🇮🇳 Indian Foreign Policy – Overview

India’s foreign policy emerged from the trauma of Partition and the legacy of British colonialism.

Under Jawaharlal Nehru, it aimed to:

• Assert sovereignty
• Promote peace
• Uphold anti-colonialism
• Foster self-reliance and self-respect

Anchored in Article 51 of the Constitution (Directive Principles of State Policy):
"Promotion of international peace and security."

---

🌐 Principles of Indian Foreign Policy

• Preservation of national interest
• Autonomy in decision-making
• Economic diplomacy (focus on trade & investment)
• Anti-terrorism cooperation
• Friendship in extended neighbourhood
• Engagement with international organisations (UN, NAM, G-20, Commonwealth, EU)
• UNSC reform & promotion of multipolarity
• Equitable North-South relations
• Global nuclear disarmament
• Engagement with Indian diaspora

---

🤝 Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

Origin & Founding

• Coined by V.K. Krishna Menon (UN, 1953); adopted by Nehru (Colombo, 1954)
• Institutionalised at Bandung Conference (1955) and Belgrade Conference (1961)
• Founding leaders:
  • Nehru (India)
  • Tito (Yugoslavia)
  • Nasser (Egypt)
  • Sukarno (Indonesia)
  • Nkrumah (Ghana)

Core Principles (Havana Declaration, 1979):

• Uphold sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence
• Resist imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and hegemony

Panchsheel Principles (1954):

• Mutual respect for sovereignty
• Mutual non-aggression
• Mutual non-interference
• Equality & mutual benefit
• Peaceful co-existence

India & NAM

• India is a founding and leading member
• Hosted the 7th NAM Summit (New Delhi, 1983)
• Took strong stances on:
  • Disarmament
  • Development
  • Palestine issue

Current Relevance of NAM

• South-South cooperation
• Resistance to Western hegemony
• Platform for sustainable development
• Cultural pluralism
• Protecting third-world interests
• Combating terrorism & illicit activities

---

☢️ India’s Nuclear Policy

Historical Development

• Initiated by Homi J. Bhabha (1944)
• Triggered by 1962 Sino-Indian War
• Pokhran I (1974) – Peaceful nuclear explosion
  • Codename: Smiling Buddha
• Pokhran II (1998) – 5 nuclear tests → India declared a de facto nuclear power

Nuclear Doctrine (2003)

Based on No First Use (NFU) & credible minimum deterrence

• Key points:
  • Use only in retaliation to nuclear attack
  • No use against non-nuclear weapon states
  • Option to respond with nukes to chemical or biological attack
  • Sole authority: civilian leadership via Nuclear Command Authority (NCA)

Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) – Established Jan 4, 2003

Three-tier structure:

• Political Council (headed by PM) – final decision-maker
• Executive Council – advisory role
• Strategic Forces Command – operational authority for nuclear weapons