India’s ‘Hormuz Manoeuvre’: The Nīti-Śāstra of the New Table

The safe transit of Indian energy assets through the Strait of Hormuz represents a definitive validation of India’s evolved doctrine of strategic autonomy. Moving beyond the tactical analysis of India’s ‘Hormuz Manoeuvre’, Manish Tayal establishes a foundational Nīti-Śāstra (guide to strategic conduct) for 21st century statecraft. Through five core sūtras (doctrinal principles), he demonstrates how India has operationalised variable geometry in a post-rules-based era. India’s approach and posture provide a framework for middle and rising powers to navigate contemporary geopolitics while protecting their ethical core from transactional erosion.