GS2 · 10 marks · 150 words

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has exposed the vulnerabilities of regional diplomacy. In this light, discuss the implications of the West Asian conflict for India's strategic autonomy and regional engagement.

Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2023–2025

Syllabus: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

How toppers approached it

From all 4 answers · about 160 words · 50% drew a diagram.

Opening

Body

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 155 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a figure

Operation Rising Sun of Israel in Iran led to widening of already stretched west Asian crisis which took life of 60,000 people from 2023.

Body · points

Diagram

Vulnerabilities of Regional Diplomacy → Not able to engage with all sides together → Fence sitting in case of conflicts

Implication for India

(A) Strategic Autonomy

(1) Pressure to choose sides USA's call to India

(2) Tough Diplomatic Balancing in crisis.

(3) Strategic Autonomy mistaken by

countries as choosing sides → Not speaking for Gaza genocide

(4) Sanctions (Secondary) on India → USA sanction on oil firms of India for buying Iranian Oil

(B) Regional Engagement

(5) More Divide due to conflict → failure of Abraham Accord

(6) Backtracking of Engagement & projects → IMEC Delayed due to conflict.

(7) Binary Dealing with the countries → with us or against us

Positives → Ensures good ties with all → Advocacy of Peace

Close · a quotation

Securing of own interests due to strategic autonomy.

As PM Modi said, " This is not an era of war.". The conflict must stop & pave way for diplomacy

Relations with individual countries beyond the neighbourhood.