There have been dramatic changes in global politics in the past three decades which have resulted in the increased interconnectedness between nations. The reorganization of geographical linkages between national centers and peripheries has created new opportunities for subnational authorities; cities and regions are now important international players. 

Traditionally, foreign relations fall under the domain of a central government's diplomatic and military security agenda (often expressed as “high policy decisions”), while subnational governments are concerned with what has been characterized as “low policy” issues such as environmental concerns, investment promotion, cultural and educational integration, and so on. In contrast to this, paradiplomacy, a neologism, allows for the internationalization of subnational governments' internal capabilities, which are predominantly concentrated on such “low policy” concerns. (Tavares 33).

The Indian experience is delineated below to understand the institutional changes being ushered to give policy heft to the concept of paradiplomacy in the country.

The Indian Perspective 

The framers of the Indian constitution, following the partition, included some basic legislation in the form of a powerful unitary element to provide limited and functional autonomy for federating sub-units. Thus the Indian Constitution provided for a unified federal framework and envisaged a threefold allocation of legislative power between the Union and the states of India (Article 246). 

Two significant developments in international politics occurred on 8 November 2016. In the battle for the White House, Donald Trump outperformed Hillary Clinton, defying most predictions; and Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister, announced the demonetization of currency notes with denominations INR 500 and 1000. These events, in their own ways, heightened the growing significance of subnational units in diplomacy. While paradiplomacy in the United States has emerged as a reassuring element owing to its long and decentralized history, the explicit, constitutional division of powers between central and state governments has provided India with a distinct panorama. To that extent, federalization of foreign policy is a development of noteworthy import.

Newfound Primacy 

More recently, Paradiplomacy has garnered a center stage of Indian Policymaking, the credit for which goes to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA-4) government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi (Pant and Tiwari,2016). In cross-border problems, emphasis has been laid on the views and opinions of states adjoining the neighboring countries. In the case of water and land frontier problems with Pakistan, the views of neighboring states of Punjab, Gujarat, and the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir have been taken into consideration. Likewise, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are key dialogue partners in the India-Nepal relations. Without good collaboration between the Indian States and the Union Government, certain accords with adjacent nations would not have been feasible. For instance, in the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with Bangladesh, the signing and implementation would not have been possible without the support of the West Bengal government. 

In October 2014, a new division in the Ministry of External Affairs was announced by the Government of India. The primary objective was to include States in the external policy process. This new division is an indicator of the newfound recognition in New Delhi of the important role played by the states in Indian geopolitics (Tiwari 13). Today, Indian states are intertwined with other countries and economies; which has impacted India, its economic policies, and its people.

Conclusion and Way Forward

India can further leverage the potential of paradiplomacy by using the Indian diaspora abroad. They can play an instrumental role in economic paradiplomacy for Indian states. Cultural diplomacy, evident in the case of Buddhism-dominated nations establishing cultural links with Indian states like Arunachal Pradesh, plays an effective tool to fetch desirable outcomes. International security, as well as internal security issues, have furthermore made paradiplomacy an important feature of resolving disputes between two nations. Indian states can play a bigger role in attracting foreign investments by creating a conducive environment for investment and trade. 

Though still in the nascent state, para-diplomatic pursuits have an enormous potential for India in global diplomacy. The Union government acknowledges the potential is keen to encourage state entities to develop para-diplomatic relations. It has taken a favorable view of the rising participation of states in India's foreign affairs in the contemporary era of globalization and economic diplomacy. 

However, to a great extent, the notion of paradiplomacy is yet to come in a broader sense both in Indian foreign policy and academiá. Therefore, the positive involvement of Indian states in policymaking should be welcomed to strategically maneuver through the dynamic contours of geopolitics.

Works Cited

Rodrigo Tavares. “Paradiplomacy: Cities and States as Global Players.” Oxford University Press, 22 September 2016.

Falguni Tewari. “Paradiplomacy in India: Evolution and operationalisation.” Observer Research Foundation, 21 August 2017.

orfonline.org/research/paradiplomacy-india-evolution-operationalisation/

Harsh V Pant and Falguni Tewari. “Paradiplomacy and India: The growing role of states in foreign policy.” Observer Research Foundation, 6 December 2016.
orfonline.org/expert-speak/paradiplomacy-and-india/

Preethi Amaresh. “Diplomacy within Diplomacy: The Upswing of Para Diplomacy in India.” Diplomatist, 1 June 2020.

diplomatist.com/2020/06/01/diplomacy-within-diplomacy-the-upswing-of-para-diplomacy-in-india/