Happymon Jacob speaks to ambassador Shyam Saran (former foreign secretary and chairman of the National Security Advisory Board) on contemporary Indian foreign policymaking. They discuss the various options available to New Delhi in addressing the twin challenge of responding to a restive neighbourhood and managing an aggressive China while at the same time adjusting to a changing global order. The discussion unpacks India’s attitude towards “alignments and alliances” amidst the ongoing US-China confrontation and examines the concept of ‘strategic autonomy’. The conversation also examines whether economic decoupling with China is feasible and probes whether the standoff with China has pushed India closer to the US.

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