Main Principles and Objectives of India's Foreign Policy

Principles:

They are in the form of guidelines to the policy makers through which India carries
out its foreign relations. In essence, they are the means through which national
interest is sought to be protected and promoted.

(i) Non-Aligusienc Ii is India's gift to the world and has been one of the main
principles which have remained integral part of India's foreign policy even after
the end of cold war. The vitality of non-alignment can be realized from the fact
that it has not only helped in securing friendship and cooperation, promoting world
peace, etc.; but ensured independence on foreign policy issues. India and NAM
countries played a vital role in cold war politics by acting as a third force to
reduce the tension.

(ii) Opposition to Colonialism and Imperialism:

Being subjected to colonial subjugation for about 200 years, India firmly stands in
opposition to any form of colonialism and imperialism. It is with this line of
thinking that India played a major role in liberating the newly independent
countries of Asia and Africa from colonial shackles.

(iii) Supporting U.N. in Achieving World Peace:

India is one of the founding members of the UN (1945). She has played a major role
in its instrumentality to achieve world peace. She has always advocated that
resolution of international disputes be done under the purview of U.N.

(iv) Fairness of Means:

Inspired by the ideas of Gandhi, India has always emphasized that their means
should be used in the resolution in international disputes. She has advocated of
peaceful and non-violent methods are opposes war, aggression and power policies.
Panchsheel is an outgrowth of this line of thinking.

(v) Friendship with AH Countries:

Without being committed to military alliances, India has opted for cultivating
friendly relations with other countries. For this purpose she has concluded
treaties and bilateral agreements in the fields of politics, economy, culture of
science and technology.

Objectives :

Objectives of India's foreign policy are in the nature of goals that it seeks to
promote. They are not state but are influenced by time and space.

This protection and preservation of territorial integrity has been one of the
foremost objectives of India's foreign policy. Priority assigned to this aspect was
made clear as early as Bandung Conference (1947) said, "India and other countries
had been used as a pawn by other nations in their international games; now that
they went emerging into independence, it was a good reminder to those nations that
the newly independent nations proposed to standing their own feet and must be free
to decide the own policies and play their part in the maintenance of peace". The
country does not want interference in the internal affairs of other country.