The contemporary global politics, marked by a fragmented world order and intensified great-power rivalry, coupled with the erosion of established global norms, has significantly narrowed the strategic space for the nation-states of the global south. In response, strategic autonomy has emerged as a critical guiding principle to preserve policy independence while remaining engaged in an increasingly interdependent world. This article is an analytical account of how strategic autonomy is conceptualised and employed by Global South states amid systemic uncertainty, using India and Vietnam as case studies. It argues that strategic autonomy can be best understood not as non-alignment or isolation, but rather as a flexible strategy which incorporates diversification, hedging, and selective alignment across the diplomatic, defence, and economic spectrum.»» TDHJ ««» patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedefencehorizon » donate: https://tdhj.org/about/#donation »» HOME ««» https://tdhj.org/ »» SOCIAL MEDIA ««» X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/HorizonDefence » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedefencehorizon.org » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefencehorizonjournal/ » LinkedIn: The Defence Horizon Journal