“Many of us fall into the trap of traditional theories that have a predominant preference for systemic or structural factors” – Interview with Aditi Malhotra

Dear Aditi Malhotra, in your book you examine India’s reorienting strategic posture and describe how New Delhi’s security policy in the Indo-Pacific region has evolved. Which questions do you exactly tackle?

When I began my research on the book, I was initially interested in exploring if India’s security conduct in the Indo-Pacific was primarily driven by its desire to balance China in the region. However, as I dug deeper, I realised that India’s security policy actions were not always in line with what would be expected from a power balancing China in the Indo-Pacific, specifically in Southeast and East Asia. As a result, my research questions changed. The book tackles the central question: Why is India expanding its security relations with countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia? When answering this question, the book also looks at the internal and external factors responsible for India’s evolving security role in the broader region. It also explains why a gap exists between India’s rhetoric and on-the-actions in the security domain.

For the complete interview, click on the link: https://budrich.de/en/news/interview-aditi-malhotra/