The new global politics is moving from ideological based rivalries to interest based relations where there are no permanent friends and enemies and beginning of a new era of more pragmatic and flexible IR involving conscious attempt towards more pertinent issues such as political development and modernisation. Hence, categorization and discovering changing relationships between nations have become more important than merely theorising the concepts in order to have a better understanding of the changing nature of world politics.
The post 1991 period due to the concepts of liberalization, privatisation and globalization witnessed gradual development of a multifaceted international process involving frequent shifts leading to a period of transition between tradition to modern societies despite maintaining significant regularities, similarities and differences. The concept of complex interdependence developed by Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye appears to be fully vindicated a few years later with the spectacular rise in mutual treaties, dialogues and trade agreements between the highly advanced and developing world. This in fact helped in establishing a linkage between the existing problems, setting of the required agendas, right decision-making and timely implementation processes proving the assumption that nations are basically atomistic egoists wrong.
The upcoming India-EU summit in the coming days is likely to be a major breakthrough for the Free Trade Agreement( FTA ). Besides, there will be a major boost in defence and security partnership between India and the EU. The visit of Mr. Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council and the President of European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen, as the Chief Guests on the occasion of the celebration of 77th Indian Republic Day on January 26, 2026 and prior to this on January 25 to Co-Chair the 16th India-EU Summit will set the background for building up a highly comprehensive strategic for future. There appears to be a visible shift towards building exogenously influenced social interaction without affecting the question of identity through latent processes of interdependence communication due to mushrooming of MNCs across the globe.
The steep rise in multiple channels of communication and multifaceted interdependence ranging from economic, health and environmental issues to health and the lurking problem of scarcity of water has gradually blurred the difference between national and international politics. During the last few years or so, India has demonstrated the power of truth, value system, non-violence, morality and humane ideas in shaping world politics. The West Asian Region also made attempts to strengthen their position through 2020’s Abraham Accord which led the foundation of I2U2 Group during October 2021 leading to cooperation for development in multiple areas such as food security, water, energy, trade, communication and finally ensuring long-term security and peace. The fact that India is a prominent member of this 4 countries group namely, India, Israel, UAE and the US exhibits India’s pivotal position in IR.
On the other hand, numerous issues in IR such as the expansionist agenda of China, Russia Ukraine war, ongoing skirmishes in West Asia, political turmoil in Pakistan and rising tide of transnational terrorism has once again proved that peace, harmony and equality among nations is a myth. The reality of world politics still hoovers around power. Recently, security has also become multidimensional, earlier security and military security were treated synonymous. Due to increase in sporadic attacks and merciless violence spread by terrorists there is a search for international strategy to combat it. Besides, in the present circumstances the concept of national security can only be understood if IR takes into account the analysis of economic security, energy security, environmental security, food security, cyber-security, institutional security and health security and women security.
Nevertheless, still the issues like funding of terrorist activities, policing cooperation and dealing with cyber threat through enhancing the technological innovation and tightening border and maritime security information-gathering exercise are among the top priority areas of any country. International cooperation through such platforms may further provide help in tracing the roots of the problems. There are rising concerned about the need for a new consensus in strategic planning in the backdrop of sponsored separatism and terrorism from across the border coupled with overambitious plans of expansion in the neighbourhood and ongoing skirmishes between Ukraine and Russia.
Nevertheless there have been constant efforts at the various summits which would further boost and cement the ties between nations giving push to environment for stabilizing economic growth(along with ensuring free flow of goods and services) strategic security, prosperity, stability and combating sudden challenges arising due to climate change. Foreign relations operate with the help of efficient diplomatic system and diplomacy is all about right gestures and cooperation and coordination at the time of crisis. The Prime Ministers of Belgium and Spain and the French President appreciating India’s efforts to combat the pandemic can only lead to further cooperation.
There is, however, no lack of unanimity with regard to nuclear energy, sustainable development and environmental issues. The increasing support and agreement with regard to limiting climate change issues and opening up gateways for renewable energy and development in technological know how along with channelizing the sources of power generation and creating a mechanism to withstand any sudden threat posed by China’s BRI(Belt and Road Initiatives) augur well for peace and prosperity of all member countries. India shares tremendous positive relationships with most countries with having trade share having crossed a decent landmark during last few years, much more than expected.
During the last few years, there have been closer ties with Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, them being the biggest importers from India while Germany, France and Belgium being the largest exporters of goods. Further negotiations may lead to creation of a strategic mechanism to provide a shield against terrorism, international crime, drug dealing, smuggling and cyber threat unleashed by the non-state actors. This may also accelerate maritime friendly ties and bolster up security around Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific areas which have lately become areas of concern. The 90th Interpol General Assembly Meeting held during December, 2022 speaks volumes about India’s leading in the strategic areas.
India’s leadership of Interpol can help on creating the path of high-powered police technology to equip Police with the most efficient and latest technologies. INTERPOL can play a vital role in combating such crimes through coordination on providing joint mechanisms for ensuring prompt extradition of any terrorist. On the more pertinent towards the economic front the prediction of IMF for India’s GDP growth rate for 2025-26 to 7.3 per cent is the indicator of the growing prowess of India in myriad areas. The credit of this goes to the visionary Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s remarkable leadership.
