Does the Elephant Dance?: Contemporary Indian Foreign Policy

Does the Elephant Dance? elegantly surveys key features of contemporary Indian foreign policy. David Malone identifies relevant aspects of Indian history, examines the role of domestic politics and internal and external security challenges, and of domestic and international economic factors. He analyzes the specifics of India's policy within its South Asian neighborhood, and with respect to China, the USA, West Asia, East Asia, Europe, and Russia as well as multilateral diplomacy. The book also touches on Indian ties to Africa and Latin America, and the Caribbean. India's 'soft power', the role of migration in its policy, and other cross-cutting issues are analyzed, as is the role and approach of several categories of foreign policy actors in India. Substantive conclusions touch on policies India may want or need to adjust in its quest for international stature. This book will appeal to both scholars and students of international relations as well as policymakers, diplomats, journalists, strategic affairs experts, and informed readers.

About the Author :
David M. Malone is President of the International Development Research Centre. He was Canada's High Commissioner to India and non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan and Nepal from 2006 to 2008. He has published extensively on peace and security issues, in book form and in journals. His books include The Law and Practice of the United Nations (OUP 2008) and The International Struggle Over Iraq (OUP 2006).

Review :
"[A] brisk survey of [India's] foreign policy...[Malone] has a breadth of knowledge and makes his case well."--The Economist "A broad-ranging but substantive survey of the Indian foreign policy horizon...brings an illuminating perspective to the conduct of India's international relations...Overall, the volume is one of the best overviews of Indian foreign policy in recent years."--Asia Policy "A historical analysis as well as a prescriptive examination of India's foreign policy. A believer in the dictum that all foreign policy, in the ultimate analysis, is local, Malone gives a detailed insight into India's domestic scene, with an amazingly accurate description of all the principal political parties and players...He does not allow his affection for India to cloud his hard-headed analysis and he does not shy away from giving the benefit of his advice to Indians as well as to non-Indians. The book's comprehensive approach makes it a must for all those interested in India and South Asia."--India Today "A wonderfully illuminating book on India's relations with the world informed both by remarkable expertise on diplomacy and foreign relations and by carefully acquired intimate knowledge of a very complex country. The book will enlighten not only Indians involved in public discussion and policymaking but also people across the world interested in an ancient land undergoing extraordinarily rapid transformation."--Amartya Sen, University Professor and Professor of Economics and Philosophy, Harvard University, and 1998 Nobel Laureate in Economics "With the analytical mind of a scholar and the perceptive eye of an experienced diplomat, David Malone ranges across history, geography, economics and strategy to provide a treatment of Indian foreign policy which is both lucid and profound."--Strobe Talbott, President of The Brookings Institution, former US Deputy Secretary of State, and author of Engaging India "David Malone has written an impressively thorough and deeply insightful analysis of how a previously inward-looking India is now reaching out to the world. Comprehensive in scope, examining major themes and regions, [this book] shrewdly brings history and economics to bear on our understanding of [India's] foreign policy."--Ramachandra Guha, Historian, and author of India After Gandhi "David Malone has written an impressively thorough and deeply insightful By daring to walk through Delhi's Tower of Babel, David Malone has produced a rewarding work on the sources and conduct of India's contemporary international relations. The capacity to differentiate between the "signal" and the "noise" in Delhi's rambunctious discourse and a deep empathy for India's aspirations allow Malone to excavate the obscure riches of India's new regional and global engagement."--C. Raja Mohan, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, Contributing Editor of The Indian Express, and author of Crossing the Rubicon "A solidly researched, lucid analysis of Indian foreign policy. It immerses itself in Indian history to seek the wellsprings of continuity in India's relations with the world, and studies the role of domestic politics and internal compulsions, as well as the impact of external security challenges...[Malone's] book deserves to be read thoroughly and consulted frequently by anyone interested in our external relations."--Outlook India "[Malone] has now written an account of contemporary Indian foreign policy that is unlikely to be surpassed any time soon: so comprehensive is the coverage and so empathetic the treatment...The book is lucidly and engagingly written, and is as accessible to the lay reader as to the specialist....the best book yet on recent Indian foreign policy. It will be required reading for anyone wanting to make sense of the great transitions underway in India's engagement with the world."--The Times of India "Both lay readers and seasoned observers of Indian foreign policy will find this book useful and even inspiring. The former will appreciate the historical background that helps explain the complexity of current events, while the latter will benefit from the organization of the material that enables them to read only the topic in which they are interested. Although Malone himself does not develop new theories on India's foreign policy, this book has the great potential to inspire other scholars to do so and further develop this fascinating field."--The Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs