Foundations of India's Foreign Policy
India's foreign policy since independence has been guided by principles of sovereignty, non-alignment, peaceful coexistence, and multilateralism. Jawaharlal Nehru, as the first Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister, laid the philosophical foundations.
Panchsheel — Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence
The Panchsheel Agreement was signed on 29 April 1954 between India and China. It first appeared in the Preamble to the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet Region of China and India.
| Principle | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty | No encroachment on borders or sovereignty |
| Mutual non-aggression | No use of force against each other |
| Mutual non-interference in internal affairs | No meddling in domestic matters |
| Equality and mutual benefit | Fair and reciprocal dealings |
| Peaceful coexistence | Resolve disputes without war |
The five principles were enunciated by Nehru and Zhou Enlai. They were incorporated into the Ten Principles of the Bandung Conference (April 1955) and adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly on 11 December 1957.
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Precursor conference | Bandung Conference, Indonesia (18-24 April 1955) |
| Formal founding | First NAM Summit, Belgrade, Yugoslavia (1961) |
| Founding leaders | Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia), Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Sukarno (Indonesia) |
| Core idea | Strategic autonomy — no alignment with either the US or Soviet bloc during the Cold War |
| Current members | 120 nations |
The term "Non-Alignment" was first used in 1950 at the United Nations by India and Yugoslavia in the context of the Korean War.
Key Foreign Policy Doctrines
Look East Policy to Act East Policy
| Feature | Look East Policy | Act East Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 1991, under PM P.V. Narasimha Rao | 2014, under PM Narendra Modi |
| Focus | Economic engagement with Southeast Asia | Action-oriented, project-based engagement extending to East Asia, Oceania |
| Scope | Primarily ASEAN | ASEAN + Japan, South Korea, Australia, Pacific Islands |
| Key milestones | India became ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner (1992), ASEAN Regional Forum member (1996), Summit-level partner (2002) | India-ASEAN trade reached USD 122.67 billion (2023-24) |
India acceded to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2003.
Neighbourhood First Policy
Launched in 2014 under PM Modi, signalled by the invitation of all SAARC leaders to his swearing-in ceremony on 26 May 2014. Key elements include:
- Prioritising relations with immediate neighbours (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Afghanistan)
- Development assistance, connectivity projects, and capacity-building
- Gradual shift from SAARC (stalled due to India-Pakistan tensions) to BIMSTEC as the preferred regional platform
- PM Modi's first foreign visit as PM was to Bhutan
SAGAR Doctrine (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
Announced by PM Modi on 12 March 2015 during the commissioning of MCGS Barracuda into the National Coast Guard of Mauritius.
| Pillar | Description |
|---|---|
| Maritime security | Safeguarding India's mainland, islands, and the Indian Ocean Region |
| Capacity building | Assisting maritime neighbours and island states |
| Collective action | Cooperative approaches to regional challenges |
| Sustainable development | Blue economy and marine resource management |
| Rules-based order | Respect for international maritime rules and norms |
Indo-Pacific Strategy
PM Modi articulated India's Indo-Pacific vision at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore, on 1 June 2018, describing the Indo-Pacific as "a free, open, inclusive region" embracing all nations in the geography.
Key features of India's approach:
- Inclusiveness — Unlike the US, India includes China in its Indo-Pacific construct
- ASEAN centrality — ASEAN is the connecting link between the Indian and Pacific Oceans
- Rules-based order — Freedom of navigation, overflight, and lawful commerce
- Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) — Launched at the East Asia Summit, Bangkok, November 2019, focusing on maritime security, ecology, resources, capacity building, disaster risk reduction, and trade connectivity
Multilateral Groupings
QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Members | India, USA, Japan, Australia |
| First meeting | May 2007, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum, Manila |
| Initiated by | Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, with support from PM Manmohan Singh, Australian PM John Howard, and US VP Dick Cheney |
| Revival | 2017 (after a decade-long hiatus) |
| First Leaders' Summit | March 2021 (virtual) |
| Focus areas | Vaccines, climate, critical technologies, maritime security, cyber, space |
| Recent initiative | Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative (September 2024) |
The Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting of 21 January 2025 affirmed commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and opposition to "unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion."
BRICS and Its Expansion
| Phase | Members | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Original BRIC | Brazil, Russia, India, China | Coined by Goldman Sachs (2001); first summit 2009 |
| BRICS | + South Africa | 2010 |
| Expanded BRICS | + Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE | January 2024 |
| Further expansion | + Indonesia | 2025 |
| Partner countries (2024) | Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and others invited | October 2024, Kazan Summit |
The expanded BRICS represents approximately half the world's population and 41% of global GDP.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 (successor to Shanghai Five, 1996) |
| Original members | China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan |
| India's admission | 9 June 2017, Astana Summit (along with Pakistan) |
| Focus | Counter-terrorism, economic cooperation, energy, connectivity |
| India hosted SCO Summit | 2023 (virtual, under India's chairmanship) |
G20 — India's Presidency (2023)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| India's presidency period | 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 |
| Theme | "One Earth, One Family, One Future" (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam) |
| Leaders' Summit | 9-10 September 2023, New Delhi |
| Scale | 200+ meetings across 60 cities, all 28 States and 8 UTs |
| Key achievement | African Union admitted as permanent G20 member (55 African nations integrated) |
| Outcomes | 87 outcomes and 118 adopted documents |
| Other highlights | Digital Public Infrastructure repository (50+ DPIs from 16 countries), Global Biofuels Alliance, call to triple renewable energy by 2030 |
Key Bilateral Relationships
India-United States
| Phase | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Cold War era | Strained; US tilted towards Pakistan; India closer to USSR |
| Post-1991 | Gradual warming after India's economic liberalisation |
| 2005-2008 | India-US Civil Nuclear Deal (123 Agreement) |
| 2016 | India designated Major Defence Partner |
| 2023 | Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET); GE-414 jet engine deal |
| Defence | LEMOA (2016), COMCASA (2018), BECA (2020), and GSOMIA foundational agreements signed |
India-China
| Issue | Status |
|---|---|
| Boundary question | 3,488 km LAC; no demarcated boundary; Special Representatives mechanism since 2003 |
| 2020 Galwan clash | 15 June 2020 — 20 Indian and 4 Chinese soldiers killed; first fatalities since 1975 |
| Disengagement | Completed at all friction points by 30 October 2024 (Demchok and Depsang were the last) |
| Patrolling resumed | Indian and Chinese troops resumed LAC patrolling in eastern Ladakh after 4+ years |
| Trade | China remains India's largest trading partner; trade deficit remains a concern |
| Strategic issues | BRI/CPEC, India's NSG membership, Arunachal Pradesh, Tibet, stapled visas |
India-Russia
- Strategic partnership since 2000; elevated to Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership (2010)
- Defence cooperation: S-400 missile system, BrahMos (joint venture), INS Vikramaditya (aircraft carrier)
- Energy: Rosneft-ONGC partnership; Russian oil imports surged post-2022
- Multilateral: Coordination in BRICS, SCO, RIC (Russia-India-China) trilateral
India-Japan
- Special Strategic and Global Partnership
- Key areas: Bullet train project (Mumbai-Ahmedabad), defence cooperation, Indo-Pacific collaboration
- India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (Foreign + Defence Ministers)
- Japan is a major source of ODA (Official Development Assistance) for India
India-EU
- Strategic Partnership since 2004
- India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) launched in 2023
- Free Trade Agreement negotiations (Broad-Based Trade and Investment Agreement) ongoing
- Cooperation on climate, digital, connectivity
India-Pakistan
| Issue | Key Facts |
|---|---|
| Kashmir dispute | Since 1947; UN resolutions; Shimla Agreement (1972); Lahore Declaration (1999) |
| Wars | 1947, 1965, 1971, Kargil (1999) |
| Cross-border terrorism | Major obstacle — Mumbai attacks (2008), Pulwama attack (2019) |
| Diplomatic ties | Downgraded after Article 370 abrogation (August 2019) |
| Current status | Bilateral trade minimal; no composite dialogue since 2015; ceasefire agreement along LoC (February 2021) |
Indian Diaspora
- Estimated 32 million people of Indian origin across the world (one of the largest diasporas)
- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrated on 9 January each year
- Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card scheme for diaspora engagement
- Significant presence in the US, UK, Gulf countries, Southeast Asia, and Africa
- Remittances to India exceeded USD 125 billion (2023-24) — highest in the world
Important for UPSC
Prelims Focus
- Founding year and members of QUAD, BRICS, SCO, G20
- Panchsheel principles and year (1954)
- NAM founding (Belgrade, 1961)
- SAGAR doctrine (2015), Act East Policy (2014), Look East Policy (1991)
- India-US foundational defence agreements: LEMOA, COMCASA, BECA
- BRICS expansion — new members joining in 2024 (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE)
- G20 India presidency theme: "One Earth, One Family, One Future"
Mains Dimensions
| Dimension | Sample Questions |
|---|---|
| Evolution | How has India's foreign policy evolved from NAM to multi-alignment? |
| Strategic autonomy | Is strategic autonomy still relevant in a multipolar world? |
| Neighbourhood | Evaluate the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood First policy |
| Indo-Pacific | Compare India's and the US's visions of the Indo-Pacific |
| China challenge | Discuss the implications of the Galwan disengagement for India-China ties |
| Multilateral | Assess India's role in reshaping global governance through G20 and BRICS |
| Diaspora | How can India leverage its diaspora for diplomatic and economic gains? |
Interview Angles
- Is India a "leading power" or a "balancing power"?
- Should India join RCEP?
- How should India balance its Russia relationship with the Western alignment?
- What is India's approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict?
- Can BRICS provide a genuine alternative to the Western-led order?
Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Prelims
Q1. (2020): Consider the following statements:
- The first BRICS Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
- South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: (b) (The first BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009, not Rio de Janeiro; South Africa joined in 2010) (Prelims PYQ, GS Paper I)
Q2. (2021): With reference to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), consider the following statements:
- It is a grouping of India, Japan, Australia and the USA.
- The first meeting was held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in 2007.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: (c) (Prelims PYQ, GS Paper I)
Q3. (2015): The term "__(Gujral Doctrine)" is sometimes seen in the news in the context of: (a) India's foreign policy towards its neighbouring countries (b) India's nuclear energy programme (c) India's climate change commitments (d) India's digital governance strategy Answer: (a) (The Gujral Doctrine outlines five principles for India's neighbourhood policy emphasising unilateral concessions to smaller neighbours) (Prelims PYQ, GS Paper I)
Q4. (2018): Consider the following statements about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):
- India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO in 2017.
- The SCO was founded in 2001.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: (c) (Prelims PYQ, GS Paper I)
Mains
Q5. (2017): "India's relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back." Discuss. (GS Paper II, 250 words)
Q6. (2022): How will I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, USA) grouping help India? (GS Paper II, 150 words)
Current Affairs Connect
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Ujiyari -- IR News | Ujiyari -- IR News |
| Ujiyari -- Editorials | Ujiyari -- Editorials |
| Ujiyari -- Daily Updates | Ujiyari -- Daily Updates |
Sources: Ministry of External Affairs (mea.gov.in), Press Information Bureau (pib.gov.in), G20 India Presidency (g20.in), United Nations (un.org), ASEAN Secretariat (asean.org)