India’s rising global stature has revived an important debate: Should the country continue its traditional restrained diplomacy, or respond to Pakistan and China in the same aggressive tone they use against New Delhi? Recent controversies—Pakistan attacking the Ayodhya Ram Temple celebrations and China detaining an Arunachal Pradesh woman at Shanghai Airport—have reignited calls for a more assertive Indian approach.
Analysts argue that if Pakistan can raise the Ayodhya issue at international forums and China can repeatedly claim Arunachal Pradesh, then India must openly spotlight Islamabad’s human rights abuses in Balochistan and Beijing’s pressure on Taiwan. With India now among the world’s top economies, a major defence power, and a key geopolitical player, critics believe the old “we don’t interfere in others’ internal matters” approach is outdated.
Pakistan remains burdened by economic collapse and IMF dependence, while China faces slowing growth, demographic decline, and growing global distrust. Experts say this provides India with a strategic opportunity to strengthen ties with Taiwan, expose Balochistan repression, and counter both nations diplomatically.
With China–Pakistan alignment deepening, strategic voices insist that India must shed defensive diplomacy and adopt a confident, proactive stance befitting a “New India” in 2025.
