Mains Marathon

Approach :  Briefly describe India’s post-independence foreign policy. India as a Moral Power on the Global Stage Struggles in Asserting Regional Power Conclude by noting that India’s idealism gained global goodwill, but realpolitik, capacity limitations, and strategic miscalculations hampered regional leadership.

Introduction: 

India’s foreign policy in the post-independence decades, especially under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was founded on the principles of non-alignment, anti-colonialism, peaceful coexistence, and global justice. This moral and idealistic orientation helped India earn prestige on the global stage. However, this outward projection of India as a moral power often stood in sharp contrast to its limited influence and complex relationships in its immediate neighbourhood. 

Body: 

India as a Moral Power on the Global Stage

• Founding Member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) : 
  • India co-founded the NAM in 1961 along with Yugoslavia, Egypt, Ghana, and Indonesia. 
  • Nehru's insistence on strategic autonomy and refusal to align with either the U.S. or USSR during the Cold War reflected India’s commitment to principled neutrality and peace.
• Champion of Decolonization and Racial Equality:
  • India supported anti-colonial struggles in Africa and Asia. It was a vocal opponent of apartheid in South Africa, refusing diplomatic ties with the racist regime and championing sanctions in international forums. 
  • India’s support to countries like Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Indonesia underscored its solidarity with the Global South.
• Advocacy for Global Disarmament:
  • India was among the earliest proponents of universal nuclear disarmament. Nehru’s 1954 proposal for a “standstill agreement” on nuclear testing was influential, though unsuccessful. 
  • India refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on moral grounds, calling it discriminatory.
• Contribution to UN Peacekeeping:
  • India emerged as a major contributor to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, especially in the Congo (1960s) and later in countries like Lebanon, Sudan, and Sierra Leone. 
  • These missions enhanced India’s image as a responsible, peace-loving nation.

Struggles in Asserting Regional Power

• Wars and Hostilities with Pakistan :
  • India fought four wars with Pakistan (1947–48, 1965, 1971, 1999). 
  • The Kashmir issue, Partition’s legacy, and mutual hostility meant that India failed to cultivate a cooperative relationship with a key neighbour. 
  • Even the victory in the 1971 war and the creation of Bangladesh did not lead to sustained peace.
• 1962 War with China:
  • India’s Panchsheel Agreement (1954) with China was rooted in idealism, but the Sino-Indian War of 1962 exposed the limitations of Nehruvian foreign policy. 
•  IPKF in Sri Lanka (1987–1990):
  • India’s intervention in Sri Lanka through the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) backfired. 
  • Initially invited to disarm the LTTE, Indian troops got caught in a prolonged conflict, leading to heavy casualties and resentment among Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese alike. 
•  Difficulties with Smaller Neighbours
  • India’s "big brother" image created friction with countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. 
  • Blockades and trade disputes with Nepal strained ties.
  • In Maldives (1988), India’s military intervention (Operation Cactus) was successful but raised concerns about interventionism.
  • Bangladesh resented India’s slow progress on the Teesta water-sharing agreement and border management.

Conclusion:

As scholar Sunil Khilnani observed in The Idea of India, “Nehru’s foreign policy was about making India matter morally, not just strategically.”Thus, while India earned respect globally for its ethical stance, realpolitik and regional complexities limited its influence in South Asia. This dichotomy highlights the enduring tension in Indian foreign policy between idealism and pragmatism, a tension that continues to shape its strategic choices today.