Foreign Policy Challenges

The foreign policy of a state consists of strategies and general objectives. Strategies help protect a country from both international and domestic interests. General objectives carry different ways to interact and maintain healthy relationships with other countries. Under the foreign policy, interaction can be maintained through bilateral or multilateral ways. The development of foreign policy is regulated by domestic consideration, the policies or behaviour of other states, or plans to advance specific geopolitical designs. Diplomacy is one of the major tools of foreign policy. In contrast, war, alliances, and international trade are different expressions.

What is foreign policy?

Foreign policy, also known as external policy, comprises the objectives and activities for maintaining relations and interacting with other states. Strategies help a state stay secure from all kinds of relations from international and domestic affairs. On the other hand, objectives state different means to interact with other states to maintain a healthy relationship with other countries. Interaction depends on individual states and the ways they want to follow. Foreign policies have different tools to regulate their function. Diplomacy is the major tool of this policy.

Different tools of foreign policy 

There are 5 types of tools used in foreign policy.

Diplomacy

Diplomacy can be defined as the conduct of international relations through discussions and consultations. This tool is used to promote peace and harmony among nations.

The United Nations

It is an organisation whose purpose is to maintain international peace and security and to develop friendly relations among all the members to attain peace and harmony.

International Monetary System

The IMS refers to the operating system of the financial environment among the countries. It has a set of internationally agreed rules to ease international trade, cross-border investment, and reallocation of capital between states that have different currencies.

Collective security

This is a system that prevents war among nations.

Military defence

This is a strategy under which one state uses threats and weapons to attack and capture another state.

The U.S. and Iraq

U.S policy towards Iraq

The U.S. policy towards Iraq is hale and hearty with broad engagement on diplomatic, political, economic, and security issues in accordance with the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA). The SFA between Iraq and the United States provides the foundations for the U.S.-Iraq bilateral relationships. 

The U.S. bilateral assistance to Iraq focuses on economic reforms, assistance to helpless groups, and democracy and governance. The U.S. wants to nourish the capacity of Iraqʼs civil society organisations and elected representatives. The U.S. policy towards Iraq aims not only to support Iraqʼs democratic institution but also to save and secure the strategic, political, and economic importance of the U.S.-Iraq partnership in an evolving Middle East region.

The United States and Iraq have security assistance as well. The U.S. supports Iraq to strengthen its fiscal policy and the Iraqi military efficiency in defending Iraq at its borders.

The U.S. and Iraq have bilateral economic relations. The main goal of Iraq is to convert its economy from a centrally-run economy into a market-oriented economy for a better future. The U.S. and Iraq are trading partners as well. In fact, The U.S. is Iraqʼs largest trading partner. For the growth and development of trade in Iraq, the U.S. has delegated Iraq as a beneficiary evolving country under the Generalised System of Preferences program. A number of companies are actively working in Iraq in the energy sector, defence, information and technology, as well as the transportation sector.

India

The world is facing huge problems after COVID -19. All the nations are trying to overcome the loss done during and after the pandemic, not only economic problems but also political problems. The nations have to regulate and set policies and objectives so as to overcome the losses incurred due to the pandemic.

Foreign policymakers in India are facing several problems as well. Indiaʼs policy in 2020 was to overcome health crises, security crises, and economic crises.

Foreign policy challenges faced by India

The major challenge India is facing nowadays is national security aroused from China and Pakistan. China and Pakistan have successfully accomplished a lot of their national goals, such as the strengthening of defence and nuclear and missile cooperation. Moreover, China is giving cover to Pakistani terrorist activities in Kashmir. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is one of the most ambitious geopolitical projects of China, which makes a clear vision for India that Pakistan will remain central in China’s strategy for Asia.

The major task of Indian foreign policy is to make sure that the nation’s security is achieved. Indian foreign policy is concerned with a mindful and healthy strategy so as to maintain peaceful relations with other countries and to serve the nation with harmony. The Government of India seeks to preserve Indian independence by regulating the right decision-making and shaping sound foreign policies in India.

Conclusion

All the nations should shape their respective foreign policy in such a way that diplomacy and cooperation remain the only tools to resolve international and domestic issues with peace and harmony for the sake of humanity. Diplomacy will help to overcome different hurdles without any kind of war.