Is India's Foreign Policy Contradictory?

This book interrogates the idea among scholars and practitioners of foreign policy that India’s foreign policy is contradictory. Drawing on the theoretical model of “logic of simulation” proposed by Cynthia Weber and inspired by Jean Baudrillard’s works, it identifies and explains trends in India’s foreign policy relevant to three of the most important global geopolitical developments—nuclear proliferation, non-alignment, and humanitarian interventions. It argues that while states have to be tactical, strategic, opportunistic, and wary, in their dealings in the international system, there are many other often y stronger forces at play that are overlooked. The book contends that trust and morality form a bigger part of diplomatic practice than international relations (IR) scholars care to acknowledge. It proposes a lens that incorporates these additional positive factors and presents a toolkit to understand how foreign policy practitioners are simultaneously engaged in simulating and shaping the world around us, and that even while pursuing the best interests of their nations, they might be intentionally or unintentionally engaged in transforming the international landscape for the better. The book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of South Asian studies, security studies, and IR, especially foreign policy. The volume will also be of interest to practitioners of foreign policy, career bureaucrats, and policy analysts at think tanks.