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Essay / India's Underrated Realpolitik
In December 2017, the Trump administration released its National Security Strategy (NSS), which presents India as "a leading global power and strategic partner and stronger defense.” While India's ties with the United States are currently close, they have not always been so. Indeed, despite being one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Indian politics has always been based on a principle of pragmatism and realpolitik, a trait that has often been underestimated. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay It is worth noting that until the end of the Cold War, and into the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, India was primarily an ally. with the Soviet Union and its successor, the Russian Federation. He was a major importer of Soviet weapons, sought help from the USSR to deal with the joint power of the United States and Pakistan in 1971, sought help from the Russian Federation during the tests nuclear weapons of 1998, partnered with the Soviet Union on many global issues and held many important cultural exchanges with them. Major changes began to take shape in India's approach to the world order as the era of economic globalization, liberalization and privatization began to impact the Indian economy. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was only a matter of time before the degraded economic situation of the Russian Federation prevented it from being India's benefactor. What remained, however, was an emotional attachment, likely due to a romanticization of past relationships. The world order, which still has mercantilist motivations beneath a multitude of its policies, would have none and it was only a matter of time before that happened. relationship yields to the test of economic interests. Although India may have been officially recognized as a strategic partner of the United States in 2017 and right-wing parties hold leadership positions in both countries, this recognition has been a long time coming. The foundations of this recognition date back to Bill Clinton's trip to India in 2000, under the Vajpayee regime. It was a sort of unequal alliance between a right-wing government and a moderate democratic government. Nevertheless, it was financial interests that paved the way for future relations after the diplomatic turmoil that accompanied India's nuclear tests in 1998, which resulted in US sanctions against India. Clinton's visit to India and the resulting improvement in relations between the two countries was followed by another milestone in 2005: the 123 Agreement. Under the 123 Agreement, India agreed to place its civilian nuclear facilities "under IAEA safeguards" while the United States agreed to fully cooperate with India in the civil nuclear sector. Although the agreement has not been implemented so far, it is an important change and a show of camaraderie from both governments. Other events, occurring in parallel, also contributed to the construction of this change in relations. Formal diplomatic relations with Israel, a powerful US ally, began in 1992, after US-backed structural adjustment was accepted by Indian lawmakers. Over the years, India has become the largest buyer of Israeli arms and has forged a strong partnership with Israel, despite its neutral stance towards oil-rich states hostile to Israel. India's ties with Japan, other..