David Malone: India's Foreign Policy 

This is very sad when people do a half research; calling India a half democracy. You compare incredible India and look at monuments. Monuments by all religions are given importance and thats the nature that it is highly secular. If you want us to show like west that we like Bhature Chole and rajma rice vs your beacon and cheese on waffle then I have no comments. Second, elections in a nation that is huge and generates fair elections democracticaly is an achievement by itself. Third, foreign policy can not be matched with tourism attraction. I do not know where the whole agenda comes from

India doesn't project its SOFT POWER?!!! How did this Malone come to THAT conclusion? India's MAIN projection of itself, since the 1960s, has been through SOFT POWER (which was the ONLY means until late 90s and early 2000s, due to paucity of capital). Movies, culture, scholarships, trade, infrastructure building were, and STILL REMAIN, the bulwarks of POWER projection. Not checkbook diplomacy and CERTAINLY NOT preaching the gloriousness of democracy. One can CONFIDENTLY say that this method of projecting SOFT POWER has been more (cost?) EFFECTIVE in winning hearts and minds, in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia for OVER half a century.

Indian democracy theoritically is very good but practically it has failed miserably to fulfil basic needs of common people in villages and in cities too, i am not talking of rich or super successful which you see in everyday media, you can easily see this as common indian citizens do not trust the govt officers or the system as it is filled with corruption and disregard for the pain of common citizens. As an example - getting a simple job done like getting a simple document in govt office is very difficult in a vibrant very successful indian democracy. Indian system is weak, corrupt, inefficient but common indian citizens have the strength to raise against all odds as history has proved again and again.

When did being a democracy started meaning belief in the Wilsonian principle of spreading democracy? Democracy was never meant to be an expansionist policy . If expansionism done in the wider belief that more democracies mean balance of power thereby peace is delusional and stupid. The Southeast Asia has been a much peaceful place than Europe and Americas.

Thank you sir for explained easily

I am so impressed. He is so learned.

Thank You. Very Kind words :)

'India doesn't make much of its Democracy' - sadly, true.

India is ultimately an Asian country, and unlike West no Asian country beat their trumpets loud or get into preaching mode. Whether its good or bad not sure about :-(

:)

I don't care about what Russians and Chinese say, they were things of past. Yes, you're correct partially when you say that 🇺🇸 and 🇮🇳 are on the same side and on same page when it comes to matters related to Indo-pacific defence and strategy; but if we examine the rise and fall of nations, no two big power exists together, there is always a leading power. 🇷🇺(USSR) was a power of Yesterday along with 🇺🇸 , 🇺🇸 survived because of its petrodollar wealth, democracy and independent judiciary and hence it is the power of Today and 🇨🇳 will become a power of tomorrow, but whether you like it or not, India 🇮🇳 will surpass 🇨🇳 and become an undisputed powerhouse after 2035. It will surpass USA in terms of economic growth, defence research/development and procurements. 🇮🇳 being a largest democratic nation will pursue its own independent path and will refuse to view the world through ANGLO SAXON eyes (example is in front of you), this will inevitably put them in the cross hairs of 🇺🇸 (Even worst, that 🇺🇸 ally and superpower of bygone era, 🇬🇧‘S foreign secretary is confused about regions in Baltic Sea vs Black Sea, which is 700 miles apart) which currently have Diplomats who are far less competent than junior level Indian Foreign Service officers (who are selected from a pool of almost a million eligible and University graduate applicants). On top of being obese, 45% of the US students think that Afghanistan is just another state, South of Mexico. Some of these obese cohort will make into Congress and into Oval Office someday (one already had his 4 years stint). So, India as a largest democratic nation and an undisputed heavyweight power of tomorrow will adopt an Independent foreign policy than that of USA and Co. and will do everything to prepare itself for pursuing the Global leadership. For your reference, following are the flag legends: 🇬🇧- United Kingdom (even called as England, even though England is only one country which makes up the UK, other three being, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) 🇨🇳- China (also known as People’s Republic of China) 🇮🇳- Bharat (the ancient civilisation which wholeheartedly welcomed and embraced two murderer clans- The Mughals and East India Co, 🇬🇧) 🇺🇸- United States of American, colonised by white Europeans (The invasion of the North American continent and its peoples began with the Spanish in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida, then British in 1587 when the Plymouth Company established a settlement that they dubbed Roanoke in present-day Virginia).

Nothing but Respect to you sir. If i can add a little to kashmir issue: 1) Yes, Many people in kashmir want autonomy but it's completely influenced by the incoming militants in disguise from Pakistan. 2) Kashmiri King is much more close to India than Pakistan region before Indian partition and have requested India to help them, fearing he will loose to radical Pak military and overnight India succesfully contained pak and drive them back to borders. 3) Kasmiri Hindus who are almost majority before independence were migrated to different parts of India as the attacks and infiltration increased and since Indians still have some restrictions to own a property in kashmir (ARTICLE 370 of INDIAN CONSTITUTION), the hindu's couldn't stay in Kasmir contradicting History.