CHAPTER

13 India’s External Relations

Introduction:
In the post-independence period, India faced many challenges in formulating a strong foreign policy. India has forged its
foreign relations with the aim of achieving security by maintaining peace and respecting the sovereignty of other countries.
In the aftermath of World War II, world politics divided the nations of the world into two distinct camps—one under the
United States and the other under the Soviet Union.

1. India’s External Relations-International context or relations

In the post-independence period,
India faced many challenges in
formulating a strong foreign policy.
India has forged its foreign relations
with the aim of achieving security by
maintaining peace and respecting the
sovereignty of other countries. In the
aftermath of World War II, world
politics divided the nations of the
world into two distinct camps—one
under the United States and the other
under the Soviet Union.

2. Non-alignment approach

The Cold War era marked the beginning of a global political, economic, and military conflict between the two blocs, led by the
superpowers, the US and the USSR. As well as in other dominant world politics, the Indian leadership is on track to pursue its
national interests in this international context.
The character of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru
Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru pursued a
foreign policy from 1946 to 1964.
The three main objectives of
Nehru's foreign policy were to
safeguard hard-earned
sovereignty, preserve territorial
integrity and promote rapid
economic growth. Although many
Indian leaders wanted India to
pursue a pro-US foreign policy;
Nehru wanted to achieve his
foreign policy goals through an
allied strategy.

Distance from both Camps

The US and the Soviet Union wanted India to stay away from mutually leading military alliances. America is not happy with
India's independent initiative, Alina's policy. In the 1950s, India took an independent stance on various international issues and
could seek help and assistance from members of the two power blocs. India's attitude towards independence and its growing
ties with the USSR have hurt USA sentiments. Thus, there was much turmoil in Indo-US relations in the 1950s.

3. Afro-Asian unity
The Nehru era marked the establishment of relations
between India and other new independent states in Asia and
Africa. Under the leadership of Nehru, India hosted the Asia
Relations Conference in March 1947. India supported the
process of decolonization and opposed racism, especially
racism in South Africa. The Afro-Asian Conference held in
Bandung, Indonesia in 1955 is known as the Bandung
Conference and marks the founding of the Non-Alignment
Movement. The first summit of the non-aligned movement
was held in Belgrade in September 1961.

DO YOU KNOW?
Alignment: The policy of not joining any military alliance formed due to the Cold War.
Foreign policy: It is the interaction of domestic and external factors of a country.
Panchsheel: The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence will be signed between India and China in 1954.
Bandung Conference: Afro-Asian Conference in Bandung in 1955 to establish India's engagement with NAM and Asian
and African countries.
NEFA: The Northeast Border Agency has known a lot about the state of Arunachal Pradesh since the 1960s.

4. Peace and Conflict with China

Since India was one of the first
countries to recognize a
communist government,
independent India began its
friendly relations with China.
Some of Nehru's allies like
Vallabhbhai Patel were
worried about the future
Chinese invasion, but Nehru
felt that India was unlikely to
face an attack from China. The
Panchsheel (Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence) Agreement reached between the
Prime Minister of India Nehru and the Prime
Minister of China Zhou Enlai on 29 April 1954 is
a step towards a stronger relationship between
the two. Panchsheel, Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence between India and China (29 April
1954) A strong step towards friendship and
relations. India also supported the new Chinese
government in communist form at the United
Nations to make a friendly move after the Chinese
Revolution of 1949. India and China began to
fight against Chinese occupation of Tibet and also
suppressed Tibetan culture. China claims the
Aksai region and NEFA in Indian territory, which,
despite northern replies and negotiations, have
not been resolved and prompted India to join the
conflict.

5. Tibet
Tibet, a plateau in Central Asia, has historically been one of the main problems causing tensions between India and China. After
the 1954 Panchsheel Agreement, India accepted China's claim on Tibet. In 1959, India granted asylum to the Dalai Lama, a
Tibetan spiritual leader, which damaged relations between the two countries.

6. Chinese Invasion, 1962

China annexed Tibet in 1950, removing the historic buffer between the two countries. The Dalai Lama's issue has fueled the fire.
China claims two territories in Indian territory: Askai in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir - region and Arunachal Pradesh
state
● Territories in the Northeastern Frontier Agency (NEFA).
● China launched a rapid and large-scale invasion of the two disputed territories in October 1962.
● The China War had tarnished India's image at home and abroad.
The Sino-Indian conflict and the growing rift between China and the Soviet Union led to irreconcilable divisions within the
Communist Party of India (CPI). The pro-USSR faction remained within the CPI and forged closer ties with the Congress.

7. War and Peace with Pakistan

Soon after independence, the
dispute with Pakistan over the
Kashmir dispute began. The
India-Pakistan Indus Water
Treaty, signed by Nehru and
General Ayyub Khan in 1960,
has worked well despite many
setbacks in Indo-Pak relations.
In April 1965, Pakistan
launched an armed offensive in
the Rann of Kutch region of
Gujarat, followed by an invasion of Jammu and Kashmir in August-September. The enmity ended with the intervention of the
United Nations. The Tashkent Agreement, mediated by the Soviet Union in January 1966, was signed by the Prime Minister of
India Lai Bahadur Shastri and the General of Pakistan Ayyub Khan. In the dramatic internal politics of the 1970s, East and West
Pakistani rulers were reluctant to accept democratic decisions. During 1971, India had to bear the burden of about 8 million
refugees who migrated to East Pakistan and took refuge in neighboring India. After months of diplomatic tension and military
forces, a full-scale war broke out between India and Pakistan in December 1971. On July 3, 1972, the Shimla Agreement was
signed between Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. India and Pakistan clashed in 1965 over Pakistan's intense armed struggle
initiative on Kashmir issue. The United Nations intervened and the two signed the Tashkent Agreement in 1966 to rectify the
situation. But the 1965 war exacerbated India's already difficult economic situation. India's foreign policy reflects its desire to
grow into an important regional power, which was reflected in the conflicts between East and West Pakistan during the 1971
Bangladesh War and India's support for the independence struggle in Bangladesh and Pakistan's surrender. Announced an
arbitrary ceasefire. India and Pakistan signed the Shimla Agreement on 3 July 1972 to formalize the return of peace.

8. Indian Nuclear Policy

In May 1974, India carried out the first nuclear explosion at Pokhran in Rajasthan. The nuclear program in India was started by
Homi J. in the late 1940s under the guidance of Bhabha. Nehru opposed nuclear weapons and wanted India to produce nuclear
energy for peaceful purposes. Five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have sought to impose the 1968
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on the rest of the world. India has always considered the NPT to be discriminatory and
refused to sign it. India conducted a number of nuclear tests in May 1998, demonstrating its ability to use nuclear energy for
military purposes. The Nehru era Conference on Asian Relations in Asia and Africa (March 1947), the Indonesian War of
Independence (1949), established relations between India and the states through the colonial process and participated in the
Bandung Conference in 1955. With newly independent Asian and African countries.

SUMMARY
Immediately after independence, India faced twin challenges of welfare and democracy. In addition, India began to engage in
world affairs as an independent nation-state with a comprehensive context such as the legacy of many international conflicts
left by the British, the pressures created by partition and the eradication of poverty. India was born in the wake of World War
II, so it was decided to maintain foreign relations to respect the sovereignty of other countries in order to gain security by
maintaining peace. To this end, India has laid down the guiding principles of the State in Article 51 of the Constitution of India.
The foreign policy of a country is the interaction of domestic and external factors. Pt. JL Nehru was the 'major architect of
Indian foreign policy' with the goals of protecting India's sovereignty, preserving territorial integrity and promoting rapid
economic growth. Hence India adopted the name to stay away from any military group.
 Questions For Practice
1. "What is racism?" 10. Commentary on "A country's 18. During the Bandung Conference
(a) Religious discrimination foreign policy is the result of its year?
(b) Racial discrimination economic policy"? (a) 1954 (b) 1955
(c) Linguistic differences. (a) Indira Gandhi (c) 1956 (d) 1957
(d) Human behavior. (b) Jawaharlal Nehru
19. Where was NEFA’s headquarter
(c) Morarji Desai
2. In which year was the Bandung established?
(d) Charan Singh
Conference held? (a) Sikkim
11. Who accompanied the Tibetan (b) Meghalaya
(a) 1954 (b) 1955 spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on
(c) 1956 (d) 1957 (c) Tripura
an official visit to China in 1956? (d) Nagaland
3. The world was divided into blocks (a) Hua Guofeng
(b) Zhao Jiang 20. During the Bandung Conference
after World War II?
(c) The Prime Minister of China year?
(a) USA and UK
Zhou Enlai (a) 1954 (b) 1955
(b) USSR and China (c) 1956 (d) 1957
(d) Lee Peng
(c) Japan and Korea
(d) USA and USSR. 12. Architect of Non-Alignment? 21. Under whose leadership did India
(a) Pt. Nehru host the Asia Relations Conference
4. Non-Alignment Architect? (b) Indira Gandhi in March 1947?
(a) Pt. Nehru (c) Y B Chavan (a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(b) Indira Gandhi (d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee (b) Dr. Radha Krishnan.
(c) Y B Chavan (c) Jawaharlal Nehru.
13. Who was instrumental in shaping
(d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee (d) Rajendra Prasad
and implementing India's foreign
5. "Why did Britain invade Egypt in policy from 1946 to 1964? 22. When did China invade Tibet?
1956”? (a) Motilal Nehru (a) 1930 (b) 1940
(a) Suez Canal problem (b) Sardar Patel (c) 1950 (d) 1960
(b) Suzhou Canal Problem (c) Indira Gandhi
23. The foreign policy of a country is the
(c) On the Panama Canal issue (d) Jawaharlal Nehru
result of its economic policy. This
(d) Bruges canal problem 14. Bangladesh emerged as an comment was made by?
independent country? (a) Indira Gandhi
6. The basis of Indian foreign policy?
(a) January 1972 (b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(a) Non-aligned (b) December 1971 (c) Morarji Desai
(b) Promoting the US block (c) March 1971 (d) Charan Singh
(c) Promoting the USSR block (d) November 1971
(d) Alliance with China 24. What is racism?
15. Under whose leadership did India (a) Religious discrimination.
7. The meaning of alliance? host the Asia Relations Conference
(b) Racial discrimination.
(a) Neutrality in March 1947?
(c) Linguistic difference.
(b) Freedom to make decisions on (a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(d) Human behavior.
issues independently (b) Dr. Radha Krishnan
(c) Militarization (c) Jawaharlal Nehru 25. The basis of Indian foreign policy?
(d) Rajendra Prasad (a) Non-alignment
(d) None of the above
16. China's surprise attack on India? (b) US block. Campaign
8. What does NEFA mean? (c) Promoting the USSR block
(a) August 1962
(a) North-East Far Agency (d) Alliance with China
(b) September 1962
(b) North East Frontier Agency (c) October 1962 26. Which meeting was the culmination
(c) North-East Full Agency (d) September 1965 of India's engagement with the
(d) North East Far Agency newly independent countries of
17. Who fears a future attack on China
9. China suddenly attacked India? in Nehru's cabinet? Asia and Africa?
(a) August 1962 (a) Vallabhbhai Patel (a) Bandung Conference
(b) September 1962 (b) c. Rajagopalachari (b) Singapore Conference
(c) October 1962 (c) Jawaharlal Nehru (c) Egyptian Convention
(d) September 1965 (d) Jagjivan Ram (d) Malaysia Conference
27. Who accompanied the Tibetan (c) Rajiv Gandhi. (d) V.P. The lion. (c) Jawaharlal Nehru
spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on 31. The basis of Indian foreign policy? (d) Jagjivan Ram
an official visit to China in 1956?
(a) Non-alignment 36. The first Prime Minister to visit
(a) Hua Guofeng (b) Promoting the US block China after Nehru?
(b) Zhao Jiang (c) Promoting the USSR block (a) Lal Bahadur Shastri
(c) The Prime Minister of China (d) Alliance with China (b) Indira Gandhi
Zhou Enlai
32. By which country did India make a (c) Rajiv Gandhi
(d) Lee Peng
serious effort for early (d) V.P. The lion
28. Write 'true' or 'false' against each of independence by convening an 37. China's surprise attack on India?
these statements? international conference?
(a) Non-alignment made India a (a) August 1962
(a) Malaysia (b) Indonesia (b) September 1962
U.S.A and allowed assistance (c) Vietnam (d) Singapore
from both the U.S.S.R. (c) October 1962
(b) India's relations with 33. Why did Britain invade Egypt in (d) September 1965
neighboring countries have 1956? 38. Architect of Non-Alignment?
been strained from the outset. (a) Suez Canal problem (a) Pt. Nehru
(c) The Cold War affected relations (b) Suzhou Canal Problem (b) Indira Gandhi
between India and Pakistan. (c) On the Panama Canal issue (c) Y B Chavan
(d) Bruges canal problem
(d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(d) The 1971 Peace and Friendship 34. Which meeting was the culmination
Treaty, U.S. India Proximity 39. He commented that "a country's
of India's engagement with the
foreign policy is the result of its
29. By making an international newly independent Asian and
economic policy"?
conference India will make serious African countries?
(a) Indira Gandhi
efforts for early independence for (a) Bandung Conference
(b) Singapore Conference (b) Jawaharlal Nehru
which country?
(c) Egypt Conference (c) Morarji Desai
(a) Malaysia (b) Indonesia
(d) Malaysia Conference (d) Charan Singh
(c) Vietnam (d) Singapore
35. Who in the Nehru cabinet fears a 40. Which country was Bandung
30. The first Prime Minister to visit
future attack on China? conference held in?
China after Nehru?
(a) Vallabhbhai Patel (a) Sudan (b) Indonesia
(a) Lal Bahadur Shastri.
(b) c Rajagopalachari (c) Brazil (d) Austria
(b) Indira Gandhi.

Solutions
1. (b) 5. (a) 9. (c) 13. (d) 17. (a) 21. (c) 25. (a) 29. (b) 33. (a) 37 (c)
2. (b) 6. (a) 10. (b) 14. (b) 18. (b) 22. (c) 26. (a) 30. (c) 34. (a) 38. (a)
3. (d) 7 (a) 11. (c) 15. (c) 19. (b) 23. (b) 27 (c) 31. (a) 35. (a) 39. (b)
4. (d) 8. (b) 12. (a) 16. (c) 20. (b) 24. (b) 28. (d) 32. (b) 36. (c) 40. (b)