These Nations are India's Biggest Allies & Enemies in 2023

These following countries are considered as India’s Allies:

1. The United States of America (USA):  

USA and India have a strong partnership in foreign policy. Former President Donald Trump met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their first face-to-face meeting, where they agreed to strengthen defence partnership, counterterrorism efforts, and economic ties. An agreement was signed between the US Secretaries of State and Defense and Indian Ministers of External Affairs and Defense, granting India access to advanced communication technology used in the US. In February 2020, President Trump visited India, and the two leaders announced plans to work together on counternarcotics and mental health. India also agreed to purchase $3 billion in US military equipment, and US-based ExxonMobil signed a deal with Indian Oil Corporation.

2. Japan: 

India's partnership with Japan is another key component of its grand strategy in the post-Cold War era, driven by economic complementarity and shared concerns over China's rise. Their relationship progressed into moderate alignment, and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) was finalized in 2020, facilitating the sharing of supplies and services by their respective armed forces.

3. Israel:

India and Israel have intensified their defence collaboration over the past decade, with Israel now among the top three suppliers of weapons for India. The two countries have developed military gear together, and India is a key buyer of Israeli drones. India's recent order of 8,000 Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel's state-owned defence giant Rafael is a good example of their collaboration. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for Israel to transfer some of its defence production to India to boost the country's manufacturing base and create jobs.

4. Bhutan:

India and Bhutan are both founding members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and share other multilateral forums such as BBIN and BIMSTEC.

5. Russia: 

Russia has been India's oldest friend since the 1960s and has provided a lot of defence equipment and assistance in various sectors.

India’s Enemies consist of the following countries:

1. China:

Amid India's battle against a devastating second wave of COVID-19, China has been accused of infiltrating key border areas in India's high-altitude Ladakh region. Despite this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that India will not back down to China and that bilateral relations cannot improve until there is an end to border friction, coercion, intimidation, and bloodshed.

2. Pakistan:

India and Pakistan have been bitter rivals since their separation in 1947. The Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between the two countries, with both claiming the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir as their own. The region is located within India, but Pakistan disputes this claim and tensions between the two nations remain high.

3. Turkey:

Turkey and India have enjoyed a longstanding bilateral relationship that has spanned centuries. However, in recent times, their relationship has taken a turn for the worse. Tensions have risen to the point where both nations are openly engaging in diplomatic sparring on the global stage, which could potentially have consequences for their respective regions.