Rajiv Bhatia
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, a middle power can be defined as “a state that holds a position in the international power spectrum that is in the ‘middle’ – below that of a superpower which wields vastly superior influence over all other states, or of a great power, but with significant ability to shape international events.” Brazil, Germany, and South Africa fit this definition well. But today, India’s geostrategic positioning, economic trajectory and global role set it apart.
As the world’s most populous country and the fifth-largest economy (rapidly advancing toward becoming the third-largest), India is a unique case. It is the largest democracy, a major technological force, and an active global player with diversified interests across all continents. The traditional label of middle power or power fails to capture India’s growing status. It may be, as External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has said, “a leading power” or, as many in the country see it, “an emerging great power” guided by its expansive worldview.
India has successfully adopted a balanced approach toward the great powers, its neighbors in South Asia, players in the extended neighborhood, and other Global South countries. The effectiveness of its foreign policy machine in recent years is mainly due to the government’s success in developing an integrated and well-coordinated approach and the deep personal interest Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken in this domain.