India’s Soft Power Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific: A Special Reference to Seychelles

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific region is being subjected to continuous changes in this 21st century concerning soft power policies that are extremely important from strategic and economic viewpoints. Since 2016, two particular issues cantering the Indo-Pacific region have attracted worldwide attention. First, the importance of the involvement of the Indo-Pacific region in international politics, economics and security discussions on the grounds of The Rim Association. Second, India’s emerging role as a soft power in the Indo-Pacific region with reference to its evolving relation with Seychelles. It must be noted here that Seychelles is continuously flourishing in terms of its overall development in the Indo-Pacific region. According to Joseph Nye, soft power is “the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments. It arises from the attractiveness of a country’s culture, political ideals, and policies.” India is continuously strengthening its relations with Seychelles, primarily by engaging itself in soft power politics; by protecting as well as strategically strengthening Seychelles in the Indo-Pacific region on the grounds of security. Cultural policies, historical ties, foreign policies, completion of several projects, meetings between heads of state, military exercises and purchase of security equipment- all these have essentially impacted establishing a strong relationship between India and Seychelles. In the near future, this might pave the path to India to further strengthen the capability of its soft power in the Indo-Pacific region and stand up against China in a more diplomatic way. How India is strengthening its relationship with Seychelles via soft power diplomacy and how much successful power India has been in the Indo-Pacific region in terms of its foreign policies with respect to its political and economic strategies are the major topics of discussion throughout this paper.