During the past 61 years, India’s foreign policy has matured from a single leader’s paranoia to a virtual national consensus. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru set the pattern for the formation of Indian foreign policy, a strong personal role for the prime minister but a weak institutional structure. Nehru served concurrently as prime minister and minister of external affairs; he made all major foreign policy decisions himself. He entrusted the conduct of international affairs to senior members of the Indian Foreign Service. His successors continued to exercise considerable control over India’s international dealings, although they generally appointed separate ministers of external affairs. Nehru remained his own foreign minister from 1947 till May 27, 1964.
Politically Jawaharlal Nehru grew-up under Mahatma Gandhi’s halo. Both had their world-view shaped by the British Empire. Neither had any clue about the new emerging world order after World War II. They both ignored the emergence of the United States of America as the new Superpower of the twentieth century and did not care to develop a foreign policy. We are still paying the price for that ignorance! Even before India’s independence on August 15, 1947, the Congress Party leadership had designated Nehru as our international spokesperson. He was accepted as our de facto foreign minister not because of his knowledge of the subject but for his good looks and British accent! This is a fact. Pandit Nehru had no global experience.
Nehru turned down the American offer of a permanent seat at the UN Security Council in 1953 and there by forfeited India’s veto power over the Kashmir issue. Nehru recommended China’s name instead. We have been lusting for that seat for the past 30 years. Only a moron could have committed such a blunder! When it came to India’s national security, Nehru decided his charm and wit should be enough to secure the country. Pakistan attacked Kashmir on October 22, 1947 and occupied the area now called “Azad Kashmir”. We have been fighting that war for the past 61 years. Panditji learnt nothing from that; instead he sat on his hands while China invaded Tibet in 1951. This surrender of Tibet brought the brutal Communist China to India’s borders!
China invaded India in October 1962 and we were caught off-guard. Nehru had been singing “Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai” for the past few years. This sudden humiliation killed our handsome prime minister and foreign minister on May 27, 1964. This was the turning point of India’s foreign policy as well as our national security infrastructure. Gulzarilal Nanda took over the interim Prime Minister of India for thirteen days before Lal Bahadur Shastri was formally elected to lead the Congress Party in Lok Sabha. Shastriji expanded the Office of Prime Minister and enlarged its power. He pretty much kept the foreign affairs with him as the Prime Minister but for appearances sake appointed Sardar Swaran Singh as India’s first official Minister of External Affairs.
Filed under: Indian Politics Tagged: | "Azad Kashmir", "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai", British Empire, China, Communist China, Congress Party, emerging world order, Foreign Affairs, Gulzarilal Nanda, Indian Foreign Policy, Indian Foreign Service, international affairs, Kashmir issue, Lok Sabha, Mahatama Gandh, minister of external affairs, Office of Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister, Prime Minister of India, Sardar Swaran Singh, Superpower, Tibet, UN Security Council, United States of America, weak institutional structure, World War II
I still believe that instead of depicting Indian foreign as a one man creation we better treat itas the child of circumstance. In no ways it loose its relevance today though much water has flown down the Jhelum. The major elements of indian foreign policy keep on living as significant as in the past and in no way Nehru appears obsolete barring a leap long in the field of social pattern of economy.
Evolution of indian foreign policy