Page 1
In this chapter…
Thus far we have focussed in this book on the developments within
the country and on domestic challenges. We now turn to the external
challenges. Here too our leaders faced the challenge with an innovative
response by way of the policy of non-alignment. But they also found
themselves in conflict with neighbours. This led to three wars in 1962,
1965 and 1971. These wars, and the external relations in general, were
shaped by and had their impact on the politics in the country.
In this chapter we study the story of this relationship between the
external and the internal politics by focussing on
• the international context that shaped India’s external relations;
• the operational principles that informed the country’s foreign
policy;
• the history of India’s relations with China and Pakistan; and
• the evolution of India’s nuclear policy.
Nehru with Nkrumah
from Ghana, Nasser
from Egypt, Sukarno
from Indonesia and
Tito from Yugoslavia
at a meeting of non-
aligned nations, New
York, October 1960.
These five comprised the
core leadership of the
Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
Credit: NMML
chap 4_PF.indd 54 8/5/2022 12:11:47 PM
2024-25
Page 2
In this chapter…
Thus far we have focussed in this book on the developments within
the country and on domestic challenges. We now turn to the external
challenges. Here too our leaders faced the challenge with an innovative
response by way of the policy of non-alignment. But they also found
themselves in conflict with neighbours. This led to three wars in 1962,
1965 and 1971. These wars, and the external relations in general, were
shaped by and had their impact on the politics in the country.
In this chapter we study the story of this relationship between the
external and the internal politics by focussing on
• the international context that shaped India’s external relations;
• the operational principles that informed the country’s foreign
policy;
• the history of India’s relations with China and Pakistan; and
• the evolution of India’s nuclear policy.
Nehru with Nkrumah
from Ghana, Nasser
from Egypt, Sukarno
from Indonesia and
Tito from Yugoslavia
at a meeting of non-
aligned nations, New
York, October 1960.
These five comprised the
core leadership of the
Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
Credit: NMML
chap 4_PF.indd 54 8/5/2022 12:11:47 PM
2024-25
International context
India was born as an independent nation-state in a very trying
and challenging international context. The world had witnessed a
devastating war and was grappling with issues of reconstruction; yet
another attempt to establish an international body was underway;
many new countries were emerging as a result of the collapse of
colonialism; and most new nations were trying to come to terms with
the twin challenges of welfare and democracy. Free India’s foreign
policy reflected all these concerns in the period immediately after
Independence. Apart from these factors at the global level, India
had its own share of concerns. The British government left behind
the legacy of many international disputes; partition created its own
pressures, and the task of poverty alleviation was already waiting
for fulfilment. This was the overall context in which India started
participating in the world affairs as an independent nation-state.
As a nation born in the backdrop of the world war, India decided
to conduct its foreign relations with an aim to respect the sovereignty
of all other nations and to achieve security through the maintenance
of peace. This aim finds an echo in the Directive principles of State
policy.
Just as both internal and external factors guide the behaviour of an
individual or a family, both domestic and international environment
influence the foreign policy of a nation. The developing countries
lack the required resources to effectively advocate their concerns in
the international system. So they pursue more modest goals than
the advanced states. They focus more on peace and development in
their own neighbourhood. Moreover, their economic and security
dependence on the more powerful states occasionally influences
their foreign policy. In the period immediately after the Second world
war, many developing nations chose to support the foreign policy
preferences of the powerful countries who were giving them aid or
credits. This resulted in the division of countries of the world into
two clear camps. One was under the influence of the United States
and its western allies and the other was under the influence of the
then Soviet Union. There was also the experiment called Non- Aligned
Movement in which India had played an important role. However, the
end of the Cold war changed the context of international relations
entirely. But when India achieved its freedom and started framing
What does
independence consist of?
It consists fundamentally
and basically of foreign
relations. That is the test
of independence. All else is
local autonomy. Once foreign
relations go out of your
hands into the charge of
somebody else, to that extent
and in that measure you are
not independent.
Jawaharlal Nehru
during a debate in the
Constituent Assembly in
March 1949.
“
“
4
chapter
IndIa’s external
relatIons
chap 4_PF.indd 55 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
Page 3
In this chapter…
Thus far we have focussed in this book on the developments within
the country and on domestic challenges. We now turn to the external
challenges. Here too our leaders faced the challenge with an innovative
response by way of the policy of non-alignment. But they also found
themselves in conflict with neighbours. This led to three wars in 1962,
1965 and 1971. These wars, and the external relations in general, were
shaped by and had their impact on the politics in the country.
In this chapter we study the story of this relationship between the
external and the internal politics by focussing on
• the international context that shaped India’s external relations;
• the operational principles that informed the country’s foreign
policy;
• the history of India’s relations with China and Pakistan; and
• the evolution of India’s nuclear policy.
Nehru with Nkrumah
from Ghana, Nasser
from Egypt, Sukarno
from Indonesia and
Tito from Yugoslavia
at a meeting of non-
aligned nations, New
York, October 1960.
These five comprised the
core leadership of the
Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
Credit: NMML
chap 4_PF.indd 54 8/5/2022 12:11:47 PM
2024-25
International context
India was born as an independent nation-state in a very trying
and challenging international context. The world had witnessed a
devastating war and was grappling with issues of reconstruction; yet
another attempt to establish an international body was underway;
many new countries were emerging as a result of the collapse of
colonialism; and most new nations were trying to come to terms with
the twin challenges of welfare and democracy. Free India’s foreign
policy reflected all these concerns in the period immediately after
Independence. Apart from these factors at the global level, India
had its own share of concerns. The British government left behind
the legacy of many international disputes; partition created its own
pressures, and the task of poverty alleviation was already waiting
for fulfilment. This was the overall context in which India started
participating in the world affairs as an independent nation-state.
As a nation born in the backdrop of the world war, India decided
to conduct its foreign relations with an aim to respect the sovereignty
of all other nations and to achieve security through the maintenance
of peace. This aim finds an echo in the Directive principles of State
policy.
Just as both internal and external factors guide the behaviour of an
individual or a family, both domestic and international environment
influence the foreign policy of a nation. The developing countries
lack the required resources to effectively advocate their concerns in
the international system. So they pursue more modest goals than
the advanced states. They focus more on peace and development in
their own neighbourhood. Moreover, their economic and security
dependence on the more powerful states occasionally influences
their foreign policy. In the period immediately after the Second world
war, many developing nations chose to support the foreign policy
preferences of the powerful countries who were giving them aid or
credits. This resulted in the division of countries of the world into
two clear camps. One was under the influence of the United States
and its western allies and the other was under the influence of the
then Soviet Union. There was also the experiment called Non- Aligned
Movement in which India had played an important role. However, the
end of the Cold war changed the context of international relations
entirely. But when India achieved its freedom and started framing
What does
independence consist of?
It consists fundamentally
and basically of foreign
relations. That is the test
of independence. All else is
local autonomy. Once foreign
relations go out of your
hands into the charge of
somebody else, to that extent
and in that measure you are
not independent.
Jawaharlal Nehru
during a debate in the
Constituent Assembly in
March 1949.
“
“
4
chapter
IndIa’s external
relatIons
chap 4_PF.indd 55 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
56 Politics in India since Independence
its foreign policy, the Cold war was just beginning and the world
was getting divided into these two camps. Did India belong to any of
these two camps in global politics of the fifties and the sixties? was
it successful in conducting its foreign policy peacefully and avoiding
international conflicts?
The Policy of non-alignment
The Indian national movement was not an isolated process. It was a
part of the worldwide struggle against colonialism and imperialism.
It influenced the liberation movements of many Asian and African
countries. prior to India’s Independence, there were contacts between
the nationalist leaders of India and those of other colonies, united
as they were in their common struggle against colonialism and
imperialism. The creation of the Indian National Army (INA) by Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose during the Second w orld w ar was the clearest
manifestation of the linkages established between India and overseas
Indians during the freedom struggle.
The foreign policy of a nation reflects the interplay of domestic
and external factors. Therefore, the noble ideals that inspired India’s
struggle for freedom influenced the making of its foreign policy. But
India’s attainment of independence coincided with the beginning
of the Cold war era, a period which was marked by the political,
economic, and military confrontation at the global level between the
two blocs led by the superpowers, the US and the USSR. The same
period also witnessed developments like the establishment of the
UN, the creation of nuclear weapons, the emergence of Communist
The Constitutional principles
Article 51 of the Indian Constitution lays down some Directive Principles of State Policy on
‘Promotion of international peace and security’.
“The State shall endeavour to –
(a) Promote international peace and security
(b) Maintain just and honourable relations between nations
(c) Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised
people with one another; and
(d) Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.”
How well did the Indian state live up to these principles in the first two decades after
Independence? You may come back to this question after reading the chapter.
It’s the fourth
chapter and it’s Nehru
once again! w as he a
superman or what?
Or has his role been
glorified?
chap 4_PF.indd 56 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
Page 4
In this chapter…
Thus far we have focussed in this book on the developments within
the country and on domestic challenges. We now turn to the external
challenges. Here too our leaders faced the challenge with an innovative
response by way of the policy of non-alignment. But they also found
themselves in conflict with neighbours. This led to three wars in 1962,
1965 and 1971. These wars, and the external relations in general, were
shaped by and had their impact on the politics in the country.
In this chapter we study the story of this relationship between the
external and the internal politics by focussing on
• the international context that shaped India’s external relations;
• the operational principles that informed the country’s foreign
policy;
• the history of India’s relations with China and Pakistan; and
• the evolution of India’s nuclear policy.
Nehru with Nkrumah
from Ghana, Nasser
from Egypt, Sukarno
from Indonesia and
Tito from Yugoslavia
at a meeting of non-
aligned nations, New
York, October 1960.
These five comprised the
core leadership of the
Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
Credit: NMML
chap 4_PF.indd 54 8/5/2022 12:11:47 PM
2024-25
International context
India was born as an independent nation-state in a very trying
and challenging international context. The world had witnessed a
devastating war and was grappling with issues of reconstruction; yet
another attempt to establish an international body was underway;
many new countries were emerging as a result of the collapse of
colonialism; and most new nations were trying to come to terms with
the twin challenges of welfare and democracy. Free India’s foreign
policy reflected all these concerns in the period immediately after
Independence. Apart from these factors at the global level, India
had its own share of concerns. The British government left behind
the legacy of many international disputes; partition created its own
pressures, and the task of poverty alleviation was already waiting
for fulfilment. This was the overall context in which India started
participating in the world affairs as an independent nation-state.
As a nation born in the backdrop of the world war, India decided
to conduct its foreign relations with an aim to respect the sovereignty
of all other nations and to achieve security through the maintenance
of peace. This aim finds an echo in the Directive principles of State
policy.
Just as both internal and external factors guide the behaviour of an
individual or a family, both domestic and international environment
influence the foreign policy of a nation. The developing countries
lack the required resources to effectively advocate their concerns in
the international system. So they pursue more modest goals than
the advanced states. They focus more on peace and development in
their own neighbourhood. Moreover, their economic and security
dependence on the more powerful states occasionally influences
their foreign policy. In the period immediately after the Second world
war, many developing nations chose to support the foreign policy
preferences of the powerful countries who were giving them aid or
credits. This resulted in the division of countries of the world into
two clear camps. One was under the influence of the United States
and its western allies and the other was under the influence of the
then Soviet Union. There was also the experiment called Non- Aligned
Movement in which India had played an important role. However, the
end of the Cold war changed the context of international relations
entirely. But when India achieved its freedom and started framing
What does
independence consist of?
It consists fundamentally
and basically of foreign
relations. That is the test
of independence. All else is
local autonomy. Once foreign
relations go out of your
hands into the charge of
somebody else, to that extent
and in that measure you are
not independent.
Jawaharlal Nehru
during a debate in the
Constituent Assembly in
March 1949.
“
“
4
chapter
IndIa’s external
relatIons
chap 4_PF.indd 55 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
56 Politics in India since Independence
its foreign policy, the Cold war was just beginning and the world
was getting divided into these two camps. Did India belong to any of
these two camps in global politics of the fifties and the sixties? was
it successful in conducting its foreign policy peacefully and avoiding
international conflicts?
The Policy of non-alignment
The Indian national movement was not an isolated process. It was a
part of the worldwide struggle against colonialism and imperialism.
It influenced the liberation movements of many Asian and African
countries. prior to India’s Independence, there were contacts between
the nationalist leaders of India and those of other colonies, united
as they were in their common struggle against colonialism and
imperialism. The creation of the Indian National Army (INA) by Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose during the Second w orld w ar was the clearest
manifestation of the linkages established between India and overseas
Indians during the freedom struggle.
The foreign policy of a nation reflects the interplay of domestic
and external factors. Therefore, the noble ideals that inspired India’s
struggle for freedom influenced the making of its foreign policy. But
India’s attainment of independence coincided with the beginning
of the Cold war era, a period which was marked by the political,
economic, and military confrontation at the global level between the
two blocs led by the superpowers, the US and the USSR. The same
period also witnessed developments like the establishment of the
UN, the creation of nuclear weapons, the emergence of Communist
The Constitutional principles
Article 51 of the Indian Constitution lays down some Directive Principles of State Policy on
‘Promotion of international peace and security’.
“The State shall endeavour to –
(a) Promote international peace and security
(b) Maintain just and honourable relations between nations
(c) Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised
people with one another; and
(d) Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.”
How well did the Indian state live up to these principles in the first two decades after
Independence? You may come back to this question after reading the chapter.
It’s the fourth
chapter and it’s Nehru
once again! w as he a
superman or what?
Or has his role been
glorified?
chap 4_PF.indd 56 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
India’s external relations 57
China, and the beginning of decolonisation. So India’s leadership had
to pursue its national interests within the prevailing international
context.
Nehru’s role
The first prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru played a crucial role in
setting the national agenda. He was his own foreign minister. Thus
both as the prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, he exercised
profound influence in the formulation and implementation of India’s
foreign policy from 1946 to 1964. The three major objectives of
Nehru’s foreign policy were to preserve the hard-earned sovereignty,
protect territorial integrity, and promote rapid economic development.
Nehru wished to achieve these objectives through the strategy of non-
alignment. There were, of course, parties and groups in the country
that believed that India should be more friendly with the bloc led by
the US because that bloc claimed to be pro-democracy. Among those
who thought on these lines were leaders like Dr Ambedkar. Some
political parties, which were opposed to communism, also wanted
India to follow a pro-US foreign policy. These included the Bharatiya
Jan Sangh and later the Swatantra party. But Nehru possessed
considerable leeway in formulating foreign policy.
Distance from two camps
The foreign policy of independent India vigorously pursued the dream
of a peaceful world by advocating the policy of non-alignment, by
reducing Cold war tensions and by contributing human resources
to the UN peacekeeping operations. You might ask why India did not
join either of the two camps during the Cold war era. India wanted
to keep away from the military alliances led by US and Soviet Union
against each other. During the Cold war, the US-led North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the Soviet-led warsaw pact came
into existence. India advocated non-alignment as the ideal foreign
policy approach. This was a difficult balancing act and sometimes the
balance did not appear perfect. In 1956 when Britain attacked Egypt
over the Suez Canal issue, India led the world protest against this
neo-colonial invasion. But in the same year when the USSR invaded
Hungary, India did not join its public condemnation. Despite such
a situation, by and large India did take an independent stand on
various international issues and could get aid and assistance from
members of both the blocs.
w hile India was trying to convince the other developing countries
about the policy of non-alignment, pakistan joined the US-led military
alliances. The US was not happy about India’s independent initiatives
and the policy of non-alignment. Therefore, there was a considerable
Our general
policy is to avoid
entanglement in power
politics and not to join
any group of powers as
against any other group.
The two leading groups
today are the Russian
bloc and the Anglo-
American bloc. We must
be friendly to both and
yet not join either. Both
America and Russia
are extraordinarily
suspicious of each other
as well as of other
countries. This makes
our path difficult
and we may well be
suspected by each of
leaning towards the
other. This cannot be
helped.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Letter to K .p. S.
Menon, January
1947.
“
“
chap 4_PF.indd 57 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
Page 5
In this chapter…
Thus far we have focussed in this book on the developments within
the country and on domestic challenges. We now turn to the external
challenges. Here too our leaders faced the challenge with an innovative
response by way of the policy of non-alignment. But they also found
themselves in conflict with neighbours. This led to three wars in 1962,
1965 and 1971. These wars, and the external relations in general, were
shaped by and had their impact on the politics in the country.
In this chapter we study the story of this relationship between the
external and the internal politics by focussing on
• the international context that shaped India’s external relations;
• the operational principles that informed the country’s foreign
policy;
• the history of India’s relations with China and Pakistan; and
• the evolution of India’s nuclear policy.
Nehru with Nkrumah
from Ghana, Nasser
from Egypt, Sukarno
from Indonesia and
Tito from Yugoslavia
at a meeting of non-
aligned nations, New
York, October 1960.
These five comprised the
core leadership of the
Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
Credit: NMML
chap 4_PF.indd 54 8/5/2022 12:11:47 PM
2024-25
International context
India was born as an independent nation-state in a very trying
and challenging international context. The world had witnessed a
devastating war and was grappling with issues of reconstruction; yet
another attempt to establish an international body was underway;
many new countries were emerging as a result of the collapse of
colonialism; and most new nations were trying to come to terms with
the twin challenges of welfare and democracy. Free India’s foreign
policy reflected all these concerns in the period immediately after
Independence. Apart from these factors at the global level, India
had its own share of concerns. The British government left behind
the legacy of many international disputes; partition created its own
pressures, and the task of poverty alleviation was already waiting
for fulfilment. This was the overall context in which India started
participating in the world affairs as an independent nation-state.
As a nation born in the backdrop of the world war, India decided
to conduct its foreign relations with an aim to respect the sovereignty
of all other nations and to achieve security through the maintenance
of peace. This aim finds an echo in the Directive principles of State
policy.
Just as both internal and external factors guide the behaviour of an
individual or a family, both domestic and international environment
influence the foreign policy of a nation. The developing countries
lack the required resources to effectively advocate their concerns in
the international system. So they pursue more modest goals than
the advanced states. They focus more on peace and development in
their own neighbourhood. Moreover, their economic and security
dependence on the more powerful states occasionally influences
their foreign policy. In the period immediately after the Second world
war, many developing nations chose to support the foreign policy
preferences of the powerful countries who were giving them aid or
credits. This resulted in the division of countries of the world into
two clear camps. One was under the influence of the United States
and its western allies and the other was under the influence of the
then Soviet Union. There was also the experiment called Non- Aligned
Movement in which India had played an important role. However, the
end of the Cold war changed the context of international relations
entirely. But when India achieved its freedom and started framing
What does
independence consist of?
It consists fundamentally
and basically of foreign
relations. That is the test
of independence. All else is
local autonomy. Once foreign
relations go out of your
hands into the charge of
somebody else, to that extent
and in that measure you are
not independent.
Jawaharlal Nehru
during a debate in the
Constituent Assembly in
March 1949.
“
“
4
chapter
IndIa’s external
relatIons
chap 4_PF.indd 55 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
56 Politics in India since Independence
its foreign policy, the Cold war was just beginning and the world
was getting divided into these two camps. Did India belong to any of
these two camps in global politics of the fifties and the sixties? was
it successful in conducting its foreign policy peacefully and avoiding
international conflicts?
The Policy of non-alignment
The Indian national movement was not an isolated process. It was a
part of the worldwide struggle against colonialism and imperialism.
It influenced the liberation movements of many Asian and African
countries. prior to India’s Independence, there were contacts between
the nationalist leaders of India and those of other colonies, united
as they were in their common struggle against colonialism and
imperialism. The creation of the Indian National Army (INA) by Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose during the Second w orld w ar was the clearest
manifestation of the linkages established between India and overseas
Indians during the freedom struggle.
The foreign policy of a nation reflects the interplay of domestic
and external factors. Therefore, the noble ideals that inspired India’s
struggle for freedom influenced the making of its foreign policy. But
India’s attainment of independence coincided with the beginning
of the Cold war era, a period which was marked by the political,
economic, and military confrontation at the global level between the
two blocs led by the superpowers, the US and the USSR. The same
period also witnessed developments like the establishment of the
UN, the creation of nuclear weapons, the emergence of Communist
The Constitutional principles
Article 51 of the Indian Constitution lays down some Directive Principles of State Policy on
‘Promotion of international peace and security’.
“The State shall endeavour to –
(a) Promote international peace and security
(b) Maintain just and honourable relations between nations
(c) Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised
people with one another; and
(d) Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.”
How well did the Indian state live up to these principles in the first two decades after
Independence? You may come back to this question after reading the chapter.
It’s the fourth
chapter and it’s Nehru
once again! w as he a
superman or what?
Or has his role been
glorified?
chap 4_PF.indd 56 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
India’s external relations 57
China, and the beginning of decolonisation. So India’s leadership had
to pursue its national interests within the prevailing international
context.
Nehru’s role
The first prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru played a crucial role in
setting the national agenda. He was his own foreign minister. Thus
both as the prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, he exercised
profound influence in the formulation and implementation of India’s
foreign policy from 1946 to 1964. The three major objectives of
Nehru’s foreign policy were to preserve the hard-earned sovereignty,
protect territorial integrity, and promote rapid economic development.
Nehru wished to achieve these objectives through the strategy of non-
alignment. There were, of course, parties and groups in the country
that believed that India should be more friendly with the bloc led by
the US because that bloc claimed to be pro-democracy. Among those
who thought on these lines were leaders like Dr Ambedkar. Some
political parties, which were opposed to communism, also wanted
India to follow a pro-US foreign policy. These included the Bharatiya
Jan Sangh and later the Swatantra party. But Nehru possessed
considerable leeway in formulating foreign policy.
Distance from two camps
The foreign policy of independent India vigorously pursued the dream
of a peaceful world by advocating the policy of non-alignment, by
reducing Cold war tensions and by contributing human resources
to the UN peacekeeping operations. You might ask why India did not
join either of the two camps during the Cold war era. India wanted
to keep away from the military alliances led by US and Soviet Union
against each other. During the Cold war, the US-led North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the Soviet-led warsaw pact came
into existence. India advocated non-alignment as the ideal foreign
policy approach. This was a difficult balancing act and sometimes the
balance did not appear perfect. In 1956 when Britain attacked Egypt
over the Suez Canal issue, India led the world protest against this
neo-colonial invasion. But in the same year when the USSR invaded
Hungary, India did not join its public condemnation. Despite such
a situation, by and large India did take an independent stand on
various international issues and could get aid and assistance from
members of both the blocs.
w hile India was trying to convince the other developing countries
about the policy of non-alignment, pakistan joined the US-led military
alliances. The US was not happy about India’s independent initiatives
and the policy of non-alignment. Therefore, there was a considerable
Our general
policy is to avoid
entanglement in power
politics and not to join
any group of powers as
against any other group.
The two leading groups
today are the Russian
bloc and the Anglo-
American bloc. We must
be friendly to both and
yet not join either. Both
America and Russia
are extraordinarily
suspicious of each other
as well as of other
countries. This makes
our path difficult
and we may well be
suspected by each of
leaning towards the
other. This cannot be
helped.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Letter to K .p. S.
Menon, January
1947.
“
“
chap 4_PF.indd 57 15-03-2024 14:54:17
2024-25
58 Politics in India since Independence
unease in Indo-US relations during the 1950s. The US also resented
India’s growing partnership with the Soviet Union.
You have studied in the last chapter, the strategy of planned
economic development adopted by India. This policy emphasised
import-substitution. The emphasis on developing a resource base also
meant that export oriented growth was limited. This development
strategy limited India’s economic interaction with the outside world.
Afro-Asian unity
Yet, given its size, location and power potential, Nehru envisaged a
major role for India in world affairs and especially in Asian affairs.
His era was marked by the establishment of contacts between India
and other newly independent states in Asia and Africa. Throughout
the 1940s and 1950s, Nehru had been an ardent advocate of Asian
unity. Under his leadership, India convened the Asian Relations
Conference in March 1947, five months ahead of attaining its
independence. India made earnest efforts for the early realisation of
freedom of Indonesia from the Dutch colonial regime by convening
an international conference in 1949 to support its freedom struggle.
India was a staunch supporter of the decolonisation process and
firmly opposed racism, especially apartheid in South Africa. The Afro-
Asian conference held in the Indonesian city of Bandung in 1955,
commonly known as the Bandung Conference, marked the zenith of
India’s engagement with the newly independent Asian and African
nations. The Bandung Conference later led to the establishment
of the NAM. The First Summit of the NAM was held in Belgrade in
September 1961. Nehru was a co-founder of the NAM.
Peace and conflict with China
Unlike its relationship with pakistan, free India began its relationship
with China on a very friendly note. After the Chinese revolution in
1949, India was one of the first countries to recognise the communist
government. Nehru felt strongly for this neighbour that was coming out
of the shadow of western domination and helped the new government
in international fora. Some of his colleagues, like Vallabhbhai patel,
were worried about a possible Chinese aggression in future. But Nehru
thought it was ‘exceedingly unlikely’ that India will face an attack
from China. For a very long time, the Chinese border was guarded by
para-military forces, not the army.
The joint enunciation of panchsheel, the Five principles of peaceful
Coexistence, by the Indian prime Minister Nehru and the Chinese
premier Zhou Enlai on 29 April 1954 was a step in the direction of
stronger relationship between the two countries. Indian and Chinese
leaders visited each other’s country and were greeted by large and
friendly crowds.
Did we have more
recognition and power
in the world when we
were younger, poorer
and more vulnerable
than now? Isn’t that
strange?
a country without
material, men or money
– the three means of power
– is now fast coming to be
recognised as the biggest
moral power in the civilised
world …her word listened to
with respect in the councils
of the great.
C. Rajagopalachari
Letter to Edwina
Mountbatten, 1950.
“
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chap 4_PF.indd 58 15-03-2024 14:54:18
2024-25
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