Can Human Rights Be A Viable Foreign Policy For India ?

Promoting Human Rights has long been a cornerstone of the foreign policy of major western nations. Of course we can question their sincerity and consistency, but there is no doubt that this has earned them immense soft power and raised their global standing. On the other hand India, just as other developing countries, has traditionally squirmed at any mention of Human Rights, seeing it as unnecessary interference by a hypocritical west. Now as India gains international clout, its foreign policy would have to expand beyond just pursuing its self interest, defined narrowly in security and economic terms. India would be expected to take on greater leadership in influencing its neighbourhood and the broader world. The question is could promotion of Democracy and Human Rights both at home and abroad serve as the guiding principle for India’s foreign policy? Several related questions follow. In what ways could this limit India’s strategic flexibility? Would India uphold the established definition of Human Rights or come up with an alternative view of its own? Would this mean India having to depart from its official non-interventionist stance? Does India even have the wherewithal to bring about any meaningful change outside its borders? If not then what possibly could moral grandstanding achieve?