India’s External Relations Test - 3

The Bandung Conference and its final resolution laid the foundation for the nonaligned movement during the Cold War. Leaders of developing countries banded together to avoid being forced to take sides in the Cold War contest. The initial motivation for the movement was the promotion of peace.

During the Arab-Israel War of 1973, the entire world was affected by the Oil Shock due to the massive hike in oil prices by the Arab nations. It led to economic turmoil in India resulting in high inflation.

 In 1956 when Britain attacked Egypt over the Suez Canal issue, India led the world protest against this neo-colonial invasion.

“The State shall endeavour to – (a) Promote international peace and security (b)  Maintain just and honourable relations between nations people with one another; and (c)  Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised  (d)  Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.”

China claimed two areas within the Indian territory: Aksai-chin area in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and much of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in what was then called NEFA (North Eastern Frontier Agency). 

The AfroAsian conference held in the Indonesian city of Bandung in 1955, commonly known as the Bandung Conference, marked the zenith of India’s engagement with the newly independent Asian and African nations.

Nehru with Nkrumah from Ghana, Nasser from Egypt, Sukarno from Indonesia and Tito from Yugoslavia at a meeting of nonaligned nations, New York, October 1960. These five comprised the core leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Non-alignment is the most important feature of India's foreign policy.

Nehru felt strongly for this neighbour that was coming out of the shadow of Western domination and helped the new government in international fora. Some of his colleagues, like Vallabhbhai Patel, were worried about possible Chinese aggression in the future. But Nehru thought it was ‘exceedingly unlikely’ that India will face an attack from China. For a very long time, the Chinese border was guarded by para-military forces, not the army.

India made earnest efforts for the early realisation of freedom of Indonesia from the Dutch colonial regime by convening an international conference in 1949 to support its freedom struggle.