India’s External Relations

3. Why did Nehru regard conduct of foreign relations as an essential

indicator of independence? State any two reasons with examples to support
your reading.
Answer. 1. India decided to conduct its foreign relations with respect to
sovereignty of other nations and maintain peace and security through mutual
cooperation to be reflected in the Directive Principles of State Policy on Article
51 of constitution
2. India always advocated the policy of Non-alignment, made efforts to reduce
cold war tensions and contributed human resources to UN peace keeping
operations.
3. Hence, India took independent stand and got assistance from members of
both the blocs.

4. “The conduct of foreign affairs is an outcome of a two-way interaction

between domestic compulsions and prevailing international climate”. Take
one example from India’s external relations in the 1960s to substantiate
your answer.
Answer: The statement is justified to maximum extent to be proved during
‘Sino-Indian Conflict of 1962’ to dent India’s image at home and international
level, India had to approach the Americans and the British for military
assistance to tide over the issues. The Soviet Union remained neutral during the
conflict:
(i) All the occurrings, created a sense of national humiliation but strengthened a
spirit of nationalism also on the other hand.

(ii) Pt. Nehru was also criticised for his naive assessment of Chinese intentions
and lack of military preparedness.
(iii) Political mood of country began to change, when no-confidence motion
against Nehru moved in and debated in Lok-Sabha.
(iv) ‘Sino-Indian Conflict’ splitted the Communist Party of India in 1964s split
fraction formed communist party of India (CPI-M).
(v) Besides, the war with China alerted Indian leadership to volatile situation in
the North east region.
(vi) Apart from being isolated and extremely underdeveloped, this region posed
the challenge of national integration in front of India.

5. Identify any two aspects of India’s foreign policy that you would like to
retain and two that you would like to change, if you were to become a
decision maker. Give reasons to support your position.
Answer: Two Aspects to be Supported:
1. India always maintained her dignity and image of a peace loving country by
taking initiatives to bring about equality and understanding among the nations
i.e. India supported to end Korean War in 1953, French rule in China, US role
in Vietnam.
2. India’s initiatives for Non¬alignment are also appreciable for the
maintenance of mutual understanding and security. During post cold war era
also, NAM had become an effective tool to make the Security Council more
effective and democratic.
Two Aspects to be Changed:
1. In the course of decade of 1962-72, India faced three wars and its peaceful
image played a very limited role.
2. Conflict with neighbouring countries like China and Pakistan derailed India’s
concept of regional co¬operation under SAARC.
Hence, India must adopt diplomatic and defensive postures in its foreign policy
to maintain its independent entity.

6. Write short notes on the following:

(a) India’s nuclear policy
(b) Consensus in foreign policy matters
Answer: (a) India’s Nuclear Policy:
1. India advocates no first use and reiterates India’s commitment to global
verifiable on non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament loading to a nuclear
weapon free world.
2. Pt. Nehru always promoted ’ science and technology to build
a modern India, i.e. initiated nuclear programme in the late 1940s under the
guidance of Homi J. Bhoba.
3. India was against nuclear weapons, hence pleaded many nuclear disarmament
with superpowers.
4. India always considered NPT as discriminatory and refused to sign on it.
5. Even India’s first Nuclear Test in May 1974 was termed as a peaceful
explosion and India argued to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes only.
(6) Consensus in Foreign Policy Matters:
1. Pt. Nehru played a crucial role in the architecture of setting National Agenda
for foreign policy.
2. Both as a Prime Minister and foreign minister he played profound influence
in the formulation and implementation of India’s foreign policy from 1946 to
1964.
3. When different parties came to power from time to time, foreign policy of
India played a limited role in party politics.

7.India’s foreign policy was built around the principles of peace and
cooperation. But India fought three wars in a space of ten years between
1962 and 1971. Would you say that this was a failure of the foreign policy?
Or
would you say that this was a result of international situation? Give reasons
to support your answer.
Answer: No, this was not the failure of foreign policy but this was a result of
international situation:
1. The Chinese Invasion 1962:
(a) Serious conflict arose when China annexed Tibet in 1950 and removed a
historical buffer between two nation, and India did not oppose this openly.
(b) India grew uneasy, when China began to suppress Tibetan Culture.
(c) Another border dispute arose when China claimed Aksai Chin area and
NEFA (much of the state in Arunachal Pradesh) within the Indian territory.
(id) Despite long term correspondence and discussions, these issues have not
been resolved even by top leaders of country.
(e) Hence, India had to indulge in the conflict.
2. War with Pakistan:
(a) A serious armed conflict between two countries began in 1965 with the
initiative of Pakistan over Kashmir partition.
(b) In 1966, the hostilities came to an end with the UN intervention and
Tashkent Agreement signed between Indian Prime Minister Lai Bahadur Shastri
and Pakistan’s General Ayub Khan.

(c) The 1965 War added to India’s already difficult economic situation.
3. Bangladesh War of 1971:
(a) In 1970, Pakistan faced its biggest crisis in the way for a split verdict i.e.
Zulficar Ali Bhutto’s Party emerged as winner in West Pakistan while Awami
league led by “Sheikh Mujibur- Rehman” swept through East Pakistan.
(b) The Bengali population of East Pakistan had voted to protest against
discriminatory attitude of West Pakistan, which was not acceptable to West
Pakistan rulers.
(c) In 1971, Pakistani army arrested Sheikh Mujib and unleashed a region of
terror on East Pakistan. This started people’s struggle to liberate Bangladesh
from Pakistan.
(d) India had to bear 80 lakh refugees who fled from East Pakistan to take
shelter. Hence, India had to extend moral and : material support to the freedom
struggle in Bangladesh.
(e) A full scale war between India and Pakistan in December 1971 broke out,
when Pakistan attacked on Punjab and Rajasthan to be retaliated an attack from
India.
(f) Within ten days the Indian army surrounded Dhaka and Pakistan had to
surrender with Bangladesh as a free country, India declared a unilateral
ceasefire and Shimla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan in
1972.
(g) Most people in India saw this moment as a glory of India and a clear sign of
India’s growing military powers.

8. Does India’s foreign policy reflect her desire to be an important regional

power? Argue your case with the Bangladesh war of 1971 as an example.
Answer: Bangladesh War 1971:
(a) In 1970, Pakistan faced its biggest crisis in the way for a split verdict i. e.
Zulficar Ali Bhutto’s Party emerged as winner in West Pakistan while Awami
League led by ‘Sheikh Mujibur-Rehman’ swept through East Pakistan.
(b) The Bengali population of East Pakistan had voted to protest against
discriminatory attitude of west Pakistan which was not acceptable to west
Pakistan rulers.
(c) In 1971, Pakistani army arrested Sheikh Mujib and unleashed a reign of
terror on East Pakistan. This started people’s struggle to liberate Bangladesh
from Pakistan.
(d) India had to bear 80 lakh refugees who fled from East Pakistan to take
shelter. Hence, India had to extend moral and material support to the freedom
struggle in Bangladesh.
(e) A full scale war between India and Pakistan in December 1971 broke out,
when Pakistan attacked on Punjab and Rajasthan to be retaliated an attack from
India. if) Within ten days the Indian army surrounded Dhakan and Pakistan had
to surrender with Bangladesh as a free country, India declared a unilateral
ceasefire and Shimla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan in
1972.
(g) Most people in India saw this moment as a glory of India and a dear sign of
India’s growing military powers.
On the above mentioned reference, we may conclude “Yes’. India’s foreign
Policy reflects her desire to be an important regional power which was revealed
during the Bangladesh war of 1971. Yes, India’s foreign policy reflects her
desire to be an important regional power which was revealed during the
Bangladesh war of 1971.

9. How does political leadership of a nation affect its foreign policy?

Explain this with the help of examples from India’s foreign policy.
Answer: Foreign policy of any country is the mirror of national interests as in
India:
1. During non-congress government in 1977, Janata Party announced to follow
non-alignment genuinely. This implied that the pro-Soviet tilt in foreign policy
will be corrected. Since then, all governments took initiatives to restore better
relations with China and entered into close ties with the US.
2. In Post 1990 period the ruling parties were criticised for their pro-US foreign
policy. During this period Russia had lost its global pre¬eminence despite it has
been India’s good friend. Hence, India’s foreign policy shifted to a more pro-US
strategy.
3. Besides, the contemporary international situation is also more influenced by
economic interests than military interests so made an impact on India’s foreign
policy
i. e. Indo-Pakistan relations have witnessed new developments.

10. Read the Passage:

“Broadly, non-alignment means not tying yourself off with military blocs…
It means trying to view things, as far as possible, not from the military
point of view, though that has to come in sometimes, but independently,
and trying to maintain friendly relations with all countries”.
—-Jawaharlal Nehru
(a) Why does Nehru want to keep off military blocs?
(b) Do you think that the Indo-Soviet friendship treaty violated the
principle of non-alignment? Give reasons for your answer,
(c) If there were no military blocs, do you think non-alignment would have
been unnecessary?
Answer: (a) Nehru wanted to keep off military blocs to maintain friendly and
peaceful relation with all nations of world as well as to maintain India’s
uniqueness at international stage.
(b) No, the Indo-Soviet friendship treaty did not violate non-alignment because
it was not to maintain military relations but to maintain diplomatic friendly
relations. .
(c) NAM emphasises on disarmament, decolonisation and terrorism except
staying away from military blocs.