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An Insight into India's Foreign Policy

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DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198743538.001.0001/oxfordhb-

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

AN INSIGHT INTO INDIA'S FOREIGN POLICY

Aastha Goyal, School of Law, NMIMS Hyderabad

ABSTRACT

During the Cold War, India's foreign policy went from being pro-Soviet and
hostile to Western interests when it first gained independence in 1947 to
currently being an essential Western strategic partner and offering a
counterbalance to China. Over the previous six and a half decades, India has
dramatically increased its global influence, mostly via diplomacy and
commerce, establishing itself as a major player in global affairs. There are
several factors that have influenced India's foreign policy over time. Going
through the politics of international relations is like to walking through a
minefield; one false step can lead to disaster. While safeguarding India's
interests, its foreign policy must also avoid fomenting antagonistic ties in the
process. These goals and orientations are at the heart of India's foreign
policy.

That being said, foreign policy is a dynamic idea that changes in response to
home and international events. Nonetheless, there are some concepts and
aims that are resistant to rapid change. One of these fundamental concepts is
national security. Regardless of the circumstances, no country can jeopardise
its national security. As a result, foreign policy is the vehicle through which
a country's national interests are realised. A foreign policy devoid of national
interest is a futile effort.

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

Introduction

A country's foreign policy, often known as its foreign relations strategy, consists of self-interest
methods used by the government to safeguard its national interests and achieve its objectives
in the international arena. These strategies are used to interact with other countries strategically.
The globe is becoming more networked, or 'globalised.'1 We are no longer just a collection of
individual states. We rely on one another for both economic and military assistance. States may
be forced to cooperate with non-state entities as a result of increased globalisation and
transnational operations in order to realise the benefits of multilateral international
collaboration. Foreign policies are developed by governments of diverse countries utilising
high-level decision-making procedures because national interests are paramount. It matters a
lot how the rest of the world regards a country. Foreign policies that are harsh include Dealing
with the issues of other nations may lead to military action or economic embargoes being used
often.2

Dealing with the problems of other countries may lead to isolationism in some countries.
Foreign policy, on the other hand, cannot be kept from becoming isolationist. India's foreign
policy has its origins to the independence struggle. While fighting for independence, the
freedom warriors were also interested in other significant causes. The basics that were
established at the time are still valid now. India's foreign policy is largely concerned with
maintaining cordial ties, ensuring that all states are treated equally, emphasising non-alignment
principles, and conducting international contacts in an equitable manner. As a result, foreign
policy is defined as a policy that controls international relations. Foreign policy is crucial for
understanding how other countries behave. A foreign policy has a number of goals. There are
also some objectives that must be met by foreign policy.

This paper will introduce you to the notion of foreign policy, including its definition, goals,
and numerous techniques. The report will also look at how India's foreign policy has changed
over time.

1
Dr M D Tarique Anwer, V.N. Khanna, Dr Vijaya Katti, Neeru Sood & Dr Biswaranjan Mohanty, India’s
Foreign Policy, Directorate of Distance Education, Tripura University, 2017,
https://tripurauniv.ac.in/Content/pdf/StudyMaterialsDetail/MA%20Political%20Science%204th%20Semester/P
OLS-1004E-India_s%20Foreign%20Policy.pdf
2
Amb (Retd.) Dinesh Kumar Jain, India’s Foreign Policy, Ministry of External Affairs (GOI), February 25,
2014, https://mea.gov.in/indian-foreign-policy.htm

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

Meaning of Foreign Policy

Foreign policy is the relationship between countries on all international concerns such as
disarmament, peace, climate change, decolonization, justice, and so on. Foreign policy is a
country's strategy for promoting its national interests in international affairs, such as refusing
or accepting international treaties like the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Comprehensive
Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) or seeking a permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC).3 It
was thought that a country's foreign policy arose only out of national interest, with no other
considerations in interacting with other countries.

Different people have different ideas on what defines national interest. Extreme realists link
national interest to national strength, whereas extreme idealists associate national interest with
a universal moral aim such as perpetual peace or human fraternity. A prosperous or developed
country's national interest would be safeguarded in its current form while seeking further
progress. In the case of a poor or developing country, the national interest is retained in terms
of political sovereignty and the desire to accelerate economic growth in order to improve the
standard of life of its citizens in the globalised era.

A country's foreign policy encompasses more than just its international policies; it also includes
its commitment, present interests and ambitions, and the values of proper conduct that it
espouses.4 As a result, India's foreign policy is influenced not just by internal but also by
international concerns. Some of these variables change over time, while others have a long-
term impact or influence on foreign policy. Foreign policy is a crucial component in
understanding international behaviour. It is difficult to comprehend inter-state interactions
without first comprehending state foreign policy. As a result, one of the most significant areas
of international politics is the study of foreign policy.

Foreign policy is concerned with the external environment of a country. It represents the
content of a country's foreign policy. The analysis of foreign policy should be based on actual

3
Foreign Policy and Diplomacy with special reference to India,
https://archive.mu.ac.in/myweb_test/M.A.%20(Part%20-%20I)%20(Group%20E)%20%20-
%20Political%20Science%20Paper%20-%20I%20-
%20Foreign%20Policy%20&%20Diplomacy%20with%20Special%20Referance%20to%20india%20(Eng).pdf
4
David M. Malone, C. Raja Mohan and Srinath Raghavan, India and World, The Oxford Handbook of Indian
Foreign Policy, July 2015,
https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198743538.001.0001/oxfordhb-
9780198743538-e-1

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

state behaviour patterns rather than only on announced aims or policy intentions.

The term "foreign policy" refers to deciding on specific goals and attempting to regulate others'
behaviour in order to achieve those goals. With the aid of power, these objectives may be met.
As a result, the most fundamental components of a foreign strategy are national interest and
power. All states have some sort of relationship with one another, and they must act in a certain
way toward one another. As a result, defining foreign policy is a crucial undertaking for modern
governments.

In the words of Prof. Mahendra Kumar, scholar and author of Theoretical Aspects of
International Politics, "The aim of foreign policy should be to regulate and not merely to change
the behaviour of other states. Regulation means adjusting the behaviour of other states to suit
one's own interest as best as possible". 5

According to George Modelski, foreign policy is defined as "the system of activities evolved
by communities for changing the behaviour of other states and for adjusting their own activities
to the international environment".6

Objectives of Foreign Policy

The five main objectives of a foreign policy of any country are as follows7:

(I)The primary goal of foreign policy is to safeguard the country's territorial integrity and
people' interests from both within and beyond the country. In general, nations want to maintain
the status quo for this purpose. When a state follows a policy that attempts to change the status
quo, it is labelled as revisionist, and other members of the international community view it with
distrust. It must safeguard the interests of its residents both inside and beyond the state in order
to maintain its prestige.

5
Prof. Mahendra Kumar, Theoretical Aspects of International Politics, JSTOR, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 385-387,
1969.
6
Development of Indian Foreign Policy, O’Reilly, https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/india-and-
the/9788131732915/xhtml/chapter001-
p1s1.xhtml#:~:text=%E2%80%9CForeign%20policy%20is%20the%20system,activities%20to%20the%20inter
national%20environment.
7
Dr Aleya Mousami Sultana, India Foreign Polices and The Contemporary World,
https://www.cbpbu.ac.in/userfiles/file/2020/STUDY_MAT/POL_SC/PRINCIPLES%20%20AND%20OBJECT
IVES%20OF%20INDIAN%20FOREIGN%20POLICY-converted.pdf

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

(ii) A foreign policy's second goal is to maintain ties with other members of the international
community and to pursue a policy of confrontation or collaboration with them in order to
further its own interests.

(iii) The third goal of a country's foreign policy is to promote and advance its national interests.
Each state's principal concern is the survival, security, and well-being of its population. Various
interests frequently collide, and nations must preserve their own interests while keeping this in
mind.

(iv) The fourth purpose of foreign policy is to promote the country's economic interests. The
economic position of a country has a significant impact on its international standing. The states
attempt to adopt a foreign policy that will benefit their economic success while also allowing
them to play a more effective role in international affairs. The majority of treaties and
agreements negotiated by nations with other members of the international community are
primarily intended to safeguard and advance these countries' economic interests.

(v) The fifth and final goal of foreign policy is to increase the state's influence, either by
expanding its sphere of influence or by putting other countries in a position of reliance. These
issues drove the post-World War II policies of the United States and the former Soviet Union.

Evolution of India's Foreign Policy

After the United States of America, India gained independence in 1947 and became the world's
biggest democratic state.8 After China, India is the world's second most populated country. It
is made up of people who follow six major religions and speaks sixteen main languages. India
did not wish to be dominated by any of the armed blocs after independence. Following WWII,
the globe was divided and governed by two military blocs led by the capitalist United States
and the communist Soviet Union. Tensions arose as a result of ideological differences between
the US and the USSR, and the competition between these two blocs was dubbed the Cold War.9
In both domestic and foreign affairs, India has always believed in a policy of peace and
nonviolence. India's foreign policy is founded on non-alignment, that is, it is not a member of

8
Sneh Mahajan, The Foreign Policy of the Raj and Its Legacy, The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy,
July 2015, https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198743538.001.0001/oxfordhb-
9780198743538-e-4
9
Bhavya, The Evolution of India’s Foreign Policy, September 23, 2012,
https://aishwaryasandeep.com/2021/09/23/the-evolution-of-indias-foreign-
policy/?msclkid=e180690aaebd11ec8b429866bb643cd6

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

any of the military blocs. India's foreign policy allowed her to follow a peaceful strategy and
operate independently without being pressured by either of the armed blocs. After so many
years as a colony, India desired to focus its resources on rebuilding and expanding the country
rather than on weaponry. As a result, India adopted a non-alignment policy.

A country's foreign policy is influenced by a variety of historical and internal circumstances.10

Several such elements have influenced India's foreign policy beliefs and aims as well. Every
head of government and his or her foreign minister has an influence on the foreign policy of
the country. For almost 17 years, Jawaharlal Nehru served as both Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister. These were the early years of India's independence. 'Foreign policy is a policy
inherent in the circumstance of India, inherent in the past thinkers of India, inherent in the
whole mental outlook of India, inherent in the conditioning of the Indian mind during our
struggle for freedom, and inherent in the circumstances of the world today,' said Jawaharlal
Nehru in a speech to the Lok Sabha shortly after independence. This includes practically all of
the fundamental factors of foreign policy, including geographical conditions, economic
compulsions, cultural norms, political traditions and goals, and the domestic and international
environment.

Foundation Of India's Foreign Policy

During British administration, India was bordered on the north by Afghanistan, Nepal, Sikkim,
Bhutan, and Tibet, and on the south by Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). In 1947, British India was
partitioned into two new states: India and Pakistan. Religious, social, ethnic, and linguistic
issues contributed to the separation. These forces also strained both countries' economic and
cultural relations. The partition of India into western and eastern regions resulted in the
foundation of West Pakistan (today Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Following
independence, India's authorities attempted to create a secular state in which national identity
trumped regional, religious, and cultural identities. Movements for regional autonomy in
Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, and Assam were seen as dangers to Indian unity,
and were backed by India's neighbours Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and subsequently Bangladesh.
Furthermore, despite Congress leaders' adherence to the concept of secularism, religious
tensions and the growing power of Hindu political parties drove the Indian government to

10
Rohit Sinha, Evolution of India’s Foreign Policy, Youth ki Awaaz, August 12, 2012,
https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2012/08/evolution-of-indias-foreign-
policy/?msclkid=e1815ee6aebd11ec93d4c224d8927234

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

associate Indian glory with Hinduism.11 Indian governments' failure to prevent anti-Muslim
communal violence has resulted in strained relations with its Muslim neighbours.

The British colonial authorities saw most of South Asia as a strategic entity throughout their
reign, and they attempted to keep other forces out of the region. To protect this crucial territory,
the British authorities established a barrier of buffer states that ringed India and attempted to
isolate it from Russia and China, as both nations attacked India from the north. The British
authorities employed naval force to safeguard India from the south. Following independence,
India's authorities pursued this method by creating a stance in both cultural and geographical
terms.12 This geo-strategic view influenced India's international relations in three ways. First,
India attempted to topple any action by its neighbours that was deemed to be injurious to its
own security interests by treaties, alliances, threats of force, or economic embargoes. Only
Pakistan and China have managed to stave off Indian aggression. The Indian elite saw their
nation as a regional peacekeeper whose efforts were entirely defensive, rather than a regional
enforcer who, because to its size and military power, imposed onerous conditions on its
neighbours. Second, extra-regional countries' activity in the South Asian area challenged
India's security, despite the fact that it had already established a strong position in the region.
India resisted any attempts by external forces to intervene or establish a presence in the area,
whether at the request of New Delhi's neighbours or not. As a result, India has consistently
chastised Pakistan's partnership with China, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, US military
aid to Pakistan, and US naval presence on Diego Garcia.13 Despite a 1971 friendship pact with
the Soviet Union, India never accepted Moscow's desire for a Soviet navy facility in the region.

India's effort to strengthen its military in order to defend its territory is critical, and security
concerns have become entangled with the country's foreign policy. The development of India's
ballistic missile and its covert nuclear weapons programme has strained relations with Pakistan,
China, and the United States.14 India's refusal to sign the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons was motivated by Pakistan's similar stance as well as India's belief that

11
E. T. Stokes, The Foundations of India’s Foreign Policy 1860- 1882, International Affairs, Vol. 33, Iss. 1,
January 1957, https://doi.org/10.2307/2604559
12
Uzair Younus, India’s Foreign Policy Evolution, The Diplomat, March 26, 2019,
https://thediplomat.com/2019/03/indias-foreign-policy-evolution/
13
Harsh V. Pant, How economic reforms influenced India’s foreign policy conversations, Observer Research
Foundations, July 24, 2021, https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/how-economic-reforms-influenced-india-
foreign-policy-conversations/
14
Radha Kumar, India as a Foreign Policy Actor, Normative Redux, CEPS Working Document No. 285,
February 2008, http://aei.pitt.edu/7585/1/Wd285.pdf

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

the treaty discriminated against the development of peaceful nuclear technology by non-nuclear
weapons states and failed to prevent the qualitative and quantitative vertical proliferation of
nuclear weapons among countries that already had nuclear weapons. In 1995, 174 other
countries voted to extend the pact indefinitely, despite India's refusal to sign and condemnation
of the deal as "perpetuating nuclear prejudice."15

According to Jawaharlal Nehru, "India's foreign policy should aim for peace and secure
liberation of oppressed nations, the abolition of racial discrimination, and non-interference in
other countries' domestic affairs".16 He also spoke on national and personal freedom defence,
as well as combatting diseases like sickness, poverty, and illiteracy, which impact a big portion
of mankind. However, he always maintained that India's foreign policy priority was peace. The
notion of non-alignment is one of India's most fundamental foreign policy features. Nehru was
certain from the start that joining any one power bloc was not in India's best interests. Nothing,
he continued, would be more harmful to India than joining a power bloc. This strategy entails
a reluctance to embrace a power bloc's specific programme or to join a system of pacts or
alliances that bind India to one side or the other. It entails assessing each subject solely on its
own merits. This policy is a neutrality policy in the traditional sense of the word. It also does
not imply standing on the sidelines. It's a really energetic and positive neutrality. It entails
following a policy that is independent of the government. There is no promise to assist any
power bloc countries on every subject under this approach. Asia has a significant role to play
in this policy.

Basic Principles Governing India's Foreign Policy

The principles have stood the test of time and are ingrained in international law and India's
foreign policy practice. The principles of Indian foreign policy are as follows –

1. Panchsheel

2. The policy of Non-Alignment

3. The policy of Anti- Colonialism and Anti Racism

15
Sumit Ganguly & Manjeet S. Pardesi, Explaining Sixty Years of India's Foreign Policy, India Review, Vol. 8,
No. 1, January–March, 2009, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14736480802665162
16
Dr. Mussarat Jabeen, Nehru as the Sole Arbiter of Indian Foreign Policy: An Analytical Review of the Years
1947-64, UOS Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (UOSJSSH), Volume: 2, No. 2, 2013,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331021802_Nehru_as_the_Sole_Arbiter_of_Indian_Foreign_Policy_
An_Analytical_Review_of_the_Years_1947-64

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

4. Peaceful settlement of International Disputes

5. Foreign Economic Aid – Support to UN, International Law and a Just and Equal World
Order

The principles of India's Foreign Policy are discussed in detail below-

A. PANCHSHEEL

Panchsheel, pragmatism, and the pursuit of national interest are the governing concepts of
India's foreign policy. During discussions between India and the People's Republic of China in
1954, the five principles of peaceful coexistence, known as Panchsheel, were developed.17
Jawaharlal Nehru established the five principles that formed the foundation of the non-aligned
movement.

The following are the Five Principles:18

• Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty

• Mutual non-aggression against one another

• Mutual non-interference in each other's internal affair

• Harmonious coexistence

These five principles were thought to meet the demands of the newly decolonized state, which
had more important issues to deal with than engaging in animosity with its neighbours.

The five principles were based on the premise that newly independent decolonized states will
create a fresh and more principled approach to international relations. However, the history of
the five principles' first major proclamation is not entirely encouraging. China has made a point
of emphasising its tight ties to the five principles. It had proposed them as the five principles

17
Chandrashekar Dasgupta, A Brief History of Panchsheel, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 51, No. 1,
January 2, 2016.
18
India’s Foreign Policy, GS Score, http://notes.iasscore.in/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Indias-Foreign-
Policy.pdf#:~:text=The%20guiding%20principles%20of%20India%E2%80%99s%20Foreign%20Policy%20ha
ve,and%20the%20People%E2%80%99s%20Republic%20of%20China%20in%201954.?msclkid=59c0ce5caec1
11ecaa6a7105372f34c7

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

of peaceful coexistence at the start of negotiations between the delegations of the PRC (People's
Republic of China) government and the delegation of the Indian government on relations
between the two countries regarding the disputed territories of Aksai Chin and South Tibet,
which took place in Delhi from December 1953 to April 1954. The pact, which was signed on
April 29, 1954, was supposed to run for eight years. When it expired, relations between the two
countries were already climbing, the mechanism for renewing the pact was not used, and the
Sino-Indian conflict erupted.19 The five principles, however, began to be recognised as crucial
in Sino-Indian ties and, more broadly, as standards of state interactions in the 1970s. They
became well-known and accepted across the region.

B. POLICY OF NON-ALIGNMENT

1. The most essential element of India's foreign policy is non-alignment. Its primary tenet is to
retain foreign policy independence by refusing to join any military alliance created by the
United States and the Soviet Union after WWII, which became a significant feature of Cold
War politics.

2. On September 1, 1961, leaders from 28 countries met in Belgrade to create the Non-
Alignment Movement. NAM has grown to more than 120 countries and represents a majority
voice in the United Nations after fifty years. Due to differences in technological and economic
progress, NAM members originally disagreed on various matters. The primary distinction was
between Asian and African nations, which climbed while African countries fell. In addition,
the tensions between India and Pakistan called into doubt one of NAM's most basic principles:
peaceful coexistence.20

3. Non-alignment had nothing to do with neutrality, non-involvement, or isolationism. It was

a lively and upbeat idea. It proposes adopting an independent stance on international matters
based on the merits of each case while being adamantly opposed to being influenced by any
military bloc. Non-Alignment has also grown in favour in poorer nations. To maintain Foreign

19
Dr N. Sethuraman, Panchsheel and Non- Alignment: Jawaharlal Nehru’s Legacies to India’s Foreign Policy,
Research Gate, February 2022,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358354348_PANCHSHEEL_AND_NON-
ALIGNMENT_JAWAHARLAL_NEHRU'S_LEGACIES_TO_INDIA'S_FOREIGN_POLICY
20
Sri. Arun K.V(Arun Karippal), India’s Foreign Policy, http://sdeuoc.ac.in/sites/default/files/sde_videos/SLM-
PG-Foreign%20Policy.pdf

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

Policy's independence, it was necessary to stay away from military alliances and superpower
blocs.21

4. India was a driving force behind the Non-Aligned Movement's popularisation and
consolidation (NAM). In 1947, India hosted the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi, led
by Jawaharlal Nehru, to establish the concept of Asian unity.

5. In 1949, India organised another Asian Relations Conference on the issue of Indonesian
independence, as India remained strong against colonial domination in other nations.

In 1955, the Bandung Conference, which included 29 Asian and African nations, assembled in
Bandung (Indonesia) to form the Afro-Asian alliance. The Bandung Conference served as a
forerunner to the NAM, which met for the first time in Belgrade in 1961. The Non-Aligned
Movement hasn't looked back since.

India hosted the Seventh NAM Summit in New Delhi in 1983. India championed the causes of
development, disarmament, and the Palestinian conflict during this summit.

Ten key principles of international relations were established at the summit. The leaders agreed
to collaborate for colonial liberation, peace, and cultural, economic, and political collaboration
among emerging nations.

It allows all of its members, regardless of their size or level of development, to participate in
global decision-making.

C. CONTINUED RELEVANCE OF NON-ALIGNMENT

Many historians have questioned NAM's significance after the end of the Cold War and the
breakup of the Soviet Union since it was a product of Cold War politics and a bipolar world.
Again, globalisation shifted the objectives of even its most ardent supporters, such as India,
which attempted to integrate with the developing global order by adopting neoliberal market
economy ideas.22 This new circumstance gave the perception that NAM was being
marginalised and that its importance was dwindling. However, if we dig further into NAM's

21
Principles & Basic of Indian Foreign Policy, https://chhattisgarh.pscnotes.com/international-
booster/principles-basis-of-indian-foreign-policy/
22
Arshad Rasool & Arihal Pulwama, Non-Aligned Movement in 21st Century: Relevant or Redundant?
…A Debate, IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), Volume 11, Issue 4, May. - Jun.
2013, http://dcac.du.ac.in/documents/E-Resource/2020/Metrial/423MukeshBagoria1.pdf

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

fundamental characteristics, it appears to be as important in the changing situation due to the

following factors23:

1. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the NAM can operate as a check on any nation or
block's disproportionate control and hegemony.

2. On a number of geopolitical and economic issues, the industrialised (North) and developing
(South) worlds hold opposing viewpoints. The NAM might provide a platform for developing
countries to engage developed countries in meaningful discourse.

3. In the current market-driven global order, the NAM can show to be a powerful instrument
for forging collaboration, which is critical for their collective self-reliance.

4. The NAM may serve as a key venue for developing nations to discuss and reflect on a variety
of global challenges, concerns, and reforms, such as UN and other international financial
institutions such as the World Bank and IMF reforms, in order to make them more democratic
and effective.

D. THE POLICY OF ANTI – COLONIALISM, RACISM AND IMPERIALISM

When our leaders confronted the sins of colonialism and racism during the independence
movement, the roots of India's foreign policy were created. India has been a victim of
colonialism and imperialism, which it sees as a danger to global peace and security. 24 It is a
staunch believer in the equality of all people. Its policy is geared at combating all types of racial
prejudice. In every form, it is always opposed to it.

1. In 1946, India was the first country to address the subject of apartheid to the United Nations.
India expressed its voice in support of Indonesia's independence and convened the Asian
Relations Conference to do so.

2. In 1964, 14 African countries were freed from the burden of colonialism thanks to India's
continuous efforts through the NAM and other international forums.

23
R. Rama Rao, Non- Alignment: Its Continued Relevance, India Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 4, October-December
1986, https://www.jstor.org/stable/45072131
24
Richard M. Fontera, Anti-Colonialism as a Basic Indian Foreign Policy, The Western Political Quarterly
Vol. 13, No. 2, June 1960.

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3. India was a vocal opponent of South Africa's infamous apartheid programme. Not only did
India terminate diplomatic ties with South Africa in 1949, but she also used her clout to get
extensive sanctions imposed (later) against South Africa's apartheid white minority regime.

4. In 1986, NAM established the Africa Fund (Action for Resisting Imperialism, Colonialism,
and Apartheid) on India's suggestion to assist frontline states that had been victims of South
Africa's aggression and were bearing the burden of Apartheid. India contributed generously to
this fund. The elimination of racial segregation in South Africa was a major victory for Indian
policymakers.

E. PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES

1. India's foreign policy is based on an unwavering belief in the peaceful resolution of

international conflicts. This idea is enshrined in the Indian Constitution, the Directive
Principles of State Policy, and the United Nations Charter.25

2. India played a key role in resolving the Korean crisis and has backed a negotiated solution
to the Palestine issue, boundary issues with neighbouring nations, and other disputes and
concerns.

3. India is a staunch opponent of foreign military action in international disputes. This notion
remains the cornerstone of India's foreign policy.

4. At the moment, India supports a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue, as well as
the dilemma of the Middle East's democratic rise.

F. FOREIGN ECONOMIC AID – SUPPORT TO UN, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND A JUST AND
EQUAL WORLD ORDER

India holds a high regard for international law and/or the United Nations' ideals of sovereign
equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.26

25
Elena Temelkovska Anevska, Peaceful Means for Settlement of Inter-State Disputes: Reflections, Advantages
& Disadvantages, International E-Journal of Advances in Social Sciences, Vol. III, Issue 7, April 2017,
http://ijasos.ocerintjournals.org/tr/download/article-file/297877
26
Jeffry Frieden, The Political Economy of Economic Policy – IMF F&D, Finance & Development, Vol. 57,
No. 20, June 2020, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2020/06/political-economy-of-economic-policy-
jeff-frieden.htm

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

1. India has contributed significantly to international peace by assisting in the decolonization

process and actively participating in UN peacekeeping missions.

2. India has backed the United Nations' disarmament efforts. India presented a highly ambitious
nuclear disarmament agenda to the United Nations in 1988. Despite the fact that the proposal
was rejected by the other UN members, India remains dedicated to the goal of universal
disarmament.

3. India has suggested and supported the reform of the Security Council and other UN
institutions in order to make the composition of the Security Council more realistic and
democratic. India is one of the countries vying for a permanent seat on the Security Council.

Conclusion

The emergence of regional parties in the Indian politics is one of the most significant events
that has shaped Indian foreign policy. They have been able to compel the administration to
make foreign policy decisions based on limited regional interests by using the current political
environment.27 The central government's prerogative of foreign policy has been sabotaged,
jeopardising national security (E.g., Sri Lanka, Teesta River dispute). In India, political
division on key foreign policy issues has been a source of worry. Even though there are
specified formal institutions that formulate policy, such as the Cabinet, Prime Minister's Office,
Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defense, and different types of defence and
intelligence organisations, most foreign policy decisions are made on the spur of the moment.
Almost usually, a consistent and cohesive policy position is lacking, allowing political parties
to take advantage of the gaps in decision-making.

India has ignored a worldwide request for an oil embargo on Iran and, on another subject,
refrained from voting in the UN Security Council on Libya, according to the US-based
publication. Those in the US who advocated for greater strategic connections were
disappointed, and others are already claiming that the US is wasting vital diplomatic capital on
an untrustworthy ally. Leaving aside the merits of the argument, it is critical that India shifts
from a reactive to an active position in its decision-making, adding credibility to its
conclusions. Given India's anticipated relative climb in the world system, the country will face

27
Takenori Horimoto, Explaining India’s Foreign Policy: From Dream to Realization of Major Power,
International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, Volume 17, Issue 3, September 2017,
https://academic.oup.com/irap/article/17/3/463/4104432

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

a slew of obstacles. With a stronger position, India would be forced to take sides on significant
international problems and regional wars (Rajamohan 2006). This would eventually lead to
India aligning itself with one of the main powers. As a result, having a split polity on foreign
matters would not help India establish itself as a major player.

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Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research Volume IV Issue II | ISSN: 2582-8878

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