India's strategic recalibration following the 2020 Galwan clash has strengthened its ties with the Philippines and positioned the country as a key diplomatic bridge between the Global South and the East-West divide, as evidenced by its recent visits to Argentina and Brazil. At the Quad Summit, member nations expressed concerns over China's activities in the East and South China Seas, North Korea's missile launches, and the Myanmar crisis. India's independent foreign policy stance was further highlighted by its refusal to endorse the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) joint declaration on terrorism and the Belt and Road Initiative/China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (BRI/CPEC), prioritizing national interests amid a fragile multipolar world. The SCO summit revealed limitations of regional bodies due to national interests and Beijing's dominance, which undermines anti-terrorism efforts and intelligence sharing, especially given China's covert support for Pakistan-backed terror groups. India's Operation Sindoor and the subsequent Pahalgam terror attack drew global attention, with the G7 and EU condemning the attack but urging India to exercise maximum restraint. Meanwhile, the recent rapprochement between Washington and Islamabad has raised concerns in Beijing about the future of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Public support for India's foreign policy remains strong, with 88% of respondents in the latest Foreign Policy Survey expressing a positive perception. Beyond China, young Indians remain worried about ongoing conflicts in Europe, the West Asia crisis, and rising terrorism in South Asia, which contribute to perceptions of global instability. In Europe, debates continue over strategic autonomy versus transatlantic loyalty, with the EU seeking stronger defense and security guarantees through internal policy convergence to maintain independent agency in a changing global order.