The book attempts to map out the trajectory of contemporary geopolitics, the rapid transformations and transitions that constantly shape the global order and how India stands out to respond to this ever-changing environment through its diplomatic strategies and leads. Unlike the conventional ideal of non-alignment principle, India has become more resilient and strategic actor that aspires to not only balance but define, lead and shape the contemporary global politics. With the contribution of some young scholars, illuminating minds and experts from India, this eclectic collection discusses overarching geopolitical issues India has been grappling with in contemporary global politics and the spectrum of strategic ways Indian state articulates and responds to such rapid changes in the international order. The edited book will be of interest to undergraduate, post graduate scholars and researchers of international relations in general and area studies Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgements List of Figures Abbreviations Introduction: India’s Strategic Engagement with Contemporary Global Politics 1. Rising China as a Superpower State: A Global Challenge to US Hegemony Rashmi Singh 2. The Periphery at Stake: India’s Fight against China’s Expansionist Policy PriyaKumari 3. The Geopolitics in Afghanistan: Echoing the Tensions in South Asia NawidFazly 4. Strategic Partners: Mapping Out the Key Issues and Challenges between India and Israel Shazad 5. The Tryst between India and Small Islands Nations: A Nautical Dimension of India’s Indo-Pacific Policy MeghaShrivastava 6. India’s Soft Power in Consolidating QUAD AlakhRanjan 7. Geopolitical Competition in the Arctic Circle Payal Bansal 8. Buddhist Diplomacy: 196 Soft Power Politics of India and China Vishal Rajput and SarthakDuneja 9. India’s Foreign Policy Towards Multilateral Institutions Vishal Rajput Editors and ContributorsDr Manasi Sinha (PhD, JNU) is Associate Professor and Programme Chair of Political Science in the Department of Humanities, School of Liberal Education, Galgotias University. Her major research areas include Global Politics & IR (Theories & Issues), Culture, Politics and Society in Europe, European Union and Gender Policy Discourse, Gender and Politics of Violence (India/Sweden/Europe). Her research work has been widely published across Academic and Peer Reviewed Journals and books across National and International Platforms. She has been awarded IBIES Erasmus Mundus Fellowship for contributing to higher research in Indo-European studies in the University of Warsaw, Poland (2013-2014). Vishal Rajput is a researcher at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library working on the Border History Project of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. He was formerly associated with the National Security Council and United Service Institution of India.