What Determines Foreign Policy

India’s foreign policy shaped different segments of the nation, including economy, geography, history, and culture. The first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, helped in shaping the policy for the country. While implementing foreign policy, the nations wanted to preserve certain objectives, including world peace, independence for nations of Asia and Africa, and disarmament, as they played an important role in India’s Independence.

Principles of Indian Foreign Policy

Preservation of national interest, disarmament, achievement of world peace, and independence for African and Asian nations have been important determinants of foreign policy.

The primary objectives of India’s foreign policy after Independence are sought to be accomplished through certain principles—Panchsheel; anti-colonialism, non-alignment, anti-racism, and anti-imperialism. Expanding these principles would be beneficial for the entire world.

Panchsheel

Jawaharlal Nehru was a true believer in world peace, which is why he gave most importance to friendly relations with all the countries, especially neighbours and powerful countries. He called this objective ‘Panchsheel’. This objective included the following principles:

1. Mutual respect for territorial sovereignty and integrity
2. Non-aggression pact
3. Mutual non-interference in each other’s inner affairs
4. Mutual benefit
5. Peaceful coexistence

Non-Alignment 

An essential element of India’s foreign policy has been non-alignment. Non-alignment is intended to retain national independence in international affairs by refusing to join any military alliance created after WWII by the United States and the Soviet Union. Non-alignment has nothing to do with neutrality, non-involvement, or isolationism—

it was a fluid idea that meant not committing to any military alliance and instead adopting an independent stance on foreign affairs based on the facts of the situation during planning for development. The non-alignment approach attracted many adherents in developing nations because it allowed them to defend their sovereignty while still maintaining their freedom of action during the tense Cold War period.

India was instrumental in the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The notion of NAM developed through time. In 1947, Nehru was the driving force behind the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi. In 1955, a conference of 29 Asian and African countries convened in Bandung, Indonesia. This was the first gathering of its sort, with participants vowing to collaborate for colonial freedom, peace, cultural, economic and political collaboration.

The Various Determinants of Foreign Policy

The determinants of foreign policy are broadly classified into three kinds—domestic, geographical and national.

Domestic Factors

• A state comprises both human resources—its people—and non-human resources
• Its size is thus a key influence on its foreign policy
• Nations with a high number of human and non-human resources are usually big powers, and they have a better possibility of becoming big powers in the international community

Geographical Factors

• The geography of a country is one of the most constant and steady aspects of its foreign policy
• The key geographical factors that are determinants of foreign policy are its location, topography of the land, climate, and fertility

National Interests

• Every country conducts its foreign policy in the pursuit of its national interests
• Some national interests have remained constant over time, while others have changed
• Foreign policy is also dependent on a country’s level of development
• In general, every country strives to improve its economic and social development to ensure the prosperity of its population
• Every country is at a different stage of development, so policies must be adjusted accordingly
• India relies heavily on local consumption and international investment to meet its development goals
• India’s foreign policy aligns with these development goals as well

International Environment Challenges for India

• The foreign policy operates internationally, but it must constantly adjust to the changing external environment
• For example, the disintegration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the dissolution of the socialist bloc resulted in significant changes in the foreign policy of several countries
• The issue of the New International Economic Order, the problem of international resource distribution, the energy crisis, the protection of human rights, the issue of nuclear proliferation, the elimination of international terrorism, and other issues have all played major roles in the foreign policy decisions of India and other developing countries

Conclusion

India’s foreign policy is based on certain basic principles from which it has not deviated much. The primary objectives of India’s foreign policy after Independence are sought to be accomplished through the principles of Panchsheel; anti-colonialism, non-alignment, anti-racism principles, and anti-imperialism. Some of its basic features, like non-alignment, remain relevant.

Important pages