Paradiplomacy and India

Paradiplomacy, which was a widely prevalent phenomenon in the 20 th century, became visible in India’s foreign policy only in the initial years of the 21 st century. In this chapter, an in-depth study is attempted on the involvement of Indian states and cities in foreign policy undertakings. The influence of Indian states was minimal in the early post-independence phase, but it gradually increased in 1991, largely due to the economic reforms. The chapter examines how the increasing practice of paradiplomacy in foreign policy conduct has defined India’s economic growth trajectory and infrastructure development. The chapter brings to fore, the role of Indian states in practicing paradiplomacy, which is mainly confined to economic cooperation.