India Foreign Policy & NAM
International Relations · भारत की विदेश नीति और NAM
📋Quick Overview
India's foreign policy since independence has been guided by the ideals of Panchsheel (1954), Non-Alignment, and strategic autonomy — refusing to be tied to any bloc during the Cold War. This philosophy, articulated by Nehru, was later refined by Indira Gandhi (Indira Doctrine), Rajiv Gandhi (Gujral Doctrine under I.K. Gujral), and Modi (Neighbourhood First, Act East Policy). India's approach has evolved from idealism to pragmatic national interest.
India is one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The first NAM Summit was held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1961 with Nehru, Tito, and Nasser as the founding trio. India hosted the 7th NAM Summit in 1983 in New Delhi under Indira Gandhi.
📖Key Foreign Policy Doctrines
| Policy/Doctrine | Period/PM | Key Principles |
|---|---|---|
| Panchsheel | 1954 (Nehru + Zhou Enlai) | 5 principles of peaceful coexistence; basis of India's foreign policy philosophy |
| Non-Alignment | Nehru era (1947–64) | Not joining any Cold War military bloc (US-NATO or USSR-Warsaw Pact); India as leader of developing world |
| Indira Doctrine | Indira Gandhi (1970s) | India as regional hegemon in South Asia; oppose external intervention; India will maintain peace and stability in neighbourhood |
| Gujral Doctrine | 1996 (I.K. Gujral as FM, later PM) | Non-reciprocal concessions to smaller SAARC neighbours — goodwill without demanding reciprocity; 5 tenets for South Asia |
| Neighbourhood First | Modi (2014–present) | Priority to SAARC neighbours; Modi took oath with SAARC leaders; Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka focus; connectivity projects |
| Act East Policy | Modi (2014) — upgraded 'Look East' policy of P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991) | Engage ASEAN + East Asia + Australia + Pacific; ASEAN FTA; India-Japan relations; Malabar exercises |
📖Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) — Key Facts
- •NAM founded 1961 — first summit in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (September 1-6, 1961)
- •Founding Trio: Jawaharlal Nehru (India) + Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia) + Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt)
- •Indonesia's Sukarno and Ghana's Nkrumah also credited as founders
- •NAM today: 120 member states; India hosted 7th Summit 1983 (Indira Gandhi)
- •Post-Cold War: NAM lost strategic rationale; India moved toward 'strategic autonomy' rather than pure non-alignment
- •India's UN peacekeeping: historically largest contributor; 200,000+ troops deployed since 1948 across 50+ missions