History · Spectrum Books A Brief History of Modern India
Chapter 36 : The Evolution of Nationalist Foreign Policy
Table of contents20 sections
- 1.The Evolution of Nationalist Foreign Policy
- 2.Pre-Independence Diplomatic Engagement
- 3.Key Terms
- 4.📌 Exam Tidbits
- 5.Historical Perspective
- 6.From 1880 to First World War: Anti-Imperialism and Pan-Asian Feeling
- 7.World War I
- 8.1920s and 1930s—Identifying with Socialists
- 9.After 1936—Anti-Fascism
- 10.Key Terms
- 11.📌 Exam Tidbits
- 12.After Independence
- 13.Key Terms
- 14.📌 Exam Tidbits
- 15.Panchsheel and Non-Alignment
- 16.Panchsheel
- 17.Non-Alignment
- 18.Key Terms
- 19.📌 Exam Tidbits
- 20.Quick-Recall Box
Chapter preview
The Evolution of Nationalist Foreign Policy
Pre-Independence Diplomatic Engagement
India’s ready interaction with the outside world immediately after independence was facilitated by a well-established diplomatic engagement during colonial rule.
- Status at Independence (1947): India was already a member of 51 international organisations and a signatory to approximately 600 treaties.
- Post-Independence Representation: Indians formed the largest and most influential non-Western contingent in the United Nations and allied agencies shortly after independence.
Chronology of Early Diplomatic Engagements
| Year/Period | Event / Engagement | Significance / Details |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-WWI | Diplomatic Staffing | Indian nationals were already staffing a few diplomatic posts. |
| June 1919 | Treaty of Versailles | India signed the treaty after the First World War, largely because it contributed over a million soldiers to the war effort. |
| 1920 | High Commissioner | An Indian high commissioner was appointed in London. |
| 1920s | Founding Memberships | India became a founding member of the League of Nations, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). |
| 1921–22 | Washington Conference | India participated in the Washington Conference on Naval Armaments. |
Key Terms
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| None | (No specific technical terms were explicitly defined by the source in this section, but the table structure is maintained as per rules). |
📌 Exam Tidbits
- India's signing of the Treaty of Versailles (June 1919) was a direct result of contributing >1 million soldiers to WWI.
- India was a founding member of the League of Nations, ILO, and ICJ in the 1920s.
- Indians constituted the largest non-Western contingent in the UN post-independence.
Historical Perspective
The basic framework of India's foreign policy was structured long before 1947.
- Causal Chain of Policy Evolution: Western influence on nationalist intelligentsia → growing interest/contact with dominant international currents → realisation that colonialism and imperialism had an international character and wider implications → development of an anti-imperialist nationalist ideology → emergence of a nationalist foreign policy perspective.
From 1880 to First World War: Anti-Imperialism and Pan-Asian Feeling
After 1878, the British undertook expansionist expeditions which were strongly opposed by Indian nationalists. Instead of aggressive imperialism, nationalists advocated a policy of peace.
- C.…
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