Shimla Agreement
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Class 12 Political Science Chapter 4 – India’s External Relations Notes (NCERT | CBSE)

 

📘 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).



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