Examine the Indian National Movement and geographical location of India as determinants of India's foreign policy. (UPSC CSE Mains 2017 - Political Science and International Relations, Paper 2)
Foreign Policy of a country is the sum total of its beliefs, principles, interests and objectives that it promotes while interacting with other countries.
- History and culture set the background in which the foreign policy of a country gets shaped. India is one of the few countries in the world with ancient civilization, and rich historical and cultural legacy. At the same time, around two hundred years of colonial rule, and a long and chequered history of national movement also provide valuable inputs to the shaping of Indian foreign policy. In the year 1700, India accounted for an estimated 24.4 per cent of global GDP; two hundred fifty years of colonial exploitation had reduced its share to 4.2 per cent of global GDP in 1950. After getting independence from British colonialism, India continues to have very close relations with its former colonizer. Similarly, the values emanating during the national movement stand cherished even today and continue to become the guiding principles of Indian foreign policy. Anti-colonialism, antiimperialism, anti-apartheid, solidarity with the cause of Afro-Asian nations, support for United Nations endeavors etc. are some of the running themes of national movement that remain ingrained in the foreign policy of the country even today.
- Geographical factors refer to the shape, size, geophysical peculiarities, resource endowments and surrounding geopolitical environment of a country. That way, India is a fairly big country having seventh largest landmass in the world in the southern-most part of Asia. Having almost all sorts of geographical formations, weather, climate, water bodies and flora and fauna, she gets a lot of leverage by nature to play a crucial role in the international affairs. Natural boundaries on many sides of the country provide it veritable defense from inimical forces. Strategic location of India is further strengthened by the long coastline that surrounds the country from east, west and south. They make her pivot of global politics and trade in the Indian Ocean region, though the same oceanic access also became the cause of India‘s colonization by European powers. Thus, geographical factors place India in an unenviable position to carve out an eminent role for herself in the international relations. Another important implication of the geographical factor relates to the neighbouring countries that have been ordained for her on account of her physical location. Quite obviously, neighbouring ambience of a country plays a very significant role in affording her a comprehensive part in the wider international relations. That way, though India is endowed by nature to play a vital role in southern, western and south-eastern parts of Asia, in practice such a role has been circumscribed by not so friendly ambience in her neighborhood. Apart from having fought wars with its two prominent neighbours, viz. China and Pakistan, India also has a ‗love-hate relation‘ with many, if not all, of her neighbours. Hence, major preoccupation of Indian foreign policy at probably all the times has been maintaining friendly relations with all her neighbours so that it is permitted some leg space to make its presence felt in the international relations far and wide.
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