Published Online:July 2025
Product Name:The IUP Journal of International Relations
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJIR020725
DOI:10.71329/IUPJIR/2025.19.3.32-50
Author Name:Shonyothem Ng
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Arts and Humanities
Download Format:PDF
Pages:32-50
In a growing multipolar world where countries are economically and culturally interdependent and interlinked, the conventional ideas of hard power are no longer sufficient to further national interests. Under such circumstances, soft power is being employed by countries to enhance their credibility and position in international politics. India joins several big countries in striving to elevate its status in the international sphere by using its soft power capabilities. Considering that India has a long history of cordial relations with Africa, coupled with the latter’s growing significance in international politics, to what extent India’s soft power has progressed in the continent remains a subject of investigation. This study examines India’s engagement with Africa in general and South Africa in particular through the lens of India’s soft power diplomacy.
Soft power is a significant component in modern international relations and has been incorporated into many nations’ foreign policy strategies. Today, India is one of the fastest growing economies with a secular and democratic polity. It is therefore