India’s Foreign Policy under Modi: Strategic Dimensions of Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific Region

Abstract

This paper examines Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic maneuvers in the region of Indo-Pacific as a strategic bid for regional hegemony, primarily to counterbalance China's expanding influence. The research is based on a question how does Modi’s leadership style shape India’s hedging strategy in its diplomatic engagements with major powers? This study used the process-tracing method to analyse the diplomatic style of Modi. Theory testing approach is applied and tests hypothesis against empirical evidence within a case. Findings reveal a nuanced hedging approach combining deterrence, economic decoupling, and selective cooperation that enhances India's leverage amid Sino-Indian border tensions and Beijing's Belt and Road encroachments. Ultimately, Modi's diplomacy reframes the Indo-Pacific as a multipolar arena, prioritizing national interests like territorial integrity and economic security over outright confrontation. Instead of aligning rigidly with one bloc, Modi projects India as a Civilizational actor and a stakeholder that is capable of engaging diverse partners from US to Japan and ASEAN to Australia on issue specific cooperation. This reframing allows India to pursue economic partnerships, infrastructure connectivity, and defense collaborations while maintaining flexibility in its foreign policy posture. By foregrounding sovereignty and development imperatives, Modi’s style positions India as a bridge-builder in the Indo-Pacific contributing to a more pluralistic regional order.