India’s domestic and foreign policy responses to COVID-19

Abstract

A year after the first known case of COVID-19 was reported, India had the second-highest incidence of cases and accounted for about 13% of the global total. This article traces India’s local and foreign policy responses to the global pandemic. The article advances two arguments. First, while the government was swift and decisive in its response, the pandemic exposed weakness in policy coordination and inadequacies in India’s social protection system. Second, while the pandemic spread rapidly across the country, the government exploited diplomatic opportunities to demonstrate leadership both within South Asia and globally.