Abstract
This paper examines India’s national capacity to manoeuvre within an increasingly volatile and multipolar global order. Focusing on four critical pillars—diplomatic, cognitive, economic, and military—the study analyses how New Delhi secures strategic autonomy while advancing its sovereign interests. It explores India’s multi-alignment strategies, the capacity to shape international narratives, the proactive leveraging of an expanding economic footprint, and the modernisation of its military deterrence framework. Ultimately, the paper provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding how India can integrate these diverse domains to navigate geopolitical friction, mitigate systemic vulnerabilities, and effectively project power as a leading global actor.
Keywords: Manoeuvre, MDO, DIME, National Capacity, National Security, Operation Sindoor
