ABSTRACT
This chapter observes that even though India remains wary of democracy promotion, it has engaged in “democracy assistance,” and its approach to the support of democracies is evolving. It argues that India’s approach to democracy assistance is largely shaped by its ties to the United States – and specifically to whether assisting democracies might further the strategic partnership in order to manage some of the challenges generated by China’s rise. More generally, India’s policymakers also increasingly perceive that the spread and consolidation of democracy, including in South Asia, may serve India’s economic and security interests.
