India should draw lessons from the 1991 Balance of Payments (BoP) crisis to navigate today’s global disruptions caused by Ukraine, West Asia, energy insecurity, and great-power competition. The answer lies in strategic adaptation, not rigid ideology. Lesson 1: External Shocks Can Trigger Internal Transformation Lesson 2: Foreign Policy Must Be Pragmatic, Not Ideological Lesson 3: Build Resilience Against Future Disruptions Way Forward -Deepen economic reforms. -Strengthen energy and supply-chain resilience. -Pursue multi-alignment while preserving strategic autonomy. -Convert external crises into opportunities for institutional and economic transformation. “The enduring lesson of 1991 is that predictability is not an inheritance but a capability built through reform, resilience, and strategic adaptation.” C rajamohan #2B
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