India’s foreign policy behavior has been dictated by the country’s unique geography, cultural attributes, and rich history. As a self-proclaimed civilizational state, India’s power is derived as much (if not more) from its soft (co-optive or attractive) power as it is by its hard (coercive) power. While it is often seen a regional or middle power, India sees itself an aspiring global or Great Power within an emerging multipolar global order. As a result, India is in a constant quest for greater status. The challenge is sustaining India’s longstanding commitment to strategic autonomy in a world of geopolitical flux, which is exacerbated by the vagaries of the country’s domestic politics and an arc of instability in India’s neighborhood.