The strategic choices that any country has, are largely dictated by its circumstances, the most important of which is the relative material power relationship that it has with its neighbours and its other competitors. By this criterion, India’s circumstances have worsened over the last couple of decades, and there is little indication that it will get any better in the near future. This means that India’s choices are increasingly constrained, though choices are always available.
Choices, of course, are limited only by imagination and political skill. Even states in poor circumstances can play the few cards that they have well, and end up doing better than what would have seemed possible. Pakistan is a good example: a relatively weak power, it was able to leverage its location and international political circumstances to counter India far more successfully than what seemed possible, even if they ultimately overplayed their hand and ruined themselves.
This caveat aside, the choices that states face can broadly be outlined based on the international conditions they face. So, this begs the question: What are the relevant conditions for India?
