Security, Democratic Values, (Green) Economy: Exploring the Paradigm Shift in Germany’s Policy Towards India

This article examines how evolving security architectures are driving paradigm shifts within geostrategic state behaviour. Arguing that Germany-India relations are deeply impacted by these shifting geopolitical dynamics — specifically, the rise of multipolarity and increased global and regional security threats — the study traces the rationale behind the two actors’ actions and explores how the interactions between them are manifested in a reconceptualisation of German foreign policy. Employing a systemic-empirical approach and presenting a qualitative case analysis, it contributes to the study of international relations between key European and Asian actors amid transformations in the global system. The author argues for the growing significance of India within German policy objectives by studying their gradual evolution with a particular focus on security, democratic values, and (green) economy — factors considered central and evolving in the bilateral relationship. By contextualising these political trajectories bilaterally and globally, the study unpacks how the policy vis-à-vis India may serve as an exemplification of the Germany’s renewed self-conception in the Zeitenwende era: a combination of civilian power projection and a more realist orientation.