India's Foreign Policy | International Relations for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
Objectives & Principles of India’s Foreign Policy 
•National Interest: India’s foreign policy aims to safeguard and further national interest in terms of 
protecting the country’s political independence and promoting its external security. As a country that 
freed itself from colonial rule, India naturally wants to follow such foreign policy that would not 
compromise on its existence as a free country or give scope to other countries to dictate as to how it 
should conduct itself 
•Prevent or resist threats of military attacks: India’s need for national security is placed in the wider and 
wiser backdrop of the need to jointly work for security of the whole world. It doesn’t want other 
countries to be insecure 
•End colonialism: it has supported freedom struggles of the peoples of Africa and Asia. As an extension of 
this goal, India has been interested to direct its foreign policy towards realisation of equal rights of all 
peoples and nations without discrimination. Therefore, India opposed the abhorrent policy of apartheid 
in South Africa 
•Promote world peace: India has always desired friendly relations with all countries, especially the major 
countries as well as countries in its neighbourhood. India wants to promote harmony and cooperation 
between the countries that have ideological, political and other differences  
•Promote economic development of underprivileged nations: Its foreign policy seeks to develop 
bene?cial relationship with the industrially advanced countries with a view to securing necessary 
assistance. India’s policy aims to cater to not just its own development needs but also those of the newly 
independent poor countries in the Third World 
•
Avoid use of force in settling differences with other countries: India prefers the peaceful methods like 
dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy for narrowing differences and easing tensions among countries. 
India has always actively supported the development of international law to regulate various 
problematic aspects of world affairs. India’s foreign policy principles as enshrined in Panchsheel (1954) 
emphasise the imperatives of non-aggression, non-interference, and peaceful co-existence among 
countries.  
•
Strengthening of United Nations: India has ?rmly believed in strengthening the United Nations and 
other global and regional organisations as useful tools for international harmony and cooperation. India 
believes in working for reduction and ?nal elimination of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass 
destruction 
T o Sum Up 
•
Through its foreign policy, India wants to be sen as a peace-loving, mature, law-abiding and trustworthy 
country while trying to bene?t from friendly contacts with other countries in the society of nations 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 2


 
Objectives & Principles of India’s Foreign Policy 
•National Interest: India’s foreign policy aims to safeguard and further national interest in terms of 
protecting the country’s political independence and promoting its external security. As a country that 
freed itself from colonial rule, India naturally wants to follow such foreign policy that would not 
compromise on its existence as a free country or give scope to other countries to dictate as to how it 
should conduct itself 
•Prevent or resist threats of military attacks: India’s need for national security is placed in the wider and 
wiser backdrop of the need to jointly work for security of the whole world. It doesn’t want other 
countries to be insecure 
•End colonialism: it has supported freedom struggles of the peoples of Africa and Asia. As an extension of 
this goal, India has been interested to direct its foreign policy towards realisation of equal rights of all 
peoples and nations without discrimination. Therefore, India opposed the abhorrent policy of apartheid 
in South Africa 
•Promote world peace: India has always desired friendly relations with all countries, especially the major 
countries as well as countries in its neighbourhood. India wants to promote harmony and cooperation 
between the countries that have ideological, political and other differences  
•Promote economic development of underprivileged nations: Its foreign policy seeks to develop 
bene?cial relationship with the industrially advanced countries with a view to securing necessary 
assistance. India’s policy aims to cater to not just its own development needs but also those of the newly 
independent poor countries in the Third World 
•
Avoid use of force in settling differences with other countries: India prefers the peaceful methods like 
dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy for narrowing differences and easing tensions among countries. 
India has always actively supported the development of international law to regulate various 
problematic aspects of world affairs. India’s foreign policy principles as enshrined in Panchsheel (1954) 
emphasise the imperatives of non-aggression, non-interference, and peaceful co-existence among 
countries.  
•
Strengthening of United Nations: India has ?rmly believed in strengthening the United Nations and 
other global and regional organisations as useful tools for international harmony and cooperation. India 
believes in working for reduction and ?nal elimination of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass 
destruction 
T o Sum Up 
•
Through its foreign policy, India wants to be sen as a peace-loving, mature, law-abiding and trustworthy 
country while trying to bene?t from friendly contacts with other countries in the society of nations 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Determinants of India’s Foreign Policy 
•Geography: Being the seventh largest country in the world, India shares it land boundary with Pakistan, 
Bhutan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Afghanistan and former Soviet Union are in immediate 
vicinity of J&K. India has 7,500 kms of coastline touched by the waters of the Indian Ocean on three 
sides of its territory. Most of India’s foreign trade is routed through the Indian Ocean and its location 
presents a great geo-political and geo-strategic signi?cance to India’s external relations. The location of 
the county is also notable. Belonging to South Asia, India lies in the heart of the biggest continent, Asia. 
In keeping with the fact that India is the gateway of both South-East Asia and the West Asia, India’s 
security and vital interests are closely knit with the peace and stability in the larger region of Asia. 
•History & Tradition: India never mounted aggressive campaigns outside the country for territorial 
expansion. The experience as a victim of wars has turned India’s foreign policy anti-war in nature. 
Moreover, the legacy of the non-violent freedom struggle launched under the leadership of Gandhi and 
his lieutenants was bound to be evident in its foreign policy. Tradition values of Vasudheva Kutumbakam-
One World-have down to the people of India from the ancient scriptures and the spiritual works of great 
men like Swami Vivekananda. The values that have helped in shaping India’s foreign policy are tolerance, 
non-violence and universal brotherhood. Most of the leaders of freedom movement were educated in 
Britain or were exposed to the system of liberal education. They valued liberty, equality and democracy. 
The policy of non-alignment is not only an outcome of keeping aloof from bloc politics, but is also in 
accordance with the goals and ideals of freedom struggle cherished by our people. 
•Economic Conditions: India is a storehouse of vast natural resources with great potential for achieving 
economic heights in development. Its rivers are capable of generating power and providing enough 
water for drinking and irrigation. Huge deposits of bauxite, coal, copper, manganese and other minerals 
are India’s assets. Equally notable is the base of its skilled and educated work force. India’s economic 
linkages with the erstwhile colonial ruler, the UK guided Nehru to forge friendly contacts with that 
country both bilaterally and within the Commonwealth grouping. Heavy dependence on oil for industrial 
and economic needs has brought special focus on relations with oil-rich Arab countries in West Asia, 
apart from working for stable supplies and prices of oil in global market. 
•
Nature of Leadership: The personal qualities of leaders guiding the destiny of a nation at a given time 
tend to shape that country’s foreign policy in a particular direction. The personality of the incumbent 
prime ministers has come to be identi?ed in certain measure with a particular ?avour given to the 
country’s foreign policy. The country’s ?rst PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, who steered India’s policy for more 
than one and a half decades, was widely regarded as internationalist in outlook, with a preference for 
enlightened, rather than narrow or self-centred, approach to problems. 
•
Domestic Milieu: The domestic milieu refers to the nature of governing system, the political culture 
including the policies of political parties, public opinion etc., tradition, structure of government and 
enlightened leadership 
•International Trends: The Cold War era (1945-90) has determined in a big way the foreign policy of most 
countries. The fear of nuclearised United States brought the countries of Eastern Europe under the 
control of the Soviet Union, with the result that all those countries adopted socialism and came under 
the Russian wings. The entire policy of containment of communism adopted by the US was evident in its 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 3


 
Objectives & Principles of India’s Foreign Policy 
•National Interest: India’s foreign policy aims to safeguard and further national interest in terms of 
protecting the country’s political independence and promoting its external security. As a country that 
freed itself from colonial rule, India naturally wants to follow such foreign policy that would not 
compromise on its existence as a free country or give scope to other countries to dictate as to how it 
should conduct itself 
•Prevent or resist threats of military attacks: India’s need for national security is placed in the wider and 
wiser backdrop of the need to jointly work for security of the whole world. It doesn’t want other 
countries to be insecure 
•End colonialism: it has supported freedom struggles of the peoples of Africa and Asia. As an extension of 
this goal, India has been interested to direct its foreign policy towards realisation of equal rights of all 
peoples and nations without discrimination. Therefore, India opposed the abhorrent policy of apartheid 
in South Africa 
•Promote world peace: India has always desired friendly relations with all countries, especially the major 
countries as well as countries in its neighbourhood. India wants to promote harmony and cooperation 
between the countries that have ideological, political and other differences  
•Promote economic development of underprivileged nations: Its foreign policy seeks to develop 
bene?cial relationship with the industrially advanced countries with a view to securing necessary 
assistance. India’s policy aims to cater to not just its own development needs but also those of the newly 
independent poor countries in the Third World 
•
Avoid use of force in settling differences with other countries: India prefers the peaceful methods like 
dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy for narrowing differences and easing tensions among countries. 
India has always actively supported the development of international law to regulate various 
problematic aspects of world affairs. India’s foreign policy principles as enshrined in Panchsheel (1954) 
emphasise the imperatives of non-aggression, non-interference, and peaceful co-existence among 
countries.  
•
Strengthening of United Nations: India has ?rmly believed in strengthening the United Nations and 
other global and regional organisations as useful tools for international harmony and cooperation. India 
believes in working for reduction and ?nal elimination of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass 
destruction 
T o Sum Up 
•
Through its foreign policy, India wants to be sen as a peace-loving, mature, law-abiding and trustworthy 
country while trying to bene?t from friendly contacts with other countries in the society of nations 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Determinants of India’s Foreign Policy 
•Geography: Being the seventh largest country in the world, India shares it land boundary with Pakistan, 
Bhutan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Afghanistan and former Soviet Union are in immediate 
vicinity of J&K. India has 7,500 kms of coastline touched by the waters of the Indian Ocean on three 
sides of its territory. Most of India’s foreign trade is routed through the Indian Ocean and its location 
presents a great geo-political and geo-strategic signi?cance to India’s external relations. The location of 
the county is also notable. Belonging to South Asia, India lies in the heart of the biggest continent, Asia. 
In keeping with the fact that India is the gateway of both South-East Asia and the West Asia, India’s 
security and vital interests are closely knit with the peace and stability in the larger region of Asia. 
•History & Tradition: India never mounted aggressive campaigns outside the country for territorial 
expansion. The experience as a victim of wars has turned India’s foreign policy anti-war in nature. 
Moreover, the legacy of the non-violent freedom struggle launched under the leadership of Gandhi and 
his lieutenants was bound to be evident in its foreign policy. Tradition values of Vasudheva Kutumbakam-
One World-have down to the people of India from the ancient scriptures and the spiritual works of great 
men like Swami Vivekananda. The values that have helped in shaping India’s foreign policy are tolerance, 
non-violence and universal brotherhood. Most of the leaders of freedom movement were educated in 
Britain or were exposed to the system of liberal education. They valued liberty, equality and democracy. 
The policy of non-alignment is not only an outcome of keeping aloof from bloc politics, but is also in 
accordance with the goals and ideals of freedom struggle cherished by our people. 
•Economic Conditions: India is a storehouse of vast natural resources with great potential for achieving 
economic heights in development. Its rivers are capable of generating power and providing enough 
water for drinking and irrigation. Huge deposits of bauxite, coal, copper, manganese and other minerals 
are India’s assets. Equally notable is the base of its skilled and educated work force. India’s economic 
linkages with the erstwhile colonial ruler, the UK guided Nehru to forge friendly contacts with that 
country both bilaterally and within the Commonwealth grouping. Heavy dependence on oil for industrial 
and economic needs has brought special focus on relations with oil-rich Arab countries in West Asia, 
apart from working for stable supplies and prices of oil in global market. 
•
Nature of Leadership: The personal qualities of leaders guiding the destiny of a nation at a given time 
tend to shape that country’s foreign policy in a particular direction. The personality of the incumbent 
prime ministers has come to be identi?ed in certain measure with a particular ?avour given to the 
country’s foreign policy. The country’s ?rst PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, who steered India’s policy for more 
than one and a half decades, was widely regarded as internationalist in outlook, with a preference for 
enlightened, rather than narrow or self-centred, approach to problems. 
•
Domestic Milieu: The domestic milieu refers to the nature of governing system, the political culture 
including the policies of political parties, public opinion etc., tradition, structure of government and 
enlightened leadership 
•International Trends: The Cold War era (1945-90) has determined in a big way the foreign policy of most 
countries. The fear of nuclearised United States brought the countries of Eastern Europe under the 
control of the Soviet Union, with the result that all those countries adopted socialism and came under 
the Russian wings. The entire policy of containment of communism adopted by the US was evident in its 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
setting up of NATO, SEATO and such other military alliances/arrangements. India’s efforts in expounding 
the policy of non-alignment were directly a response to this emerging polarisation in the international 
environment. After the sudden end of the Cold War followed by the disintegration of the Soviet Union, 
India’s foreign policy underwent appreciable shifts on numerous counts—lack of enthusiasm towards the 
non-aligned movement, eagerness to accommodate the American concerns, resumption of full 
diplomatic ties with Israel, emphasis on economic aspects of relations with Europe, Southeast Asia and 
even South Asia.  
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 4


 
Objectives & Principles of India’s Foreign Policy 
•National Interest: India’s foreign policy aims to safeguard and further national interest in terms of 
protecting the country’s political independence and promoting its external security. As a country that 
freed itself from colonial rule, India naturally wants to follow such foreign policy that would not 
compromise on its existence as a free country or give scope to other countries to dictate as to how it 
should conduct itself 
•Prevent or resist threats of military attacks: India’s need for national security is placed in the wider and 
wiser backdrop of the need to jointly work for security of the whole world. It doesn’t want other 
countries to be insecure 
•End colonialism: it has supported freedom struggles of the peoples of Africa and Asia. As an extension of 
this goal, India has been interested to direct its foreign policy towards realisation of equal rights of all 
peoples and nations without discrimination. Therefore, India opposed the abhorrent policy of apartheid 
in South Africa 
•Promote world peace: India has always desired friendly relations with all countries, especially the major 
countries as well as countries in its neighbourhood. India wants to promote harmony and cooperation 
between the countries that have ideological, political and other differences  
•Promote economic development of underprivileged nations: Its foreign policy seeks to develop 
bene?cial relationship with the industrially advanced countries with a view to securing necessary 
assistance. India’s policy aims to cater to not just its own development needs but also those of the newly 
independent poor countries in the Third World 
•
Avoid use of force in settling differences with other countries: India prefers the peaceful methods like 
dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy for narrowing differences and easing tensions among countries. 
India has always actively supported the development of international law to regulate various 
problematic aspects of world affairs. India’s foreign policy principles as enshrined in Panchsheel (1954) 
emphasise the imperatives of non-aggression, non-interference, and peaceful co-existence among 
countries.  
•
Strengthening of United Nations: India has ?rmly believed in strengthening the United Nations and 
other global and regional organisations as useful tools for international harmony and cooperation. India 
believes in working for reduction and ?nal elimination of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass 
destruction 
T o Sum Up 
•
Through its foreign policy, India wants to be sen as a peace-loving, mature, law-abiding and trustworthy 
country while trying to bene?t from friendly contacts with other countries in the society of nations 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Determinants of India’s Foreign Policy 
•Geography: Being the seventh largest country in the world, India shares it land boundary with Pakistan, 
Bhutan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Afghanistan and former Soviet Union are in immediate 
vicinity of J&K. India has 7,500 kms of coastline touched by the waters of the Indian Ocean on three 
sides of its territory. Most of India’s foreign trade is routed through the Indian Ocean and its location 
presents a great geo-political and geo-strategic signi?cance to India’s external relations. The location of 
the county is also notable. Belonging to South Asia, India lies in the heart of the biggest continent, Asia. 
In keeping with the fact that India is the gateway of both South-East Asia and the West Asia, India’s 
security and vital interests are closely knit with the peace and stability in the larger region of Asia. 
•History & Tradition: India never mounted aggressive campaigns outside the country for territorial 
expansion. The experience as a victim of wars has turned India’s foreign policy anti-war in nature. 
Moreover, the legacy of the non-violent freedom struggle launched under the leadership of Gandhi and 
his lieutenants was bound to be evident in its foreign policy. Tradition values of Vasudheva Kutumbakam-
One World-have down to the people of India from the ancient scriptures and the spiritual works of great 
men like Swami Vivekananda. The values that have helped in shaping India’s foreign policy are tolerance, 
non-violence and universal brotherhood. Most of the leaders of freedom movement were educated in 
Britain or were exposed to the system of liberal education. They valued liberty, equality and democracy. 
The policy of non-alignment is not only an outcome of keeping aloof from bloc politics, but is also in 
accordance with the goals and ideals of freedom struggle cherished by our people. 
•Economic Conditions: India is a storehouse of vast natural resources with great potential for achieving 
economic heights in development. Its rivers are capable of generating power and providing enough 
water for drinking and irrigation. Huge deposits of bauxite, coal, copper, manganese and other minerals 
are India’s assets. Equally notable is the base of its skilled and educated work force. India’s economic 
linkages with the erstwhile colonial ruler, the UK guided Nehru to forge friendly contacts with that 
country both bilaterally and within the Commonwealth grouping. Heavy dependence on oil for industrial 
and economic needs has brought special focus on relations with oil-rich Arab countries in West Asia, 
apart from working for stable supplies and prices of oil in global market. 
•
Nature of Leadership: The personal qualities of leaders guiding the destiny of a nation at a given time 
tend to shape that country’s foreign policy in a particular direction. The personality of the incumbent 
prime ministers has come to be identi?ed in certain measure with a particular ?avour given to the 
country’s foreign policy. The country’s ?rst PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, who steered India’s policy for more 
than one and a half decades, was widely regarded as internationalist in outlook, with a preference for 
enlightened, rather than narrow or self-centred, approach to problems. 
•
Domestic Milieu: The domestic milieu refers to the nature of governing system, the political culture 
including the policies of political parties, public opinion etc., tradition, structure of government and 
enlightened leadership 
•International Trends: The Cold War era (1945-90) has determined in a big way the foreign policy of most 
countries. The fear of nuclearised United States brought the countries of Eastern Europe under the 
control of the Soviet Union, with the result that all those countries adopted socialism and came under 
the Russian wings. The entire policy of containment of communism adopted by the US was evident in its 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
setting up of NATO, SEATO and such other military alliances/arrangements. India’s efforts in expounding 
the policy of non-alignment were directly a response to this emerging polarisation in the international 
environment. After the sudden end of the Cold War followed by the disintegration of the Soviet Union, 
India’s foreign policy underwent appreciable shifts on numerous counts—lack of enthusiasm towards the 
non-aligned movement, eagerness to accommodate the American concerns, resumption of full 
diplomatic ties with Israel, emphasis on economic aspects of relations with Europe, Southeast Asia and 
even South Asia.  
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
India’s Neighbourhood 
Policy 
•Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh once said, ‘the real test of foreign policy is in the handling of 
neighbours’ 
•
C. Raja Mohan argues that without enduring primacy in one’s own neighbourhood, no nation can become 
a credible power on the global stage  
•
Policy of Govt of India towards neighbours is encapsulated in the phrase, ‘Neighbours First’ 
Challenges to deal with neighbours 
•
Subcontinental size of India: India need to be conscious of its neighbour’s discomfort of having to deal 
with a big neighbour  
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
!
Page 5


 
Objectives & Principles of India’s Foreign Policy 
•National Interest: India’s foreign policy aims to safeguard and further national interest in terms of 
protecting the country’s political independence and promoting its external security. As a country that 
freed itself from colonial rule, India naturally wants to follow such foreign policy that would not 
compromise on its existence as a free country or give scope to other countries to dictate as to how it 
should conduct itself 
•Prevent or resist threats of military attacks: India’s need for national security is placed in the wider and 
wiser backdrop of the need to jointly work for security of the whole world. It doesn’t want other 
countries to be insecure 
•End colonialism: it has supported freedom struggles of the peoples of Africa and Asia. As an extension of 
this goal, India has been interested to direct its foreign policy towards realisation of equal rights of all 
peoples and nations without discrimination. Therefore, India opposed the abhorrent policy of apartheid 
in South Africa 
•Promote world peace: India has always desired friendly relations with all countries, especially the major 
countries as well as countries in its neighbourhood. India wants to promote harmony and cooperation 
between the countries that have ideological, political and other differences  
•Promote economic development of underprivileged nations: Its foreign policy seeks to develop 
bene?cial relationship with the industrially advanced countries with a view to securing necessary 
assistance. India’s policy aims to cater to not just its own development needs but also those of the newly 
independent poor countries in the Third World 
•
Avoid use of force in settling differences with other countries: India prefers the peaceful methods like 
dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy for narrowing differences and easing tensions among countries. 
India has always actively supported the development of international law to regulate various 
problematic aspects of world affairs. India’s foreign policy principles as enshrined in Panchsheel (1954) 
emphasise the imperatives of non-aggression, non-interference, and peaceful co-existence among 
countries.  
•
Strengthening of United Nations: India has ?rmly believed in strengthening the United Nations and 
other global and regional organisations as useful tools for international harmony and cooperation. India 
believes in working for reduction and ?nal elimination of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass 
destruction 
T o Sum Up 
•
Through its foreign policy, India wants to be sen as a peace-loving, mature, law-abiding and trustworthy 
country while trying to bene?t from friendly contacts with other countries in the society of nations 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
Determinants of India’s Foreign Policy 
•Geography: Being the seventh largest country in the world, India shares it land boundary with Pakistan, 
Bhutan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Afghanistan and former Soviet Union are in immediate 
vicinity of J&K. India has 7,500 kms of coastline touched by the waters of the Indian Ocean on three 
sides of its territory. Most of India’s foreign trade is routed through the Indian Ocean and its location 
presents a great geo-political and geo-strategic signi?cance to India’s external relations. The location of 
the county is also notable. Belonging to South Asia, India lies in the heart of the biggest continent, Asia. 
In keeping with the fact that India is the gateway of both South-East Asia and the West Asia, India’s 
security and vital interests are closely knit with the peace and stability in the larger region of Asia. 
•History & Tradition: India never mounted aggressive campaigns outside the country for territorial 
expansion. The experience as a victim of wars has turned India’s foreign policy anti-war in nature. 
Moreover, the legacy of the non-violent freedom struggle launched under the leadership of Gandhi and 
his lieutenants was bound to be evident in its foreign policy. Tradition values of Vasudheva Kutumbakam-
One World-have down to the people of India from the ancient scriptures and the spiritual works of great 
men like Swami Vivekananda. The values that have helped in shaping India’s foreign policy are tolerance, 
non-violence and universal brotherhood. Most of the leaders of freedom movement were educated in 
Britain or were exposed to the system of liberal education. They valued liberty, equality and democracy. 
The policy of non-alignment is not only an outcome of keeping aloof from bloc politics, but is also in 
accordance with the goals and ideals of freedom struggle cherished by our people. 
•Economic Conditions: India is a storehouse of vast natural resources with great potential for achieving 
economic heights in development. Its rivers are capable of generating power and providing enough 
water for drinking and irrigation. Huge deposits of bauxite, coal, copper, manganese and other minerals 
are India’s assets. Equally notable is the base of its skilled and educated work force. India’s economic 
linkages with the erstwhile colonial ruler, the UK guided Nehru to forge friendly contacts with that 
country both bilaterally and within the Commonwealth grouping. Heavy dependence on oil for industrial 
and economic needs has brought special focus on relations with oil-rich Arab countries in West Asia, 
apart from working for stable supplies and prices of oil in global market. 
•
Nature of Leadership: The personal qualities of leaders guiding the destiny of a nation at a given time 
tend to shape that country’s foreign policy in a particular direction. The personality of the incumbent 
prime ministers has come to be identi?ed in certain measure with a particular ?avour given to the 
country’s foreign policy. The country’s ?rst PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, who steered India’s policy for more 
than one and a half decades, was widely regarded as internationalist in outlook, with a preference for 
enlightened, rather than narrow or self-centred, approach to problems. 
•
Domestic Milieu: The domestic milieu refers to the nature of governing system, the political culture 
including the policies of political parties, public opinion etc., tradition, structure of government and 
enlightened leadership 
•International Trends: The Cold War era (1945-90) has determined in a big way the foreign policy of most 
countries. The fear of nuclearised United States brought the countries of Eastern Europe under the 
control of the Soviet Union, with the result that all those countries adopted socialism and came under 
the Russian wings. The entire policy of containment of communism adopted by the US was evident in its 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
setting up of NATO, SEATO and such other military alliances/arrangements. India’s efforts in expounding 
the policy of non-alignment were directly a response to this emerging polarisation in the international 
environment. After the sudden end of the Cold War followed by the disintegration of the Soviet Union, 
India’s foreign policy underwent appreciable shifts on numerous counts—lack of enthusiasm towards the 
non-aligned movement, eagerness to accommodate the American concerns, resumption of full 
diplomatic ties with Israel, emphasis on economic aspects of relations with Europe, Southeast Asia and 
even South Asia.  
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
India’s Neighbourhood 
Policy 
•Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh once said, ‘the real test of foreign policy is in the handling of 
neighbours’ 
•
C. Raja Mohan argues that without enduring primacy in one’s own neighbourhood, no nation can become 
a credible power on the global stage  
•
Policy of Govt of India towards neighbours is encapsulated in the phrase, ‘Neighbours First’ 
Challenges to deal with neighbours 
•
Subcontinental size of India: India need to be conscious of its neighbour’s discomfort of having to deal 
with a big neighbour  
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
! 
•External boundaries: Demarcation of India’s external boundaries is yet to be completed, partly due to 
historical reasons. In respect of land boundary, apart from political problems, there is dif?culty in 
transcribing what is there on maps to the ground 
•Open border with Nepal and Bhutan: It facilitates free movement of people and promotes people to 
people contact. But, this is also taken advantage by anti-social elements and terrorists 
?Important challenge is to make sure that territories of our neighbours do not become safe havens 
for anti India elements  
•
Though foreign policy comes under the domain of the central government, on many matters concerning 
neighbouring countries, there is need to consult and take on board the views of the state governments 
on our side of the border. This is because of contacts between the people on both sides of the border for 
centuries and their mutual concerns, the effect of policy on the states concerned, presence of people of 
Indian origin in the neighbouring country etc. 
•
Existence of multiple channels of communication: Contacts are there between political parties and 
their leaders, community and religious leaders, relatives etc., on both sides of the border, apart from 
people to people contacts. Often contrary signals emanate from these sources, making policy 
formulation dif?cult 
?Also it is often seen that neighbour’s policy towards India is more the policy of the party in power or 
sometimes even of the leader, than a well laid out national policy. This leads to drastic changes in 
policy when there is a change of Government, making it dif?cult for us to plan our long term 
approach 
•Lesser economic integration: Economic integration has helped countries to overcome their political 
differences by creating economic interdependencies. Scope for this in the South Asian context is limited, 
the reason being that these are parallel economies producing and exporting similar products. T o 
overcome this, we need to focus on creating manufacturing chains across the region as has been done in 
South East Asia. One area which offers immense potential for mutually bene?cial cooperation is 
hydropower 
•
Electronic and social media: Electronic media and social media have made the task of a diplomat 
somewhat dif?cult. Often it is best to deal with neighbours on sensitive issues quietly, but this is 
becoming impossible thanks to the overactive media. Many a times, media does not factor in the 
sensitivities of the other country 
•Bilateralism: Undue insistence on (or even encouragement of) bilateralism evokes avoidable fears and 
suspicions of Indian dominance and allows anti-Indian forces to exploit the situation to their advantage. 
Bilateral goals can be best achieved through a multilateral route especially because neighbours ‘feel 
more comfortable in a regional design that incorporates bilateral priorities and concerns 
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