Why India Is Not A Great Power Yet

Since the economic liberalization of the early 1990s, India has been, on several occasions and at different forums, feted as a great power. This subject has been discussed in numerous books, but mostly in terms of rapid economic growth and immense potential in the emerging market. There is also a vast collection of literature on India's 'soft power '- culture, tourism, frugal engineering, and knowledge economy. However, there has been no serious exploration of the alternative path India can take to achieving great power status - a combination of hard power, geostrategics, and realpolitik. In this book, Bharat Karnad delves exclusively into these hard power aspects of India's rise and the problems associated with them. He offers an incisive analysis of the deficits in the country's military capabilities and in the 'software' related to hard power--absence of political vision and will, insensitivity to strategic geography, and unimaginative foreign and military policies--and arrives at powerful arguments on why these shortfalls have prevented the country from achieving the great power status.

In November 2010, President Barack Obama claimed during his state visit to India that India has "already emerged" as a great power. His view is shared by many world leaders who believe that India's impressive economic and industrial growth and potential, its professional and modernizing military, its rapidly increasing ties with the United States and other armed forces in the extended region, and its expanding soft power presence in the world (information technology prowess, Bollywood films and music) are evidence of the country's inevitable rise.However, there is more to India's story than unimpeded forward progress, as Bharat Karnad explains in "India's Rise." Based on extensive interviews with civilian and military policymakers, this book provides a sobering examination of the country's obvious deficits in hard power capabilities, its overly bureaucratized system of government, and other systemic constraints that are exacerbated by policy infirmities, unacceptable levels of poverty, political and social fragmentation, corruption, and conspicuously poor governance.Karnad maintains that India must make radical improvements in addressing those deficits, capitalize on opportunities economically to co-opt the neighboring states and forge security relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and deliver good governance at the grassroots. IfIndia follows Karnad's recommendations, it may well achieve its aspirations on the world stage."

India will be the world's most populous country by 2024 and its third largest economy by 2028. But the size of our population and a sense of historical greatness alone are insufficient to guarantee we will fulfil our ambition to become a global power. Our approach to realize this vision needs more than just planning for economic growth. It requires a shift in attitudes. In Making India Great, Aparna Pande examines the challenges we face in the areas of social, economic, military and foreign policy and strategy. She points to the dichotomy that lies at the heart of the nation: our belief in becoming a global power and the reluctance to implement policies and take actions that would help us achieve that goal. The New India holds all the promise of greatness many of its citizens dream of. Can it become a reality? The book delves into this question.

This book examines India’s foreign and defence policy changes in response to China’s growing economic and military power and increased footprint across the Indo-Pacific. It further explores India’s role in the rivalry between China and the United States. The book looks at the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Region in the Indo-Pacific geopolitical landscape and how India is managing China’s rise by combining economic cooperation with a wide set of balancing strategies. The authors in this book critically analyse the various tools of Indian foreign policy, including defence posture, security alignments, and soft power diplomacy, among others, and discuss the future trajectory of India’s foreign policy and the factors which will determine the balance of power in the region and the potential risks involved. The book provides detailed insights into the multifaceted and complex relationship between India and China and will be of great interest to researchers and students of international relations, Asian studies, political science, and economics. It will also be useful for policymakers, journalists, and think tanks interested in the India–China relationship.

Why nations rise...or remain reticent -- The active rise of the United States -- The reticence of the Netherlands -- Meiji Japan and Cold War Japan : a vignette of rise and reticence -- The active rise of China -- The reticence of India -- Thoughts on power transitions, past and future.

Long plagued by poverty, India's recent economic growth has vaulted it into the ranks of the world's emerging powers-but what kind of power it wants to be remains a mystery. Cautious Superpower explains why India behaves the way it does, and the role it is likely to play globally as its prominence grows. --

Despite burgeoning trade and cultural links, China and India remain fierce competitors in a world of global economic rebalancing, power shifts, resource scarcity, environmental degradation, and other transnational security threats. Mohan Malik explores this increasingly important and complex relationship, grounding his analysis in the history of the two countries. Malik describes a geopolitical rivalry underpinned by contrasting systems, values, and visions. His comparative analysis covers the broad spectrum of challenges that China and India face. Drawing on his extensive research and on-the-ground experience, he concludes with a discussion of alternative strategic futures for Sino-Indian relations.

`...sober and extremely well-researched book.' - Inder Malhotra, Business World `...very detailed and up-to-date account.' - Richard Newman, Times Higher Education Supplement This book examines the economic and technological basis for India's rise to power and the political factors that shape the nature of the power it will develop into. It shows that while India has concentrated on many of the scientific and technical capabilities that serve the needs of a rising power, it has not been able to achieve a balanced process of development. This imbalance feeds sub-national political discontent and undercuts the very power that India has sought to acquire, thus delaying her rise to power.