt to assert its position in the world.
The 2026 Raisina Dialogue invited Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland, as the Keynote Speaker. Stubb, who has just released his book “The Triangle of Power”, reiterated that the Global South will determine the future of the world order. Stubb added India, as a major power, will be a, if not the, major force, whether the world will tilt towards conflictual multipolarity or a cooperative multilateral world order. An intriguing argument coming from a president from the Global North.
As a politician-cum-scholar, Stubb proposed that India play a greater role in maintaining the world order through, at least, two proposals. First, he called for New Delhi to host a transformative moment akin to San Francisco in 1945, bringing world leaders together to reimagine international institutions through a spirit of genuine cooperation. Second, he advocated for expanding the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) permanent membership to include more representatives from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with a permanent seat secured for India. The audience responded with applause to the proposal on the prospect of India’s permanent UNSC seat. Stubb’s message was clear; India, as a major power, bears significant responsibility for bridging divides between nations across different hemispheres.
India understands its pivotal position in navigating the uncertain and changing world order. The 2026 Raisina Dialogue demonstrates India’s determination to determine its own growth and maintain strategic autonomy in its foreign policy approach.
US Offensive Realism vs India’s Kautilyan Politics
On the first day of the 2026 Raisina Dialogue, the US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, as the US head of delegation, warned India that the US will not replicate its mistake as it made with China two decades ago:
“But again, India should understand that we are not going to make the same mistakes with India that we made with China 20 years ago in terms of saying, we are going to let you develop all these markets, and then, the next thing we know, you are beating us in a lot of commercial things”
This message demonstrated the essence of U.S. offensive realism’s grand strategy. While Landau did not dismiss potential U.S.-India cooperation, he framed it within an “America First” paradigm, whereby any partnership would prioritise American interests. In this vein, the message can be reinterpreted as signalling the US’s intention to check India’s ascent through selective cooperation, ensuring it does not threaten American hegemony.
On the last day of the Raisina Dialogue, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar asserted that India’s rise is unstoppable and will be determined by India. This remark can be seen as Jaishankar’s response to Landau’s statement. Jaishankar’s statement was firm and demonstrated India’s resolve to steer its economic growth and foreign policy independently, rejecting external dictates amid global pressures. This statement also reflects India’s Kautilyan politics, an ancient Indian strategic thinker, in navigating the domestic and international politics. Kautilyan politics underscores the importance of political and economic power as a source of state security. Therefore, India’s growth will not be directed by others, but by itself, based on the benefits for its own people. Such approaches are believed to create internal stability, a prerequisite for strength and power. Consequently, India also directs its own path in alliance, leveraging a flexible and pragmatic diplomacy in a multipolar world, driven by the national interest.
India’s Strategic Autonomy and Multi-alignment: Israel and Iran’s presence
As one of the pioneers of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), India has clearly shifted to a multi-alignment foreign policy. Minister Jaishankar has also mentioned the country’s preference for a multi-alignment approach in his book, “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World.” Minister Jaishankar (2020) wrote:
“Taking off on non-alignment, it is sometimes useful to speak of multi-alignment. It appears more energetic and participative as compared to an earlier posture of abstention or non-involvement.”
Jaishankar further reiterated that the approach aims for “strategic convergence instead of tactical convenience.” The multi-alignment approach could also be seen in the 2026 Raisina Dialogue. After the war broke out in the Middle East, all attention was on the tensions between Israel and Iran. Raisina Dialogue proved to be more than a conference when it managed to invite the Foreign Minister of Israel, virtually, Gideon Saar and Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh. On the first day of the dialogue, Saar highlighted that the goal of this war was to remove the existential threat in the long run, whereas on the second day, Khatibzadeh stressed that it was an existential war. Both countries claimed that they are fighting a war to ensure their survival. India provided an avenue for the two countries to affirm their stance on the global stage.
One might argue that India is leaning toward Israel following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel before the war occurred. The visit also gained criticism from a leading member of the major opposition party, defining the visit as “shameful” and “ill-timed”. India’s relations with Israel have indeed significantly improved under Prime Minister Modi, who became the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Israel back in 2017. During his recent trip to Israel, Modi underscored the solidarity towards Israel under the pretext of “ancient civilisation ties.” India could not deny its relations with Israel, as Israel has become a critical partner in defence technology development.
The presence of Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, however, signifies the nuance embedded in India’s foreign policy approach: strategic autonomy and multi-alignment. Iran’s acceptance of the invitation hinged on India demonstrating its commitment to strategic autonomy and multi-alignment; a delicate equilibrium that allows New Delhi to deepen ties with Israel while refraining from outright hostility toward Tehran. This balancing act was most visible when India authorised the docking of Iranian warships at its ports following the US-Israel attack on Iran, claiming that it was “the right thing to do” and a form of “humanitarian gesture.”
Once again, India demonstrated its multi-alignment approach amid escalating regional tensions. While other nations scrambled to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, two Indian naval vessels safely passed the strait, thanks to close dialogue with Iranian counterparts. This case highlights Iran’s confidence in India.
Conclusion
The 2026 Raisina Dialogue showed India’s deliberate pivot toward strategic autonomy and multi-alignment in an increasingly fractured world order. The presence of world leaders and their candid dialogues underscored the platform’s leverage as a genuine forum for diverse geopolitical perspectives. The fundamental essence of India’s Saṁskāra – this year’s theme – is well represented in the dialogue. Through this dialogue, India strongly asserted its identity as an independent nation with a strategic autonomy whose path could not be dictated by others. The dialogue also accommodated different views through frank conversations among world leaders, showcasing India’s balanced engagement with global powers. Lastly, the dialogue embraces all nations to advance together with India through constructive dialogues amid rapid global shifts. Saṁskāra is thus not merely a philosophical theme but a blueprint for India’s statecraft in a multipolar world.
Acknowledgement
This article is the author’s personal reflection from attending the 2026 Raisina Dialogue as a Raisina Young Fellow. These views represent independent analysis and do not imply endorsement by any organisation or government.