The document discusses India's foreign policy challenges after independence. It notes India grappled with problems of reconstruction while also dealing with issues like the partition. Non-alignment was a key principle of Nehru's foreign policy to avoid alignment with major powers and promote peace. However, conflicts with China and Pakistan over borders and Kashmir challenged this approach and India's global standing.

2. International Context
 After world war, many countries were grappling with
problems of reconstructions.
 Fall of colonialism brought new nations to tackle the
challenges of democracy and welfare.
 India had many internal issues like partition together with
international issues.
 Poverty alleviation was main focus. International
affairs.
 India wanted foreign relations respecting the sovereignty
of others .
 Aim achieve peace through security.
 Influence on foreign policy domestic and
international environment.

3. Developing
countries
•Don’t have enough resources for
international relationships and satisfied
with their little bit.
•Attention to peace and development.
•Dependence on powerful countries
influences their foreign policy.
•Supported powerful countries for aid and
credit.
•This led to two camps: US and USSR
•Our freedom came when cold war was just
beginning.
•( Cold war-?

4.  Indian struggle for freedom is a part of worldwide
movement to bring down imperialism and
colonialism.
 Indian leaders had relationship with other
nations.Eg. Subhash Chandra Bose – INA
participated in second world war.
 Foreign policy takes shape when domestic and
external factors interact.
 Foreign policy was coloured by noble ideals which
demanded freedom and our freedom was coincided
with cold war.
 Two super powers- USA and USSR
 UNO was formed.

5. Emergence of
communist China
Making of Nuclear
weapons
Decolonalization

6. Preserve
hard earned
sovereignty
Promote
rapid
economic
growth
Protect
territorial
integrity
Nehru was in charge of foreign affairs too.
He had three objectives in framing foreign policy.
He wanted to achieve these goals through the strategy
of non-alignment.

7.  Foreign policy not supporting both groups.
 Wanted to follow the dream of peaceful world
through non- alignment policy.
 Wanted to reduce cold war tensions and
provided human resources for UN peace-
keeping operations.
 USA- Nato and USSR- Warsaw pact.
 India kept a safe distance from both but
maintained good relationship.
 Non- alignment- difficult balancing act like
tight rope walking.

8.  In 1956, India led a world protest against Britain
when it attacked Egypt stating that it was a neo
colonialism. But kept silence on Russian invasion in
Hugary.
 This gave the feeling that India was supporting
USSR. But India managed to be independent and
received support from both blocs.
 Pakistan joined US led military alliance as India
tried to make other developing countries aware of
the importance of non alignment policy.
 America wanted India to follow them but India did
not.

9.  Nehru tried to establish contact with all newly
independent nations in Asia and Africa.
 He stood for Asian unity and convened Asian
Relations Conference in March 1947.
 Efforts to free Indonesia from Dutch Colonial
regime.
 Staunch supporter of decolonalization.
 Fought against apartheid in South Africa.
 1955- Bandung conference – India’s interest in
newly independent nations in Asia and Africa.
 NAM- first NAM meeting in Belgrade in
1961. Nehru was co- founder.

10.  Started with a very friendly note.
 India- one of the first nations recognized
communist government after Chinese revolution in
1949.
 India welcomed China’s coming out of Western
dominance.
 Vallabhai Pattel feared China’s invasion, but not
Nehru. So para military forces guarded our chinese
border.
 Relations were strengthened by Panchasheel by
Nehru and Zhou Enlai on April 1954.
 (Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity
and sovereignty, mutual non aggression,mutual
non interference, equality and mutual benefit and
peaceful co existence.

11.  China annexed Tibet in 1950 and removed
historical buffer between two countries.
 India did not express its displeasure but granted
political asylum to Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of
Tibet as he sought for an asylum. Anti Chinese
act. Added fuel to the fire China did not
accept the boundaries decided during colonial
days.
 China’s claim- Aksai Chin in Ladakh and NEFA(
North East Frontier Agency) part of China
occupied the Aksai –Chin area and made a strategic
road – No conclusions from the discussions and
debates between two leaders- small skirmishes
between two armies.

12.  Swift and massive attack by China in October 1962on
both the areas of dispute captured key areas of
Arunachal Pradesh one more attack on Indian
borders in the following month advanced to entry
points of Assam plains. China unilaterally declared
ceasefire.
 India lost her image both at home and abroad.
 sought military assistance from USA and UK. Russia
took neutral position. This was a humiliation for India.
 Nehru was criticized. Defence minister and military
commanders resigned Congress lost in key by-
elections and Government faced non confidence
motion. It even affected the opposition parties. In 1964
CPI(M) and CPI were formed owing allegiance to China
and the USSR.
 National integration- Nagaland became separate state.
Manipur and Tripura remained UT but government
granted permission to elect their own assembly
members.

13.  Pakistan started claiming Kashmir to be part of
Pakistan.
 1947 itself a sort of war had broken out between
Pakistan and India over the Kashmir issue but not a full
pledged war referred to UNO Pakistan became
a critical factor in India’s relations with US and China.
 Two governments co operated in exchanging women
who were abducted during partition.
 World bank solved dispute over sharing river waters.
Indus water treaty- Nehru and General Ayub Khan in
1960.
 In 1965, serious conflict between India and Pakistan
took place, when Lal Bahdoor Sastri was prime
minister. They attacked ran of Kutch Kashmir
 Expected local support but in vain.

14.  Sastri allowed counter attack on Punjab border and
reached near Lahore.
 UN intervened and war ended.
 Tashkent Agreement between sastri and General
Ayub in 1966.
 Great loss for Pakistan and economic problems in
India.

15.  Pakistan’s greatest internal crisis in 1970.
 Firtst general elections split as Bhuto won in West
Paksitan and Mujib UR Rahman in East.
 The people of east were treated as second class
citizen- Western authority never bothered about
Bengali population of East- Elections showed the
protest. Authority didn’t accept the verdict and
arrested Mujib Ur Rahman the awami leader
terror satrted. Liberation movemet to free
Bangladesh from Pakistan India affected as 80
lakshs of refugees fled to India moral support by
India. Pakistan accused of conspiracy to break up
their country.

16.  China, US supported Pakistan. Advisor of American
President visited Pakistan secretly in 1971.
 To counter this India signed a 20 year treaty with USSR.
 Diplomatic relations were strained, tension increased and
war started in December 1971 Pakistani Planes
attacked Punjab and Rajastan and military moved to J&K.
 Indian navy, Airforce and Military attacked Pakistan both
west and east fronts.
 Within days Indian army surrounded Dhaka 90000
strong Pakistani army surrendered. Bangladesh
became free nation and India declared unilateral
ceasefire- Shimla Agreement signed by Indira Gandhi and
Z. A. Bhuto.
 It was a moment of glory- proved the power of military.
 Congress and Indira Gandhi were glorified and Congress
won in the states in elections.

17.  Derailed five year plans.
 Govt. established Dept. of Defence production in
1962 to divert to defence sector and modernize the
military.
 Dept. Defence supplies in 1965.
 Third five year plan was affected.
 Fourth plan started in 1969.

18.  Nehru had great faith in science and technology
 To modernize India, energy was a must.
 The nuclear programmes started by Homi. J. Bhaba.
 India wanted to produce atomic energy for peaceful
purposes. Nehru didn’t want to produce nuclear
weapons.
 India requested two super powers for a
comprehensive disarmament programme. But the
number of nuclear weapons increased. China
conducted nuclear tests in 1964.
 Countries having nuclear arsenals tried to impose
Nuclear non proliferation Treaty in 1968 on other
countries of the world. India opposed.
 India conducted her nuclear tests for peaceful
purposes.

19.  Sky rocketing oil price.
 Political parties had unity on the issues of
border security, national integration and
national interests.