PSIR daily Current affairs Theoretical dimension 15th May
The Iran war, India’s strategic autonomy challenges
| Theoretical explanations | Conflict/ competition | Theoretical explanations | Cooperation / collaboration |
| o Realist:
Going for war to secure national interest (quest for power)
o Marxist: interests of capitalist class to be secured through international politics. |
· Economic and military unilateralism USA
· Iran war · US demanding a greater alignment of the economic policies of other countries with American strategic interest. · Western colonial expansion · Global south as a target of competition. |
o Liberal:
Commerce breeds peace o Neoliberal: Efforts for cooperation o Marxist:
Core countries (global north) exploiting periphery (global south)
o Social constructivism (interactions between the states creates identities and interests of the states) |
o Economic and defence deals
o EU FTA
o Europe and America belong together, (common civilization and identity terms) calling for a “western supply chain” to regain its position. o |
Key theoretical questions:
- Who are the key actors and what are their stakes?
- Which theories or concepts provide adequate explanation for their behaviour in global politics?
- What is the nature of international political and economic system?
- Which of the theoretical explanation is most suitable for the explanation of these developments?
Challenges for India:
- Trump unilateral tariffs
- Iran war threatening strategic interests in West Asia
- Challenge to exercise its strategic autonomy.
- Threats to post war liberal economic order
- Trump’s arbitrary demands to discontinue crude oil imports from Russia, forego the strategic partnership with Iran on Chabahar port, desist from considering a de-dollarise options in BRICS and clearly align with American geoeconomic and geopolitical interests.
- Challenge to India’s image as regional naval power when US sank IRIS Dena (Iranian naval ship) returning from the Indian Navy’s international Fleet Review 2026
- India will hardly be able to count on the Europeans for Indian Strategic autonomy.
Steps taken:
- Economic and defence deals signed with European countries (EU India FTA, Rafale deal)
- Choosing Rafale deal for diversification, technology transfer and impetus to domestic defence production (self help)
- India has been able to pick and choose close economic tie-ups with the US, and keeping its distance from alliance politics. (sign of maintaining strategic autonomy)
- India’s ability to maintain good relations simultaneously with all the major powers without taking strong sides is the clearest expression of strategic autonomy.
What are the developments taking place in international political order?
- Common perception of new world order.
- India is much more in favour of global multipolarity than western countries.
What are the developments taking place in international economic order?
- Erosion of US led liberal economic order. (it was open and inclusive driven by market forces) liberal idea
- US demands a greater alignment of the economic policies of other countries with American strategic interests.
- Western colonial expansion, calling for a “western supply chain” to regain its position.