India's External Relations Notes in English class 12 Political Science Chapter-4 Book-POLITICS IN INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE
0Team Eklavyaअप्रैल 25, 2025
Chapter - 4
India's foreign relations
In this chapter we will learn about India's foreign policy and how India made its foreign policy after independence, in which Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru played a significant role. Also , how India showed a new path of non-alignment to new countries by staying away from two groups in the then prevailing conditions during the Cold War. We will understand the relations between India's neighbouring countries China and Pakistan and will also learn about India's nuclear policy.
What is meant by foreign relations
1. Foreign policy
The way a country maintains relations with its neighbouring and distant countries determines its foreign policy.
The foreign policy of a country is related to its economic , social, political and military relations with other countries .
In its foreign policy, India aims to achieve its security by respecting the sovereignty of all countries and maintaining peace.
2. The main elements of Nehru's foreign policy
Preserving hard-won sovereignty.
Maintaining territorial integrity.
Achieve rapid economic development.
3. Basic principles of India's foreign policy
Social, economic, political development.
Policy of non-alignment.
Panchsheel agreement.
Opposition to imperialism and colonialism.
Striving for world peace.
Respect for democracy.
Respect for human rights.
To promote peace and friendship among different countries.
4. Policy of non-alignment
After the second world war the whole world was divided into two camps, one camp was of America and the other camp was of Soviet Union.
In such a situation, India kept itself away from both the groups.
Adopted the policy of non-alignment in India.
5. India's foreign policy
Relations between India and the Indian people have been good even before independence.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Boseformed the Indian National Army ( INA – INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY ) abroad.
At the time of India's independence, the whole world was in the era of Cold War and the whole world was divided into two camps. The foreign policy of independent India had the dream of a peaceful world, so India kept a distance from both the camps.
India kept itself away from the then military blocs NATO ( America ) and Warsaw Organization ( Soviet Union ) .
India has always tried to make agreements between different countries.
6. Drawbacks of India's foreign policy
Pakistan had come closer to America. India was a good friend of the Soviet Union.
Therefore, India's relations with America soured.
In 1956 Britain invaded Egypt – India protested.
The Soviet Union invaded Hungary – India did not oppose it.
Afro - Asian Agreement
During Nehru's time, India established contacts with the countries of Africa and Asia .
In the 1950s , Nehru advocated Asian unity .
Asian Relations Conference was held in March 1947 .
India strived for the independence of Indonesia .
India was strongly opposed to colonisation .
The Afro-Asian Conference was held in 1955 in the Indonesian city of Bandung . It is called the Bandung Conference .
The foundation of the policy of non-alignment was laid in this conference .
India's changing relations with other nations
China
China is a neighboring country of India.
China is a country with a large area.
China has the largest population in the world.
India's population is second in the world.
There are also some disputed issues between India and China.
1. Relations between India and China
Chinese Revolution - took place in 1949 and India was among the first countries to recognise the Communist government of China.
India started its relations with China on a friendly note; Nehru had deep feelings for this country.
Although Sardar Patel feared that China might attack India, Nehru believed that this was unlikely.
Nehru deployed paramilitary forces instead of the army on the border.
2. Panchsheel Samjhota
The Panchasheel Agreement was signed between India and China on 29 April 1954. In this agreement, Nehru ji was on behalf of India and Chou En Lai was on behalf of China.
It agreed on five points: -
1. Do not wage war against one another.
2. Not to interfere in each other's internal matters.
3. Respect each other's territorial integrity.
4. Feeling of equality and mutual friendship.
5. Peaceful co-existence.
3. India-China dispute
China occupied Tibet in 1950 .
Initially India did not openly oppose it.
Tibetan culture was crushed by China.
China started settling Chinese in Tibet.
In such a situation, the religious leader of Tibet, Dalai Lama, sought refuge in India in 1959. India gave refuge to Dalai Lama.
China opposed this and said that India was interfering in its internal affairs, which was against the Panchsheel Agreement.
At the same time, the border dispute between India and China also started which was regarding the areas.
1. Jammu and Kashmir (Ladakh)
2. Arunachal Pradesh (NEFA)
4. Chinese invasion - 1962
China attacked India in 1962 , India was not prepared for this due to which India was defeated.
This gave a serious blow to the country's foreign policy.
India had to seek help from America and Britain; the Soviet Union remained neutral.
The defeat led to the resignation of military commanders and Defence Minister VK Krishna Menon quit the Cabinet.
Nehru's image was tarnished. For the first time a no-confidence motion was brought against the government.
5. Improvement in India-China relations
It took a long time for India-China relations to improve after the 1962 war and diplomatic relations began to be restored in 1976 .
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited as Foreign Minister in 1979 and Shri Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister in 1988 but the emphasis was more on restoring trade relations .
In 2003 , Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited China as Prime Minister and agreed to open old trade routes, of which the Silk Route was the main one, and China also accepted Sikkim as a part of India .
In 1988 , Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited China and signed some agreements .
1. Cultural exchange between the two countries.
2. Cooperation in the field of technology.
3. Opening of four border posts for trade.
Bilateral trade has grown at a rate of 30 percent annually since 1999
Assistance in securing energy deals abroad
Similar policies with respect to other international economic organisations, such as the World Trade Organisation
Pakistan
1. Relations after independence
Pakistan became independent along with India on 14 August 1947
Relations between Pakistan and India have been tense since the beginning.
In 1947 , Pakistan and India went to war over the Kashmir issue
Pakistan forcefully occupied a large part of Kashmir
In 1965 , Pakistan and India again went to war. At that time, Lal Bahadur Shastri was the Prime Minister. At that time, the army had reached close to Lahore.
The war was stopped with the intervention of the United Nations. The Tashkent Agreement was signed in 1966 between India's Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pakistan's President General Ayub Khan.
2. Bangladesh crisis ( 1971)
The first general elections were held in Pakistan in 1970. Pakistan was divided into two parts, East and West Pakistan.
In West Pakistan, PPP's Zulfikar Ali Bhutto got majority while in East Pakistan, Sheikh Mujiburahman's Awami League got majority.
There were serious differences in culture and language between the two parts, due to which a consensus could not be reached. On ignoring the eastern people, a rebellion started under the leadership of Sheikh Mujiburahman.
Sheikh Mujibur was arrested and West Pakistan started repressing the people, due to which 80 lakh Bangladeshi refugees entered India
At that time, the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, gave moral and material support to Bangladesh in this liberation struggle.
In 1971 , Pakistan sought help from China and America, due to which Indira Gandhi signed a 20 -year friendship treaty with the Soviet Union.
In 1971 , India fought a war with Pakistan which ended with the formation of a new country called Bangladesh. 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to the Indian Army.
In 1972 , the Shimla Agreement was signed between the Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on behalf of Pakistan.
3. Dispute between India and Pakistan
1. Saraqiq Line dispute
2. Siachen Glacier dispute
3. Kashmir dispute
4. Pakistan providing arms , training and funding to Kashmiri militants
5. Intelligence agency ( ISI) running anti-India operations in Northeast India from Bangladesh and Nepal
6. Providing protection to terrorists
Beginning of India's nuclear policy
India conducted nuclear tests in May 1974
Nehru expressed faith in science and technology
India's nuclear policy was initiated in the late 1940s under the leadership of Homi Jhangir Bhabha
India wanted to produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and self-defense
The permanent members of the Security Council wanted to impose the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on the countries of the world in 1968
India opposed the treaty saying it was discriminatory
The Arab-Israeli war took place in 1973 , after which there was an outcry for oil all over the world
Inflation increased in India too and economic crisis emerged
Nuclear policy of India
1. India will keep nuclear weapons for its self-defense.
2. Will not use these weapons first.
3. Opposition to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
