![Prime Minister Narendra Modi with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at an official event. [Photo Courtesy: Praveen Jain via The Print].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20-scaled-e1755601883425-1024x576-1.webp)
America
The Facade of Indian Strategic Autonomy
India’s strategic autonomy faces pressure as US trade leverage, energy dependence, and defence ties test New Delhi’s balancing doctrine.
Abdul Basit
India’s strategic autonomy faces pressure as US trade leverage, energy dependence, and defence ties test New Delhi’s balancing doctrine.
From the Sundarji Doctrine to Cold Start and 2025’s Operation Sindoor, India’s offensive doctrines aimed at rapid strikes against Pakistan repeatedly backfired, exposing operational gaps and narrowing its strategic options in multi-domain warfare.
The fall of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Indian Lok Sabha elections has revealed a significant decline in Narendra Modi’s popularity.
![US-India flags fly at the White House. Since 2014, political metamorphosis of India under the BJP has diverged toward a Hindu-centric identity [Image via Reuters].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-06-21T195636Z_979887234_RC2VN1AOY3KX_RTRMADP_3_USA-INDIA-1704088052.webp)
Since 2014, political metamorphosis of India under BJP has diverged from Nehru’s liberal vision towards a Hindu-centric identity led by Modi.