Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, laid the foundational framework for India's foreign policy. His vision was shaped by India’s colonial past, aspirations for peace, and the need to maintain sovereignty in a bipolar world. Nehru’s foreign policy aimed to establish India as a leader among newly independent nations while maintaining strategic autonomy and promoting global peace and cooperation.
The most defining feature of Nehru’s foreign policy was Non-Alignment. During the Cold War, when the world was divided between the US-led Western bloc and the USSR-led Eastern bloc, Nehru chose not to align India with either superpower. This policy allowed India to retain its strategic independence and focus on internal development without becoming a pawn in global power politics.
Key Initiative: India was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), formally established in 1961, though the idea was nurtured by Nehru years before.
Another significant aspect of Nehru’s foreign policy was the Panchsheel or the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. These principles were signed in 1954 between India and China to govern mutual relations.
The five principles include:
Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity
Non-aggression
Non-interference in internal affairs
Equality and mutual benefit
Peaceful coexistence
Though the agreement was later violated by China in the 1962 war, Panchsheel remains a cornerstone of India’s diplomatic philosophy.
Nehru believed in Asian solidarity and envisioned India playing a leadership role among the newly decolonized Asian nations. He actively participated in the Asian Relations Conference (1947) and the Bandung Conference (1955), where leaders of Asia and Africa met to discuss shared challenges and promote cooperation.
Impact: These efforts helped in building the foundation for the later formation of the Non-Aligned Movement and elevated India’s status among developing nations.
Having suffered under colonialism, Nehru was a strong advocate of decolonization and racial equality. He supported liberation movements in Africa and Asia and opposed apartheid in South Africa.
Global Role: India raised these issues at international forums, including the United Nations, reflecting Nehru’s commitment to human rights and justice.
Nehru strongly supported the United Nations and believed it to be the best platform for resolving global conflicts peacefully. India actively participated in UN peacekeeping operations and spoke against nuclear armament.
Notable Action: India under Nehru played a mediating role in the Korean War and the Indo-China conflict, showcasing its role as a peacebroker.
Nehru shared ideological sympathies with the USSR, especially in terms of state-led development, though he never officially aligned with the Soviet bloc. The USSR later became a strong ally, especially in defense and technology.
Nehru maintained cordial but cautious relations with the United States. The US viewed India's non-alignment with suspicion, particularly during the Cold War, but bilateral cooperation existed in areas like education, agriculture, and economic aid.
Initially marked by friendship and optimism (with slogans like "Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai"), Nehru's China policy ended in disillusionment after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, which was a major blow to his diplomatic vision and India’s defense preparedness.
While Nehru’s policy was visionary and morally upright, it has been critiqued on several grounds:
Idealism over realism: Critics argue that Nehru overestimated the goodwill of nations like China.
Neglect of defense: The 1962 war exposed serious gaps in India’s military preparedness.
Missed alliances: Some believe India’s refusal to join any bloc led to lost economic and strategic opportunities.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s foreign policy set the tone for India’s global engagement in the post-independence era. Based on principles of peace, non-alignment, and solidarity with oppressed nations, his diplomatic vision helped India gain respect and influence on the world stage. Despite setbacks like the China conflict, Nehru's foundational policies continue to shape India’s international relations even today.