GS Paper II — Q9
'The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China's supply chain and as a strategic ally to counter…
'The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China's supply chain and as a strategic ally to counter China's political and economic dominance.' Explain this statement with examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
'पश्चिम भारत को, चीन की आपूर्ति श्रृंखला पर निर्भरता कम करने के लिए एक विकल्प के रूप में और चीन के राजनीतिक और आर्थिक प्रभुत्व का मुकाबला करने के लिए एक रणनीतिक सहयोगी के रूप में बढ़ावा दे रहा है।' उदाहरणों के साथ इस कथन की व्याख्या कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में लिखिए)
Model answer
Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.
The West is courting India because China+1 logic and strategic hedging converge. Post-COVID, Western firms seek resilient supply chains; Apple’s US demand and Foxconn’s plants, plus Samsung’s expansion, show production moving to India. Economic decoupling is visible in the US CHIPS Act and EU Critical Raw Materials Act, which aim to reduce reliance on Chinese semiconductors and rare earths. Security alignment follows: the Quad, expanded Malabar, and AUKUS’ extension of Indo-Pacific architecture reinforce deterrence, even as India remains outside AUKUS. Western political backing reinforces this, as India gains access to markets, technology and strategic platforms. Trade links deepen through the EU–India FTA (concluded in 2026) and US–India iCET (now TRUST), while IMEC offers an alternative to BRI. Western support is also conditional: US tariffs on Indian goods rose to 50% in 2025 over Russian oil purchases, were cut to 18% under an interim deal in February 2026, and a September 2026 US law threatens tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian energy. India’s capacity constraints, regulatory hurdles and asymmetric dependence on Chinese inputs limit substitution. Thus, the West is fostering India as a credible alternative and balancing partner, reducing China’s political and economic leverage, not a complete replacement.
How this answer will be evaluated
Framework: GS2 International Relations
What earns full marks: Precise examples of Western initiatives (e.g., PLI, Quad) linking economic and strategic dimensions.
Evaluation rubric
Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.
- The answer Explain, with examples, how the West is fostering India as an alternative to China's supply chains and as a strategic ally against China's dominance. 10 marks · 150 words
explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close
Must cover
- Supply-chain diversification (China+1): electronics and Apple/Foxconn iPhone production shifting to India, PLI schemes, semiconductor projects with US and Japanese partners
- Technology and minerals partnerships: iCET (now TRUST), Minerals Security Partnership, EU–India Trade and Technology Council; EU–India FTA concluded in January 2026
- Strategic alignment: Quad, Malabar, defence deals and co-production (GE F414 engines, MQ-9B), IMEC as a connectivity alternative to BRI
- Limits and nuance: India's strategic autonomy and ties with Russia; US tariffs of 50% in 2025, cut to 18% under the February 2026 interim deal but threatened again in September 2026; dependence on Chinese inputs; capacity constraints
Loses marks
- Presenting India as a formal military ally or AUKUS member
- No examples
Earns more
- Japan and Australia's supply-chain resilience initiative with India
- Data on rising US and EU trade shares
Extra mark
- India's own interests (manufacturing, technology) rather than being a mere instrument
What "Explain" is asking you to do
Make the working of something clear — what sets it off, what follows from what, and what it produces. Explain is the Commission's mechanism word: it dominates the technical papers and the “explain why” stems, where the marks sit in the causal chain and not in the label.
Structure that answers it
State what it is → the initiating condition → the chain of cause, step by step → an instance where it plays out → what the chain produces
Where marks are lost
Describing what something looks like instead of why it works that way. Naming the stages without linking them reads as description too.
Practice this exact question
Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.
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