India and its soft balancing strategy towards China's rise

Abstract

In the post-World War II international order, India once played a leading role in the Non-Aligned Movement, but the rapid rise of China since the early 21st century has created new strategic challenges. Drawing on the neoclassical realist theory of strategic choice, the paper examines India’s policy options in an increasingly asymmetric geopolitical environment, where China’s growing influence continues to reshape the Asian balance of power. The findings indicate that, although India had multiple options, soft balancing emerged as the most effective strategy to both maintain strategic autonomy and secure long-term security interests. In doing so, the paper sheds light on the theoretical foundations of soft balancing through the case of India in its power competition with China.