Rajamandala Theory and India's International Relations

Resumo

In contemporary international relations India is regarded as one of the major powers. India’s emergence as a key global actor is based on its international political posturing, growing economic strength, dynamic cultural influence and a potent military machine. Gifted by these assets India postulates itself as a natural global leader. However, India’s power projection is not based simply on these inheritances. There is a carefully cultivated strategic vision that drives this expansionist posture. If that is so, how were to identify this vision? What are the key components of this strategy? It is argued that there is a specific theoretical framework borrowed from a two-millennium old indigenous policy framework which has stood the test of time, forming the bedrock of contemporary Indian international relations.