India's Foreign Policy
5.1 The foreign policy of a country is generally influenced by and often times even determined by the internal economic policies pursued by the country.
In the immediate aftermath of independence India's foreign policy suffered from the imprint of British pressures, its membership of the Commonwealth and so on. But soon it underwent a significant change. It faced disillusionment with the indifference and even opposition from Anglo-American imperialist powers towards its desire to overcome its colonial backwardness and strive for independent economic development, though within the framework of the capitalist system. Such was the approach of Britain and the US towards the other South-East Asian Countries which had similar aims. On the other hand India saw that the Soviet Union was willing to extend a helping hand both for setting up large-scale strategic industries in the core sector and also to share technological know-how, while also shoring up its defence needs.
5.2 In the international field, in addition to the erstwhile colonies of imperialism that had achieved national independence, two powerful blocs had developed, - one led by the US imperialist and the other by the Soviet Union, including other socialist-oriented countries.
5.3 India opted for a foreign policy of peace, non-alignment, solidarity with the newly liberated countries and anti-imperialism. Though there were several lapses and compromises in its execution, this policy conformed at the time to the class interests of the national bourgeoisie, met the needs of India's independent economic development and was in tune with the anti-imperialist traditions of India's freedom struggle. It also reflected the interests of the newly liberated countries and all those who were still struggling for their independence from colonial powers. It had the support from the Soviet Union which needed peace to reconstruct its economy, which had been totally devastated by the anti-fascist war.
5.4 In pursuance of this policy of peace and non-alignment, India and China signed in 1954 the famous 'Panchsheela' i.e. the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence governing relations between states.
This was followed by the Ten Principles set forth in the Declaration adopted at the Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung (Indonesia) in 1955.
5.5 As one of the leading initiators of both the Panchsheela and the Bandung Declaration India's prestige went up high among all countries of the new Third World that had come into existence.
5.6 Guided by such a policy India played an important role against imperialist wars of intervention first in Korea and then in heroic Vietnam. It stood with Cuba where the US imperialists suffered a humiliating defeat in its Bay of Pigs adventure and in all subsequent maneuvers to blockade Cuba. India expressed full solidarity with the long struggle of the people of South Africa led by the ANC against apartheid, of the people of Angola and Namibia for their freedom. India all along stood with the people of Palestine for their independent statehood.
5.7 The solidarity which India displayed towards countries struggling for their freedom was fully reciprocated by them when Indian people liberated Pondicherry and Goa from centuries old imperialist occupation. The Anglo-American imperialists disapproved of the minor military action which India took on the issue, while the Soviet Union supported it. This was so also when India fought Pakistan leading to the liberation at Bangladesh.
Inside the country there were sections who opposed the non-aligned foreign policy. The monopoly capitalists who had strong links with multinationals together with some bourgeois ruling groups and right-wing parties opposed the policy of non-alignment and anti-imperialism under the specious plea of 'genuine non-alignment' and 'correcting the tilt'. This led to vacillations and lapses which were not in conformity with the general foreign policy. The policy of non-alignment, peace and anti-colonialism strengthened India's political independence and also enabled her to obtain resources and aid from friendly countries particularly Soviet Union and socialist countries. After the demise of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the socialist bloc US imperialist thought of itself as the only super power and the arbiter of the destiny of the world. It resorted to unilateral action and started ignoring the realities of the world situation. US transnational corporations and international financial and trade organisations which the US dominate began to dictate economic policies and impose a world order quite contrary to the 'New International Economic Order' (NIEO) proposed by the United Nations. India adopted the policy of Neo-liberalism, which implied liberalization, privatization and globalisation and a free market economy, under pressure from the US.
5.8 India entered into a series of agreements with the US such as 'New Framework For India-US Defence Relations', 'US-India Agricultural Knowledge Initiative', 'Agreement To Setup the Global Democracy Initiative', 'US-India Financial and Economic Forum, India-US C.E.O Forum and US-India Defence Policy Group'. It could not sign the dangerous 'Logistic Agreement' after negotiating it because of vigorous Left objection. The Nuclear Cooperation Deal which India entered into with the US was a continuation of all these agreements. In this way India was steadily moving away from pursuing an independent foreign policy and moving towards a strategic alliance with the US. The Indian bourgeoisie expressed its eagerness to align with the US in its pursuit for further integration into the global economy. It regarded this as the way for India to emerge as an economic power and eventually as a political power. It terms this as Economic reform. The economic policy of neo-liberalism had a corresponding effect on India's foreign policy.
5.9 India of course has no interest in hostility towards the US. It should be for friendship and good relations with the US, but not subservience to it.
5.10 Non-alignment has been given up as being irrelevant in today's world. In fact its anti-imperialist content and its solidarity with countries fighting for their independence and social progress has been diluted or eschewed in the name of "enlightened self interest" 'pragmatism' and so forth. This even allows the ruling class to tie up with Israel, and turn a blind eye to the military junta rule in Myanmar and Sri Lanka's oppression against the Tamils.
5.11 India however is too big and important a country and the democratic consciousness of its people is quite alert not to let its foreign policy be subservient to the US. It is the second biggest country in the world. It has friendly relations with most countries of the world and commands respect in the third world. It has a long tradition of anti-imperialism and its geo-political status is acknowledged by all. All these factors impel India to pull its weight for peace and disarmament in the Asia-Pacific region and the world however wary it is not to offend the US. It has raised its voice for reorganizing the United Nations according to present day realities, which also takes into account India's rise. It has joined up with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and forged alliances with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Within this group is a sub-group called the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa). It has raised its voice for statehood to Palestine, for lifting the embargo and blockade against Cuba, and so on.
India's foreign policy is thus subject to many complex and contradictory factors. The task of the progressive and democratic movement in the country is to ensure that India's foreign policy retains its independent and anti-imperialist character and stands in solidarity with all countries fighting for independence, democracy, social progress and socialism.
5.12 No issue affecting world peace and international relation in general can be solved today without the active involvement of India and China. An important task in the field is to work for further democratizing and strengthening the UN and for structural changes in its setup, freeing it from imperialist pressure (overt and covert) and expanding its peace keeping role. The goal of a world without weapon and war also requires that the UN be strengthen ensuring equal status for all countries in it and for their democratic participation through giving the General Assembly decisions and resolutions due respect. The aim is to make India a country which stands for peace and disarmament, a country fighting for a nuclear-weapon-free world, a country fighting for a new international economic order, a country which has a powerful voice in resolving the regional conflicts based on justice.
The Security Council's role has to be reviewed so that a coterie of "Big Powers" is not allowed to take decision on crucial issue of peace and security, ignoring the General Assembly.
5.1 The foreign policy of a country is generally influenced by and often times even determined by the internal economic policies pursued by the country.
In the immediate aftermath of independence India's foreign policy suffered from the imprint of British pressures, its membership of the Commonwealth and so on. But soon it underwent a significant change. It faced disillusionment with the indifference and even opposition from Anglo-American imperialist powers towards its desire to overcome its colonial backwardness and strive for independent economic development, though within the framework of the capitalist system. Such was the approach of Britain and the US towards the other South-East Asian Countries which had similar aims. On the other hand India saw that the Soviet Union was willing to extend a helping hand both for setting up large-scale strategic industries in the core sector and also to share technological know-how, while also shoring up its defence needs.
5.2 In the international field, in addition to the erstwhile colonies of imperialism that had achieved national independence, two powerful blocs had developed, - one led by the US imperialist and the other by the Soviet Union, including other socialist-oriented countries.
5.3 India opted for a foreign policy of peace, non-alignment, solidarity with the newly liberated countries and anti-imperialism. Though there were several lapses and compromises in its execution, this policy conformed at the time to the class interests of the national bourgeoisie, met the needs of India's independent economic development and was in tune with the anti-imperialist traditions of India's freedom struggle. It also reflected the interests of the newly liberated countries and all those who were still struggling for their independence from colonial powers. It had the support from the Soviet Union which needed peace to reconstruct its economy, which had been totally devastated by the anti-fascist war.
5.4 In pursuance of this policy of peace and non-alignment, India and China signed in 1954 the famous 'Panchsheela' i.e. the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence governing relations between states.
This was followed by the Ten Principles set forth in the Declaration adopted at the Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung (Indonesia) in 1955.
5.5 As one of the leading initiators of both the Panchsheela and the Bandung Declaration India's prestige went up high among all countries of the new Third World that had come into existence.
5.6 Guided by such a policy India played an important role against imperialist wars of intervention first in Korea and then in heroic Vietnam. It stood with Cuba where the US imperialists suffered a humiliating defeat in its Bay of Pigs adventure and in all subsequent maneuvers to blockade Cuba. India expressed full solidarity with the long struggle of the people of South Africa led by the ANC against apartheid, of the people of Angola and Namibia for their freedom. India all along stood with the people of Palestine for their independent statehood.
5.7 The solidarity which India displayed towards countries struggling for their freedom was fully reciprocated by them when Indian people liberated Pondicherry and Goa from centuries old imperialist occupation. The Anglo-American imperialists disapproved of the minor military action which India took on the issue, while the Soviet Union supported it. This was so also when India fought Pakistan leading to the liberation at Bangladesh.
Inside the country there were sections who opposed the non-aligned foreign policy. The monopoly capitalists who had strong links with multinationals together with some bourgeois ruling groups and right-wing parties opposed the policy of non-alignment and anti-imperialism under the specious plea of 'genuine non-alignment' and 'correcting the tilt'. This led to vacillations and lapses which were not in conformity with the general foreign policy. The policy of non-alignment, peace and anti-colonialism strengthened India's political independence and also enabled her to obtain resources and aid from friendly countries particularly Soviet Union and socialist countries. After the demise of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the socialist bloc US imperialist thought of itself as the only super power and the arbiter of the destiny of the world. It resorted to unilateral action and started ignoring the realities of the world situation. US transnational corporations and international financial and trade organisations which the US dominate began to dictate economic policies and impose a world order quite contrary to the 'New International Economic Order' (NIEO) proposed by the United Nations. India adopted the policy of Neo-liberalism, which implied liberalization, privatization and globalisation and a free market economy, under pressure from the US.
5.8 India entered into a series of agreements with the US such as 'New Framework For India-US Defence Relations', 'US-India Agricultural Knowledge Initiative', 'Agreement To Setup the Global Democracy Initiative', 'US-India Financial and Economic Forum, India-US C.E.O Forum and US-India Defence Policy Group'. It could not sign the dangerous 'Logistic Agreement' after negotiating it because of vigorous Left objection. The Nuclear Cooperation Deal which India entered into with the US was a continuation of all these agreements. In this way India was steadily moving away from pursuing an independent foreign policy and moving towards a strategic alliance with the US. The Indian bourgeoisie expressed its eagerness to align with the US in its pursuit for further integration into the global economy. It regarded this as the way for India to emerge as an economic power and eventually as a political power. It terms this as Economic reform. The economic policy of neo-liberalism had a corresponding effect on India's foreign policy.
5.9 India of course has no interest in hostility towards the US. It should be for friendship and good relations with the US, but not subservience to it.
5.10 Non-alignment has been given up as being irrelevant in today's world. In fact its anti-imperialist content and its solidarity with countries fighting for their independence and social progress has been diluted or eschewed in the name of "enlightened self interest" 'pragmatism' and so forth. This even allows the ruling class to tie up with Israel, and turn a blind eye to the military junta rule in Myanmar and Sri Lanka's oppression against the Tamils.
5.11 India however is too big and important a country and the democratic consciousness of its people is quite alert not to let its foreign policy be subservient to the US. It is the second biggest country in the world. It has friendly relations with most countries of the world and commands respect in the third world. It has a long tradition of anti-imperialism and its geo-political status is acknowledged by all. All these factors impel India to pull its weight for peace and disarmament in the Asia-Pacific region and the world however wary it is not to offend the US. It has raised its voice for reorganizing the United Nations according to present day realities, which also takes into account India's rise. It has joined up with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and forged alliances with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Within this group is a sub-group called the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa). It has raised its voice for statehood to Palestine, for lifting the embargo and blockade against Cuba, and so on.
India's foreign policy is thus subject to many complex and contradictory factors. The task of the progressive and democratic movement in the country is to ensure that India's foreign policy retains its independent and anti-imperialist character and stands in solidarity with all countries fighting for independence, democracy, social progress and socialism.
5.12 No issue affecting world peace and international relation in general can be solved today without the active involvement of India and China. An important task in the field is to work for further democratizing and strengthening the UN and for structural changes in its setup, freeing it from imperialist pressure (overt and covert) and expanding its peace keeping role. The goal of a world without weapon and war also requires that the UN be strengthen ensuring equal status for all countries in it and for their democratic participation through giving the General Assembly decisions and resolutions due respect. The aim is to make India a country which stands for peace and disarmament, a country fighting for a nuclear-weapon-free world, a country fighting for a new international economic order, a country which has a powerful voice in resolving the regional conflicts based on justice.
The Security Council's role has to be reviewed so that a coterie of "Big Powers" is not allowed to take decision on crucial issue of peace and security, ignoring the General Assembly.
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