Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ against each of these statements :

A.

Non-alignment allowed India to gain assistance both from USA and USSR.

B.

India’s relationship with her neighbours has been strained from the beginning.

C.

The cold war has affected the relationship between India and Pakistan.

D.

The treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1971 was the result of India’s closeness to USA.

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A. TRUE
B. FALSE
C. TRUE
D. FALSE

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Various aspects of India’s foreign policy are as mentioned below :

(i) Policy of Non-alignment.

(ii) Friendly relations with Russia.

(iii) Afro-Asian Unity.

(iv) Comprehensive nuclear disarmament without discrimination.

(v) Use of Atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

(vi) Solution of international disputes by negotiations and peaceful methods.

(vii) Support for UNO.

If I were a decision maker, I would like to retain the following two aspects of India’s foreign policy :

(i) Comprehensive nuclear disarmament without any discrimination. The reason is that a nuclear war would destroy human civilisation on earth.

(ii) Solution of international disputes by negotiations and peaceful methods, as it is based on mutual consensus.

I would like to change the following two aspects :

(i) Policy of non-alignment: The reason for change is that in the present unipolar world is that it has become irrelevant. 

(ii) Friendly relations with Russia :We should prefer USA to Russia anymore in this unipolar world.

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It is correct to say that domestic compulsions and prevailing international climate influence the foreign policy of a nation. For example, one of the India’s objective in the 1960s was the rapid economic development and alleviation of poverty. It needed financial and technical assistance for rapid industrialisation which was the object of second five year plans. Thus, India followed a policy of non-alignment and did not join any bloc. India, therefore, was able to get assistance from both the blocs.

Similarly international climate influenced India’s external relations. In 1962 China had invaded India and in 1965 there was a war with Pakistan who was an ally of the US. This led to India’s growing partnership with the Soviet Union. After the 1965 war, the Tashkent Agreement was brokered by the Soviet Union in January 1966. In 1971, 20 year Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the Soviet Union was too a result of the US-Pakistan-China axis.

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A. The goal of India’s foreign policy in the period 1950-1964	(i) Preservation of territorial integrity, sovereignty and economic development
B. Panchsheel	(ii) Five principles of peaceful coexistence
C. Bandung Conference	(iii) Led to the establishment of NAM
D. Dalai Lama	(iv) Tibetan spiritual leader who crossed over to India

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Nehru regarded conduct of foreign relations as an essential indicator of independence because it sets a country free to pursue its national interest The reasons for this statement are as given below :

(i) After the World War, there were two blocs led by US and Soviet Union. NATO and the Warsaw Pact came into existence. The countries who had joined these alliances could not go against the US or Soviet Union or other members of the alliances. The clauses of the alliances were binding on them.

(ii) India did not join any group or alliance. So India could follow an independent policy. For example, in 1956 when Britain attacked Egypt over the Suez Canal issue, India led the world protest against this neo-colonial invasion.