Chapter 4 India’s External Relations Class 12 Political Science
Notes
International Context
• The British government left behind the legacy of many international disputes
and partition created its own pressure.
• 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.
• Due to the Cold War, the world was getting divided into these two camps, US
and USSR.
The Policy of Non-Alignment
• The cold war period 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 China, and the
beginning of decolonisation.
• Dueto the Cold War, the world was getting divided into these two camps, US and
USSR.
The Policy of Non-Alignment
• The cold war period 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 China, and the
beginning of decolonisation.
Nehru’s Role
• The first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru 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. He wished to achieve these objectives through the strategy of non-
alignment.
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.
• In 1956 when Britain attacked Egypt over the Suez Canal issue, India led the world
protest against this neo-colonial invasion.
• Pakistan joined the US-led military alliances and the US was not happy about
India’s independent initiatives and the policy of non-alignment.
• The US also resented India’s growing partnership with the Soviet Union.
Afro-Asian Unity
• Nehru era was marked by the establishment of contacts between India and
other newly independent states in Asia and Africa.
• Under his leadership, India convened the Asian Relations Conference in March
1947, five months ahead of attaining its independence.
• The Afro-Asian Conference held in the Indonesian city of Bandung in 1955
which is known as Bandung Conference and marked the establishment of the
NAM.
• The first summit of the NAM was held in Belgrade in September 1961.
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.
• 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.
• 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.
Tibet
• The plateau of the central Asian region called Tibet is one of the major issues
that historically caused tension between India and China. In 1950, China took
over control of Tibet.
• With the Panchsheel Agreement of 1954 India conceded China’s claim over
Tibet.
• In 1959, the Dalai Lama crossed over into the India border and sought asylum
which was granted.
The Chinese Invasion, 1962
• Two developments strained China and India relationship:
→ China annexed Tibet in 1950 and thus removed a historical buffer between the
two countries. The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, sought and obtained
political asylum in India in 1959. China alleged that the government of India was
allowing anti-China activities to take place from within India.
→ China claimed two areas within the Indian territory: Askai-Chin area in the
Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and state of Arunachal Pradesh in North
Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA).
• China launched a swift and massive invasion in October, 1962 on the disputed
regions of Aksai-Chin area in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and much
of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in what was then called NEFA (North-Eastern
Frontier Agency).
• The China war dented India’s image at home and abroad. India had to approach
the Americans and the British for military assistance to tide over the crisis.
• The Soviet Union remained neutral during the conflict. It induced a sense of
national humiliation and at the same time strengthened a spirit of nationalism.
• The Sino-Indian conflict affected the opposition as well. The pro-USSR faction
remained within the CPI and moved towards closer ties with the Congress. The
other faction closer to China and was against any ties with the Congress. The
party split in 1964 and the leaders of the latter faction formed the Communist
Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M).
• The war with China alerted the Indian leadership to the volatile situation in the
Northeast region.
Wars and Peace with Pakistan
• A proxy war broke out between the Indian and Pakistani armies in Kashmir
during 1947 itself. The issue was then referred to the UN.
• A long-term dispute about the sharing of river waters was resolved through
mediation by the World Bank. The India-Pakistan Indus Waters Treaty was
signed by Nehru and General Ayub Khan in 1960.
• In April 1965 Pakistan launched armed attacks in the Rann of Kutch area of
Gujarat followed by a bigger offensive in Jammu and Kashmir in August-
September. Shastri ordered Indian troops to launch a counter-offensive on the
Punjab border. In a fierce battle, the Indian army reached close to Lahore.
• The hostilities came to an end with the UN intervention. Later, Indian Prime
Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pakistan’s General Ayub Khan signed the
Tashkent Agreement, brokered by the Soviet Union, in January 1966
Bangladesh war, 1971
• In 1970, Pakistan's first general election produced a split verdict – Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto’s party emerged a winner in West Pakistan, while the Awami League led
by Sheikh Mujib-ur Rahman won in East Pakistan.
• The Pakistani rulers were not willing to accept the democratic verdict. Nor
were they ready to accept the Awami League’s demand for a federation.
• In 1971, the Pakistani army arrested Sheikh Mujib and unleashed a reign of
terror on the people of East Pakistan. In response to this, the people started a
struggle to liberate ‘Bangladesh’ from Pakistan.
• Throughout 1971,India had to bear the burden of about 80 lakh refugees who
fled East Pakistan and took shelter in the neighbouring areas in India.
• Pakistan accused India of a conspiracy to break it up. Support for Pakistan came
from the US and China.
• In order to counter the US-Pakistan-China axis, India signed a 20-year Treaty of
Peace and Friendship with the Soviet Union in August 1971. This treaty assured
India of Soviet support if the country faced any attack.
• A full-scale war between India and Pakistan broke out in December 1971.
• Within ten days the Indian army had surrounded Dhaka from three sides and
the Pakistani army of about 90,000 had to surrender. With Bangladesh as a free
country, India declared a unilateral ceasefire.
• Later, the signing of the Shimla Agreement between Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto on 3 July 1972 formalised the return of peace.
India’s Nuclear Policy
• The first nuclear explosion undertaken by India in May 1974.
• A nuclear programme initiated in the late 1940s under the guidance of Homi J.
Bhabha. Nehru was against nuclear weapons.
• When Communist China conducted nuclear tests in October 1964, the five
nuclear weapon powers, the US, USSR, UK, France, and China (Taiwan then
represented China) – also the five Permanent Members of the UN Security
Council – tried to impose the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 on
the rest of the world. India always considered the NPT as discriminatory and had
refused to sign it.
• India conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1998, demonstrating its
capacity to use nuclear energy for military purposes.
• India’s nuclear doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence professes “no
first use”.
