📘 Class 12 Political Science – Chapter 4
🌟 India’s External Relations
🌍 International Context / Relations
- After independence, India faced challenges to frame a strong foreign policy.
- India aimed to:🔹 Respect the sovereignty (सार्वभौमिकता) of all nations🔹 Achieve security through peace
- After World War II, world politics was divided into two camps –👉 One led by USA👉 Other led by USSR (Soviet Union)
🕊️ Policy of Non-Alignment
- Cold War era → political, economic, and military confrontation between US & USSR.
- India wanted to pursue its national interests without joining either bloc.
- This gave rise to Non-Alignment Movement (NAM).
👨⚖️ Nehru’s Role in Foreign Policy
- Nehru guided India’s foreign policy from 1946–1964.
- His 3 major objectives:1️⃣ Preserve sovereignty (स्वतंत्रता की रक्षा)2️⃣ Protect territorial integrity (क्षेत्रीय अखंडता)3️⃣ Promote rapid economic development
- Many leaders wanted India to adopt pro-US policy, but Nehru followed non-alignment.
🚫 Distance From Two Camps
- India kept away from military alliances of both USA & USSR.
- During 1950s, India:🔹 Took an independent stand on international issues🔹 Received aid & support from both power blocs
- But, India’s closeness with USSR created unease in Indo-US relations.
🤝 Afro-Asian Unity
- Nehru established contacts with newly independent Asian & African nations.
- Important initiatives:🔹 Asian Relations Conference (1947, New Delhi)🔹 Support to decolonisation (औपनिवेशिकता से मुक्ति) and fight against apartheid (नस्लीय भेदभाव) in South Africa🔹 Bandung Conference (1955, Indonesia) → foundation of NAM🔹 First NAM Summit (1961, Belgrade)
🕊️ Peace and Conflict with China
- 🇮🇳 India–China relations initially started on a friendly note, as India was one of the first to recognise the communist government.
- 🔹 Vallabhbhai Patel warned of possible aggression, but Nehru believed conflict was unlikely.
- 📜 Panchsheel Agreement (1954) signed by Nehru & Zhou Enlai → 5 principles of peaceful co-existence.
🏔️ Tibet Issue
- Tibet became a major tension point between the two.
- 1954 → India conceded China’s claim over Tibet.
- 1959 → Dalai Lama given asylum (शरण) in India → worsened ties.
⚔️ The Chinese Invasion (1962)
- 1950 → China annexed Tibet, removing the buffer state.
- China claimed Aksai Chin (Ladakh) & Arunachal Pradesh (NEFA).
- October 1962 → Massive Chinese invasion.
- Result → India’s international image weakened, rift in CPI (split into pro-USSR & pro-China).
🤝 Wars and Peace with Pakistan
- 🌍 Kashmir dispute started conflict right after independence.
- 1960 → Indus Waters Treaty signed (Nehru & Ayub Khan).
- 1965 → Pakistan launched attacks in Rann of Kutch & J&K.
- UN intervened → Tashkent Agreement (1966) signed by Lal Bahadur Shastri & Ayub Khan.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh War (1971)
- 1970 → Political crisis in East Pakistan, rulers ignored democratic mandate.
- 1971 → ~80 lakh refugees migrated to India from East Pakistan.
- December 1971 → India–Pakistan war, resulting in Bangladesh’s independence.
- 1972 → Shimla Agreement signed (Indira Gandhi & Zulfikar Ali Bhutto).
☢️ India’s Nuclear Policy
- Late 1940s → Nuclear programme began under Homi J. Bhabha.
- Nehru supported peaceful nuclear energy, opposed weapons.
- 1968 → India rejected NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) → called it discriminatory.
- 1974 → First nuclear test at Pokhran (Smiling Buddha).
- 1998 → Series of nuclear tests at Pokhran-II → India displayed nuclear capability for defence.
✨ Summary:
- India maintained independent foreign policy → Non-Alignment, Peaceful Co-existence.
- Relations with China & Pakistan were marked by wars & treaties.
- India stood for nuclear self-reliance while opposing global nuclear inequality.
✨ Facts That Matter (मुख्य तथ्य)
1️⃣ Challenges after Independence
- India faced twin challenges → Welfare (कल्याणकारी राज्य) & Democracy (लोकतंत्र).
- Legacy of international disputes, partition pressures, and poverty alleviation created stress.
2️⃣ India’s Foreign Relations (विदेश नीति की शुरुआत)
- Born after World War II, India decided to respect sovereignty (सार्वभौमिकता) of all nations.
- Aim → Security through peace.
- Reflected in Article 51 – Directive Principles of State Policy.
3️⃣ Role of Nehru (विदेश नीति के निर्माता)
- Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru = Chief Architect of India’s Foreign Policy.
- Objectives → Preserve sovereignty, protect territorial integrity, promote economic development.
- Adopted Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to avoid military blocs.
4️⃣ Nehru’s Era and International Conferences
- India built strong ties with Asia & Africa.
- Participated in →
- Asian Relations Conference (1947)
- Indonesia Freedom Struggle Conference (1949)
- Bandung Conference (1955)
5️⃣ Panchsheel Agreement (1954)
- Five principles of peaceful coexistence (शांतिपूर्ण सह-अस्तित्व).
- Signed on 29 April 1954 between India & China.
- India supported China’s communist government even in UN (1949).
6️⃣ India-China Conflict
- Issue → Annexation of Tibet (1950) by China & suppression of Tibetan culture.
- China claimed Aksai Chin (Ladakh) & NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh).
- Led to 1962 Sino-Indian War.
7️⃣ India-Pakistan Conflict (1965)
- Dispute over Kashmir.
- Pakistan launched armed conflict → UN intervened.
- Tashkent Agreement (1966) signed by Lal Bahadur Shastri & Ayub Khan.
- Result → War worsened India’s economic condition.
8️⃣ Bangladesh War (1971)
- Tensions between East & West Pakistan.
- India supported Bangladesh’s freedom struggle.
- Indo-Pak war (Dec 1971) → Pakistan surrendered.
- Shimla Agreement (3 July 1972) signed between Indira Gandhi & Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
9️⃣ India’s Nuclear Policy
- Advocates No First Use principle.
- Nehru against nuclear weapons → pushed for global disarmament.
- India refused to sign NPT (1968), calling it discriminatory.
- India committed to peaceful use of nuclear energy but conducted tests in 1974 & 1998.
📝 Words That Matter (महत्वपूर्ण शब्दावली)
- Non-Alignment (गुटनिरपेक्षता): Policy of not joining any Cold War military blocs.
- Foreign Policy (विदेश नीति): Interplay of domestic & external factors of a nation.
- Panchsheel (पंचशील): Five principles of peaceful coexistence signed in 1954 (India-China).
- Bandung Conference (बांडुंग सम्मेलन): 1955 Afro-Asian conference → foundation of NAM.
- NEFA (नॉर्थ ईस्टर्न फ्रंटियर एजेंसी): Present-day Arunachal Pradesh (1960s).
