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| Global perspectives of India’s foreign policy | | | Dr. Rajkumar Singh
In every country with the change of government, especially when opposition takes over the reign of administration, the people, media, foreign policy experts and countries of the world as well guess and predict about the foreign policy of the nation. The change of government is a political change as per form of government adopted in the constitution, it however, is not a change of history, change of geography, change of national power, bureaucratic setup or aims and objectives of the foreign policy. But there are countries like India where foreign policy were conducted by colonial masters and they held control over it after independence. In such cases foreign policy noticed basic change of aims and objects along with nations’ preferences according to needs and aspirations of the country. Thus, India’s foreign policy, took birth and developed during the British Raj between 1857-1947 who monopolized external and defense relation mostly to protect and promote British interests in the region keeping in view the global status and great power considerations. As the foreign policy of colonial power was not in India’s national interest, the Indian National Congress, the oldest political party of India who was also struggling hard for the independence of the country, formed a small foreign department in the Party to make contacts and publicized party’s basic policy of anti-colonialism, ant- racialism and freedom for all. Jawaharlal Nehru, the top leader and brain of the Indian National Congress had a deep interest and knowledge of international relations formulated party’s stance on global issues and began to express India’s views on world events separate from the British policy. Later on, the eve of India’s independence when he headed the Interim Government, on 2 September 1946, laid the foundation of an independent foreign policy with all aims and objects as per national and global requirements.
Initial formulation and practice
After India’s Independence on 15 August 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru remained pivot of country’s foreign policy formulation and its implementation for a long time or till his death on 27 May 1964. In the 1950s India’s international influence and position was high due to its leading role in non-aligned movement, and it was able to receive unconditional aid and grants from both the East and the West. Internationally, it was a good time for the country but it was not able to prevent the effects of Cold War politics in the region, it however, debated intensely at the UN against the logics of Pakistan and bluntly refused to abide the United Nations’ call for a plebiscite in the disputed area. In comparison to 1950s, decades 1960s and 1970s proved defeating because of a weak position in India-China war of October 1962 and its war with Pakistan in 1965. Although, in war with Pakistan it proved itself stronger, these wars were mainly responsible for polarization in favour of Islamabad. While in the war the United States of America remained neutral, an understanding developed between China and Pakistan against India, which proved more fatal for New Delhi in coming days, even till date.
Although, at the close of1980s India’s relations with USA, Soviet Union and South Asian neighbours improved significantly, its Treaty of Friendship done in August 1971 with USSR remained a question mark on its policy of Non-Alignment which opposes joining any Cold War camp. In the phase of global Cold War India witnessed several ups and downs in its foreign policy, its stature gained a height among developing countries due to its active role in the Non-Aligned movement and its increasing role in international organisations and agencies. In the context, establishment of South Asian Association of for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) in December 1985 was a turning point in the all-round development of the countries of the region.
Global changes of policy in post-Cold War
From the mid -1980s the changes at global level moved fast and in 1987 the first treaty on nuclear disarmament to end the Cold War was signed. Further two developments - the 1989 revolutions of Soviet Union and its dissolution in 1991 paved the way for the end of Soviet Union’s status as superpower in world politics. This event cast a long shadow on international relations and affected parties include a large number of countries as well as regional alliances made during the phase of Cold War which began following the end of second World War. Although no direct clash occurred between the two superpowers because it was not a period of active war but of geopolitical tension exhibited through proxy war not in a specific country or region but across the globe. The end of Cold War was symbolised as the victory of democracy and capitalism, giving a boost to the powers like the United States of America, China and India. It increased the practical significance of democratic values and nations began to adopt and implement democratic political structures. It unquestionably made world’s superpower, enhanced the People’s Republic of China from developing country to a fledgling potential superpower and many other countries including India a superpower of the days to come. In the changed circumstances, the US planned to contain Chinese influence in and outside the region. It began to consider China, Japan and other fast-growing economy of the world as America’s competitor. Now, as there was no environment of rivalry and competition, the works on pending global projects like prohibition of chemical weapons, human rights, prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide and climate and environment were hoped to be taken seriously by the world powers.
In addition, the end of Cold War also symbolised as the beginning of globalization which to a large extent affected inter-state relations and exchange of views with regional and global powers of the world. The vast use of internet and mobile phones changes the world in a global village where cultures and elements of modernism and post- modernism mixed with one another and prepared the ground for global culture and ideology. Thus, the end of Cold war and coming of globalization heralded a new era in international relations which no nation of the world dared to ignore or overlook.
Major effects on India’s foreign policy
In post-Cold war period the United States of America remained the sole superpower and relations between India and the US improved significantly. Many factors contributed in making this relationship special as both are democratic countries having a large scope of trading partnership. After the dissolution, the Soviet Union India too was willing to have on good terms and understandings with the US and hence, not only liberalized its economy but also improved its relations with NATO countries, particularly with Canada, France and Germany. In 1992, India also established formal diplomatic relations with Israel. In succeeding years India witnessed a number of ups and downs in its foreign policy, but effects of America on its foreign remained on rise and gradually, in most cases of regional and global significance it sided with the US. While during the period of Manmohan Singh it signed a famous nuclear treaty with the United States of America, under the current dispensation relations between the two has strengthen further and likely to be more solid in coming years and decades. |
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