India and Asian Geopolitics - by Shivshankar Menon (Paperback)

About the Book

Offering a clear-eyed look at modern India's role in Asia's and the broader world, one of India's most distinguished foreign policy thinkers addresses the many questions facing the country as it seeks to find its way in the increasingly complex world of Asian geopolitics.

Book Synopsis

A clear-eyed look at modern India's role in Asia's and the broader world

One of India's most distinguished foreign policy thinkers addresses the many questions facing India as it seeks to find its way in the increasingly complex world of Asian geopolitics. A former Indian foreign secretary and national security adviser, Shivshankar Menon traces India's approach to the shifting regional landscape since its independence in 1947. From its leading role in the "nonaligned" movement during the cold war to its current status as a perceived counterweight to China, India often has been an after-thought for global leaders--until they realize how much they needed it.

Review Quotes

"India and Asian Geopolitics: The past, present by Shivshankar Menon (Brookings Institution Press, Washington DC, 2021) may, at first glance, appear to be primarily on India. But it is about Asia as a whole, its past, present and future in the context of global developments."
--Eurasia Review

"An important work that restores India into the Asian story, and a timely reminder that active engagement with Asia and the world will not just be a choice, but also a necessity for New Delhi."
--Tanvi Madan, senior fellow and director of the India Project, the Brookings Institution

"In this brilliant examination of India's recent past as an Asian power, the distinguished Indian diplomat Shivshankar Menon gives us much to consider about its future as well. His evocation of India as central to Asia's geopolitics and yet also set apart from it is a major contribution to our understanding of this great, rising power in this Asian century."
--Nicholas Burns, former U.S. under secretary of state; professor, Harvard University

"Shivshankar Menon is one of the most distinguished diplomats in the world. In his latest book, he has brilliantly laid out the stages of India from independence to the rise of Modi. When he looks to history, he focuses on Asian geopolitics. But when he turns to the future, he opens the aperture to the global trend of illiberality. He believes India, with no existential outside threat and a vast diversity in its populace, can afford expansive rights of all its citizens."
--Strobe Talbott, distinguished fellow, the Brookings Institution; U.S. deputy secretary of state (1994-2001)

"This book is a tour de force by one of today's most perceptive strategic thinkers. Menon deftly surveys how India has navigated its geopolitical environment in the past, while illuminating the international landscape and challenges it faces today. Anyone interested in Asia's future should read this book."
--M. Taylor Fravel, Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science, and director, Security Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

About the Author

Shivshankar Menon is a former Foreign Secretary of India and was National Security Advisor to prime minister Manmohan Singh. He is the author of Choices: Inside the Making of Indian Foreign Policy (Brookings, 2016).