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TOPIC INFO – UGC NET (Political Science)
SUB-TOPIC INFO – India’s Foreign Policy (UNIT 6)
CONTENT TYPE – Short Notes
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1. India’s Identity as Post Colonial State
1.1. Historical Context of Postcolonial Identity.
1.2. Core Principles of Postcolonial Indian Foreign Policy.
1.3. Institutional and Strategic Manifestations
1.4. Regional Diplomacy and Postcolonial Imperatives
1.5. Postcolonialism and Nuclear Policy
1.6. Economic Diplomacy and Global South Advocacy.
1.7. Evolving Postcolonial Identity in Contemporary Foreign Policy.
1.8. Conclusion
2. Rising Power and as Emerging Political Economy.
2.1. Economic Features of Rising Powers
2.2. Political Dimensions and Governance Structures
2.3. Geopolitical Influence and Soft Power
2.4. Challenges Facing Rising Powers
2.5. The Future of the Global Political Economy.
2.6. Conclusion
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Perspective on India’s Foreign Policy
India’s Foreign Policy (UGC NET – UNIT – 6)
India’s Identity as Post Colonial State
India’s foreign policy since independence in 1947 has been deeply influenced by its postcolonial identity, shaped by its struggle against British imperialism, its commitment to sovereignty and autonomy, and its aspiration for a leadership role among the newly independent nations. As a state emerging from nearly two centuries of colonial rule under the British Empire, India’s postcolonial consciousness has manifested in its international relations, strategic choices, and diplomatic ethos.
Historical Context of Postcolonial Identity
India gained independence from Britain on August 15, 1947, becoming the largest democracy in the postcolonial world. This transition from colony to sovereign republic (formally in 1950) was foundational in shaping its foreign policy.
Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister and a chief architect of its foreign policy, explicitly linked India’s diplomatic outlook with its anti-colonial heritage, asserting that India’s foreign relations would be based on peace, non-alignment, and sovereignty.
As a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), India rejected the Cold War bipolarity and refused to align militarily with either the United States or the Soviet Union, citing its experience with colonial subjugation as a rationale for strategic autonomy.
Core Principles of Postcolonial Indian Foreign Policy
Non-Alignment:Institutionalized in the 1955 Bandung Conference and the subsequent establishment of the NAM in 1961, India’s policy of non-alignment was rooted in the desire to avoid neocolonial domination by global superpowers. India co-founded NAM alongside Yugoslavia, Egypt, Ghana, and Indonesia and emerged as a prominent voice for Global South solidarity.
Anti-Colonialism and Support for Decolonization: India supported anti-colonial movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It was among the first to raise the issue of Apartheid in South Africa at the United Nations in 1946. India supported the Indonesian struggle for independence from the Dutch and offered military aircraft and diplomatic assistance.
Pan-Asianism and South-South Cooperation: Inspired by Asian solidarity, India sought to unite postcolonial states under a common cause of economic and political self-reliance. India was a founding member of the Asian Relations Conference (1947) and later promoted the idea of an Asian identity in world politics.
Opposition to Military Alliances: India refused to join SEATO (1954) and CENTO (1955), both U.S.-led military pacts in Asia, arguing that such alliances compromised the sovereignty of newly independent nations.