Changing Contours of Balance of Power in Asia Pacific India s Paradoxes and Pragmatism

Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War, one of the world s largest regions-the Asia- newlinePacific has undergone significant changes in the pattern of the power balancing newlineequations. The breakup of Soviet Union has left indelible and drastic impacts on the newlineoverall strategic scenario of the Asia-Pacific region. The two major powers-China newlineand Russia are coming closer, and on the other hand, the US along with its newlinesignificant allies sought to maintain its hegemony in the region. However, the US newlinepresence is facing stern challenges from the rising China. Therefore, the region has newlinebeen experiencing the formation of alliances and counter-alliances with the US and newlineChina as leading players. Thus a situation of new power equations has been arising newlinein the region whereby different groupings try to contain each other through varied newlinemoves and counter moves. During the Cold War, India had been more associated newlinewith the Former Soviet Union (FSU). However, in the post-Cold War era, the NAMa newlinelynchpin of Indian foreign policy has been left in the lurch and, thus, a paradigmatic newlineshift was witnessed in India s overall foreign policy approach in general and Asia- newlinePacific region in particular. No doubt, India possesses multifaceted geostrategic newlineiv newlineinterests in the Asia-Pacific region. However, India s policy goals vis-à-vis Asia- newlinePacific has been facing grave challenges given the recent power shifts in the region. newlineHence, through this study, a sincere effort has been made to analyse the emerging newlinepower balancing equations in Asia-Pacific with the US and China as the main actors. newlineMoreover, this work discusses in detail about how the post-Cold War re-emergence newlineof Russia affects the changing Asia-Pacific regional order. Further, at the end, the newlinestudy has also attempted to analyse India s Asia-Pacific policy along with the diverse newlinechallenges and potentials vis-à-vis new emerging power dynamics in the region. newline