Foreign Policy

• Regulates India's relations with other states to promote national interests.
• Determined by geography, history, social structure, political organization, international environment, economic position, military strength, public opinion, and leadership.

Principles of Indian Foreign Policy

• Promotion of World Peace
  • Aims to promote international peace and security.
  • Article 51 of the Constitution directs the state to maintain just relations, foster respect for international law, and encourage dispute settlement by arbitration.
  • Peace is necessary for economic development.
• Anti-Colonialism
  • Opposes colonialism and imperialism.
  • Views colonialism and imperialism as leading to exploitation of weaker nations.
  • Advocated for the liquidation of colonialism and supported liberation movements in Afro-Asian countries.
• Anti-Racialism
  • Opposes racial discrimination.
  • Racialism leads to exploitation, social inequity, and hinders world peace.
  • Criticized apartheid in South Africa, even snapping diplomatic relations in 1954.
• Non-Alignment
  • Refused to join either the capitalist bloc (USA) or the communist bloc (USSR) during the Cold War.
  • Aims to avoid power politics and contribute to preventing war.
  • Implies no military alliances, an independent approach to foreign policy, and friendly relations with all countries.
• Panchsheel
  • Five principles of conduct in international relations.
  • Embodied in the Indo-China Treaty on Tibet in 1954.
    1. Mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
    2. Non-aggression.
    3. Non-interference in internal affairs.
    4. Equality and mutual benefit.
    5. Peaceful co-existence.
• Afro-Asian Bias
  • Maintains friendly relations worldwide but exhibits bias towards Afro-Asian nations.
  • Aims to promote unity among them and secure their influence in international bodies.
  • Seeks international assistance for their economic development.
  • Played a role in the Asian Relations Conference (1947) and the Afro-Asian Conference at Bandung (1955).
• Links with Commonwealth
  • Continued membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
  • Acceptance of the British Crown as head does not affect India's sovereignty or republican character.
  • Membership is maintained for pragmatic reasons, including economic, political, and cultural benefits.
• Support to the UNO
  • Became a member of the UNO in 1945.
  • Supports the activities and programs of UNO and its principles.
    • Used UNO to fight colonialism, imperialism, racialism, neo-colonialism, neo-imperialism and terrorism.
    • Participated in UN Peace-keeping missions.
    • Demanding a permanent seat in the Security Council.
• Disarmament
  • Opposed to the arms race, advocating for conventional and nuclear disarmament.
  • Aims to promote world peace and accelerate economic development.
  • By not signing NPT and CTBT, India kept its nuclear options open.

Gujral Doctrine

• Proposed in 1996 by I.K. Gujral.
• India should extend unilateral concessions to smaller neighbors.
• Five Principles:
  1. India should not ask for reciprocity from neighbors like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
  2. No South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against the interest of another in the region.
  3. No country should interfere in the internal affairs of another.
  4. All South Asian countries should respect each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
  5. All South Asian countries should settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations.

Nuclear Doctrine of India

• Summary:
  1. Building and maintaining a credible minimum deterrent.
  2. "No First Use" posture.
  3. Nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be massive.
  4. Retaliatory attacks can only be authorized by civilian political leadership.
  5. Non-use against non-nuclear weapon states.
  6. Option of retaliating with nuclear weapons in the event of biological or chemical weapons attack.
  7. Strict controls on export of nuclear and missile-related materials.
  8. Commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free world.
• Nuclear Command Authority comprises a Political Council (chaired by the Prime Minister) and an Executive Council.

Connect Central Asia Policy of India

• Launched in 2012, aimed at strengthening relations with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
• Features:
  1. Building strong political relations through high-level visits.
  2. Strengthening strategic and security cooperation.
  3. Stepping up multilateral engagement.
  4. Long-term partnership in energy and natural resources.
  5. Cooperation in the medical field.
  6. Assisting in setting up a Central Asian University in Bishkek.
  7. Setting up a Central Asian e-network with its hub in India.
  8. Showcasing India's capability in the construction sector.
  9. Reactivating the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
  10. Expanding the presence of Indian banks.
  11. Improving air connectivity.
  12. Encouraging people-to-people connections.

Act East Policy of India

• Upgraded from "Look East Policy" in 2014.
• Focuses on the extended neighborhood in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Gained political, strategic, and cultural dimensions.
• Emphasis on India-ASEAN cooperation in domestic agendas.
• Objective: To promote economic cooperation, cultural ties, and strategic relationships.
• Priority on the North East of India.
• Energizing Buddhist and Hindu links.
• Developing a coherent connectivity strategy, particularly for linking ASEAN with North East India.
• Stepped up economic engagement with ASEAN.
• Increased convergence on security interests.