In this book the author sets forth that, although conceptually and in appearance state and foreign policy appear fragmented and independent, in reality they are related, albeit dialectically, socially and politically. The central thesis, therefore, is that one understands the relationship between state and foreign policy from the standpoint of dialectics. It is, therefore, first and foremost a methodological exposition. The methodological application of dialectics, however, compels the author to examine the subject not only on the level of theoretical abstraction but also at the more important level of social reality. In the language of dialectics, this can be referred to as the concrete analysis of a concrete situation-the situation being the Indian state and its foreign policy, with particular reference to India's role in South Asia. Three inter-related parts, therefore, remain central to this study: first, methodological; second, the understanding of the Indian state; and third, the understanding of India's role in South Asia.