PROJECTING POWER THROUGH HEALING-INDIA'S VACCINE MAITRI INITIATIVE IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

India's concept of Internationalism can be traced back to the time when the concept of "Vasudhaiva Katumbukam," which refers to the world as a family. In addition to opportunism and realism, India's culture and traditions continue to have a strong impact on its foreign policy choices. In this globalized world, it is not possible for a single country to find solutions for most problems in the world; rather, the world requires collective efforts to address it. India's Vaccine Maitri program is a prime example of health diplomacy, where the strategic allocation of COVID-19 vaccines to nations in the Global South served as an instrument for soft power projection. This essay critically analyses India's reputation as a responsible international stakeholder and regional leader in South-South cooperation under its "Vaccine Maitri" initiative. In doing so, India has come to be regarded as the "Pharmacy of the World" and provided the vaccines along with much-needed medical supplies to poor nations, thereby boosting India's Soft Power reputation in "Health diplomacy". Based on an examination of policy declarations, diplomatic interactions, and responses from the recipient countries, the paper delves into the manner in which India's health outreach was realized as strategic successes within the context of international relations and development diplomacy. Keywords: Diplomacy, Soft power, Engagement, Vaccine, Global health, Partnership, South-South Cooperation