Published Paper Details:

The US-Iran conflict, particularly the 2026 Hormuz War and its aftermath, has presented one of the most significant foreign policy tests for India in the post-Cold War era. This paper critically examines India's diplomatic position toward the US-Iran conflict, analyzing the tension between New Delhi's professed commitment to strategic autonomy and its growing alignment with the United States and Israel. Through a qualitative analysis of official statements, diplomatic actions, scholarly literature, and policy reports, this research argues that India's response to the conflict reveals a fundamental contradiction: while publicly maintaining a discourse of multi-alignment and strategic autonomy, India's actual diplomatic posture has demonstrated a discernible tilt toward the US-Israel axis, with significant costs for its credibility, regional influence, and long-term strategic interests. The paper develops a conceptual framework--the Strategic Autonomy-Actual Alignment Paradox--to explain this disconnect and assesses its implications for India's foreign policy in an increasingly polarized world order.