Foreign relations of India

India, officially the Republic of India, maintains full diplomatic relations with 201 countries, including Palestine, the Holy See, and Niue. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) manages India's foreign relations. With the world's third-largest military expenditure, the second-largest armed forces, the fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP, and the third-largest economy by purchasing power parity, India is a significant regional power and a potential superpower. According to the MEA, Indian diplomacy focuses on protecting national interests, establishing friendly relations with other states, and providing consular services. In recent years, India has adopted a comprehensive foreign policy, including a neighborhood-first policy through SAARC and a Look East policy to build strong economic and strategic ties with East and Southeast Asian countries. It has also pursued strategic ambiguity, including a "no-first use" nuclear policy and a neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.