Introduction

The international order as we have known it is crumbling around us today. The breakdown of the rules-based world order, which has been punctuated by increased zero-sum competition between great powers such as the United States, Russia, and China, has yielded a multipolar environment of increasingly violent competition. From the conflict in Ukraine to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the world has seen how instability is the status quo. With this in the backdrop, I contend that peace is not only maintained by the military power of a country but by countries that have a capability to build trust and maintain stability. India is an example of the same.

Indian Blue Helmets Continue the Watch

India has always contributed and helped in global peacebuilding. Since 1948, India has deputed more than 250,000 soldiers to over 50 United Nations peacekeeping missions, which makes it one of the largest contributors in history. Historically, India has contributed to peacekeeping contingents in a variety of places such as the DRC, Lebanon, and Sierra Leone, and have continued to do so regardless of increments in conflict intensity. An example of this could be South Sudan, where Indian peacekeepers have remained true to their duty alongside their fellow Blue Helmets from states such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, Pakistan and Bangladesh that constitute the UN Mission in South Sudan despite orders from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces to withdraw from their base in Akobo on the eve of an assault.


Indian peacekeepers in Kiwanja providing medical aid to an injured child. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

India had played an important role in protecting civilians, maintaining ceasefires, and helping them rebuild regions afflicted by violence. These efforts made by India show its commitment to international peace and security. Additionally, it has remained dedicated to expanding access in terms of the peacekeeping units themselves, which was seen through the deployment of its first all-female police unit to Liberia in 2007, which has been subsequently followed by a nine percent increase in the number of Liberian women that constitute the country’s security sector. This contribution shows that peacebuilding does not always require military strength but also needs trust and engagement with local populations.

Multialignment, Strategic Hedging, and the Protection of Human Life

India’s diplomacy that drives towards global peace — both as an instrumental means and as an end unto itself — is visible in its response to contemporary conflict. During the Russia-Ukraine war, for example, it demonstrated a balanced position in order to maintain its relations with its strategic partners and move towards a constructive termination of hostilities. While it did not support any country completely, it emphasized the importance of open communication between countries and constructive engagement towards peaceful resolution. Prime Minister Modi’s statement, “This is not an era of war,” which he delivered at the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Smarakand, is demonstrative of this approach. Additionally, the country’s provision of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, combined with the initiation of Operation Ganga, which evacuated approximately 22,500 Indian citizens alongside 147 foreign nationals from 18 different states, is emblematic of its genuine commitment to the protection of human life.

India has further demonstrated its efforts in humanitarian assistance by helping countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country supplied vaccines and medicines to over 100 countries through the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative. This effort strengthened its credibility on the global stage and opened up new, unconventional avenues such as health diplomacy for further cooperation and constructive engagement.India’s role in multilateral diplomacy also shows its strength on the global stage. The country actively participates in global institutions such as the G20, BRICS and the Quad, where it promotes dialogue, cooperation and peaceful resolution to international conflict. During its G20 presidency in 2023, it emphasised the importance of equality among sovereign states, and facilitated the entry of the African Union into the G20 as a permanent member. This decision enhanced the representation of developing countries alongside presenting to the global order India’s potential to be a respectful follower of institutionalised norms in its pursuit of a position of leadership and respect in the international system.

The Philosophy of Indian Foreign Policy

India’s peaceful approach is deeply rooted in its philosophical traditions. The idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, which translates into “the whole world is one family,” is a personification of the country’s belief in peaceful coexistence that serves as the moral underpinning of its foreign policy programming. This idea finds its roots in India’s founding as an independent state.

The country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, followed a similar strategy of non-alignment through which India was able to maintain its strategic autonomy during the Cold War. In today’s multipolar world, India has converted this program of non-alignment to multi-alignment as it attempts to proactively engage with states across the international system. Such is demonstrated by the way multialigned India maintains strong relations with significant actors such as the United States, Russia, and the European Union even when they are pitted in a state of great power competition in the international system. The country has, for example, simultaneously signed one of its most significant defence and free trade agreements with the EU during a period of time where its bilateral trade with Russia is predicted to yield $100 billion in the foreseeable future. This pragmatic and balanced approach thus allows India to preserve its national interests while promoting peace and cooperation.In conclusion, it is clear that the international system today remains inhospitable, marked by fractured trust and rising competition among great powers. Despite this, India continues to balance the pursuit of her own national interest with a genuine commitment to global peace, and her role will only become more important in her capacity as a stabiliser and a credible peacemaker.

About the Author: Apeksha Bachhas

Apeksha Bachhas is a Political Science graduate from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College, University of Delhi, and an aspiring researcher in the field of international relations and geopolitics.

Her academic interests focus on India’s foreign policy, global diplomacy, and emerging power structures in world politics.


This essay is a part of the Spring'26 issue of The India Way—'Breaking Point: India and the Future of World Order'