India and its strategic calculation in world affairs

C. Raja Mohan’s ‘India and the Rebalancing of Asia’ is a concise yet analytically rich examination of India’s transformation from a state traditionally committed to non-alignment into a major strategic actor shaping the evolving balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. Published as part of the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ (IISS) Adelphi Book Series, the book investigates how shifts in the Asian strategic environment—particularly the rise of China and the relative redistribution of global power—have motivated India to redefine its foreign and security policies. Mohan argues that India’s growing strategic partnership with the United States should not be interpreted as a fundamental abandonment of strategic autonomy, but rather as a pragmatic response to changing geopolitical realities.

The book’s central contribution lies in its ability to situate India’s foreign policy within the broader transformation of Asian geopolitics following the end of the Cold War. Mohan rejects simplistic interpretations that portray India either as a reluctant power or as an emerging American ally. Instead, he demonstrates that New Delhi has consistently pursued a strategy that balances competing objectives: preserving its strategic independence while deepening cooperation with countries whose interests increasingly align with its own. In doing so, Mohan presents India’s external behavior as the product of strategic calculation rather than ideological preference, emphasizing realism and realpolitik over normative or identity-based explanations.

One of the work’s most notable strengths is its exceptionally clear structure. Mohan organizes the book in a logical progression that enables readers to follow the historical evolution of India’s strategic thinking with ease. Rather than assuming prior expertise, he carefully develops each stage of his argument, beginning with the legacy of non-alignment and India’s post-independence strategic culture before examining the domestic reforms, regional security challenges, and changing international environment that reshaped New Delhi’s foreign policy. Each chapter builds upon the preceding one, allowing readers to understand not only the timeline of India’s diplomatic evolution but also the logic underpinning each major policy shift. This organization significantly enhances the book’s accessibility.

Mohan is especially effective in explaining the rationale behind India’s rapprochement with the United States. Rather than portraying closer Indo-American relations as an ideological convergence between two democracies, he argues that shared strategic interests have become the main factor behind bilateral cooperation. China’s expanding economic influence, rapid military modernization, and increasingly assertive regional posture fundamentally altered India’s security calculations, encouraging New Delhi to strengthen political, military, and technological cooperation with Washington. Mohan demonstrates that this partnership emerged not from dependence but from converging interests in maintaining a stable regional balance of power.

Importantly, Mohan avoids reducing India’s strategy to conventional alliance politics. One of the book’s greatest analytical achievements is its nuanced explanation of India’s pragmatic foreign policy. He demonstrates that India’s relationship with the United States is deliberately designed to maximize strategic benefits while preserving independent decision-making. New Delhi has substantially expanded defense cooperation, intelligence exchanges, maritime security initiatives, and diplomatic coordination with Washington without entering into a formal alliance structure. Mohan argues that this reflects India’s enduring commitment to strategic autonomy, allowing it simultaneously to engage with the United States, maintain longstanding ties with Russia, participate in multilateral institutions, and manage an inherently competitive relationship with China. This discussion offers valuable insight into India’s distinctive approach to 21st century diplomacy and illustrates why traditional alliance frameworks inadequately capture contemporary Indian strategy.

Methodologically, the book adopts a historical and strategic analytical approach rather than a formal theoretical framework. Mohan relies on historical developments, policy evolution, diplomatic initiatives, and strategic trends to support his arguments. While the absence of explicit engagement with major international relations theories may disappoint readers seeking a more theoretically grounded study, this choice arguably broadens the book's accessibility.

However, the concise Adelphi format presents certain limitations. Although the brevity contributes to the book’s readability, some important subjects receive relatively limited attention. Domestic political debates, bureaucratic influences, and economic constraints affecting India’s strategic decision-making are discussed only insofar as they support the central geopolitical narrative. Likewise, while Mohan carefully explains the strategic motivations underlying India’s closer relationship with the United States, little attention is devoted to potential areas of friction between the two countries or to counterarguments that question the durability of their new strategic union. For example, Mohan is quick to dismiss the increasing reports of India’s democratic backsliding, which could negatively affect its informal alliance with a global power keen on upholding traditional democratic values. Furthermore, Mohan’s strict realist ideology ignores several important factors, such as international norms and national identity, and the role they play in shaping India’s foreign policy. Readers seeking detailed empirical case studies or comprehensive policy analysis may therefore find the discussion somewhat selective.

Despite this limitation, ‘India and the Rebalancing of Asia’ succeeds in achieving its principal objective: explaining why India’s foreign policy has become increasingly outward-looking and nuanced in response to profound shifts in the Asian balance of power. Mohan demonstrates that India's partnership with the United States represents neither a rejection of strategic autonomy nor a transition into a formal alliance system. Instead, it reflects a carefully planned balancing strategy that seeks to preserve India's freedom and sovereignty while contributing to a stable and multipolar regional order capable of counterbalancing against China’s emerging threat.

Overall, Mohan has produced a highly persuasive and intellectually accessible study that bridges academic scholarship and strategic policy analysis. The book’s coherent organization, rigorous historical narrative, and nuanced treatment of India's pragmatic diplomacy make it an excellent introduction to contemporary Indian strategy while also providing valuable insights for specialists in Asian security and international relations. Although greater theoretical engagement and more extensive treatment of domestic political variables would have enhanced its scholarly depth, these shortcomings are outweighed by the clarity of its analysis and the enduring relevance of its central arguments. As a result, ‘India and the Rebalancing of Asia’ remains an important contribution to the literature on Indo-Pacific geopolitics and is highly recommended for those seeking to understand India’s evolving role in the regional and global strategic order.