India Must Stop Punching Below Its Weight: Re-imagining the Mandala Doctrine

• India needs to redefine its foreign policy, moving beyond a risk-averse mindset and "punching below its weight" to assert itself as a great power.
• The article proposes a "Mandala Doctrine" for India, inspired by the Monroe Doctrine, to proactively secure its regional sphere of influence.
• India's past foreign policy decisions, like quick recognition of PRC or the 123 Agreement, are critiqued for hindering its strategic interests.
• The primary security competition for India should be China, not Pakistan, requiring a nuanced approach to their economic and security dynamics.
• India must strengthen its shipbuilding capabilities and naval presence, especially near the Strait of Malacca, to counter China's growing influence.

Why It Matters: India must shed strategic shyness to become a global power.