Extra Class Notes

Lecture: 02

Subject: International relations

By- Paras Sir

 Indian Foreign Policy and
Determinants
TOPICS
TO BE
COVERED
 What is Foreign policy?

What are National

Interests?

How to secure National

interest?

Do we have long term

strategic thinking
What is Foreign Policy
What is Foreign Policy
What is Foreign Policy
What is Foreign Policy
 What is Diplomacy

Types of diplomacy
What is Diplomacy
Types of diplomacy
 India and Neighbourhood

❖ South Asia, which has eight countries, and the Indian Ocean region (maritime
Indian Ocean region, mostly Western Indian Ocean) are both in India's
neighbourhood.
❖ India is bordered by Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Pakistan,
Nepal, and Sri Lanka. India's strategy towards its near neighbours is centred on
attempts to foster South Asian peace and cooperation.
❖ Its neighbourhood-first strategy prioritises nations on the neighbourhood, with
an emphasis on boosting commerce, connectivity, and people-to-people
interaction.
 Evolution of India’s Neighbourhood Foreign Policy

British Policy

Nehruvian policy
 Evolution of India’s Neighbourhood Foreign Policy
Gujaral Doctrine
 Evolution of India’s Neighbourhood Foreign Policy
➢ These are the principles:
1. India does not seek reciprocity from its neighbours, including Bangladesh,
Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, but instead offers and
accommodates what it can in good faith and trust.
2. No South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against another
country in the region's interests.
3. No country should meddle in another's domestic affairs.
4. All South Asian countries must respect the geographical integrity and
sovereignty of one another.
5. All of their disagreements should be resolved via peaceful bilateral dialogue.
 Manmohan Doctrine

❖ It aimed to foster Economic Interdependence by enhancing trade relations and

regional integration.
❖ However, coalition politics deteriorated India's relations with Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka.
 Neighbourhood First Policy

❖ The policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ focuses on creating mutually beneficial,

people-oriented, regional frameworks for stability and prosperity.
❖ It aims to engage with neighbouring countries based on a consultative, non-
reciprocal and outcome-oriented approach.

Four Pillars of Policy

1. Diplomatic and political priority to the neighbourhood.
2. Active support for the development of these countries.
3. Greater connectivity and integration in the region.
4. Promote India-led regionalism where neighbours are comfortable.
Determinants Of Neighbourhood First Policy
 Neighbourhood First Policy

❖ The policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ focuses on creating mutually beneficial,

people-oriented, regional frameworks for stability and prosperity.
❖ It aims to engage with neighbouring countries based on a consultative, non-
reciprocal and outcome-oriented approach.

Four Pillars of Policy

1. Diplomatic and political priority to the neighbourhood.
2. Active support for the development of these countries.
3. Greater connectivity and integration in the region.
4. Promote India-led regionalism where neighbours are comfortable.
 India-Pakistan Relations
Previous Year Question (Mains)
Q. Terrorist activities and mutual distrust have clouded India-Pakistan relations.
To what extent the use of soft power like sports and cultural exchanges could
help generate goodwill between the two countries? Discuss with suitable
examples. (2015)
R. Increasing cross border terrorist attacks in India and growing interference in
the internal affairs of several member states by Pakistan are not conducive for
the future of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation)."
Explain with suitable examples. (2016)
 India-Pakistan Relations
Previous Year Question

Q1. With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three
of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus directly. Among the
following, which one is such a river that joins the Indus directly? (2021)

(a) Chenab
(b) Jhelum
(c) Ravi
(d) Sutlej
 India-Pakistan Relations
Previous Year Question

Q2. Consider the following pairs (2019)

Glacier River
1. Bandarpunch Yamuna
2. Bara Shigri Chenab
3. Milam Mandakini
4. Siachen Nubra
5. Zemu Manas
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 2 and 5
(d) 3 and 5
 India-Pakistan Relations

➢ On December 6, 1971, East Pakistan declares independence as Bangladesh.

➢ Shimla agreement: In July 1972, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and
Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto signed an agreement in Simla,
India, to "put an end to the conflict and confrontation that have hitherto
marred bilateral relations and work for the promotion of a friendly and
harmonious relationship and the establishment of a durable peace in the
subcontinent."
✓ Both parties agreed to address any disagreements "through peaceful
means through bilateral negotiations."
 India-Pakistan Relations

➢ The Simla Agreement identified the 17 December 1971 ceasefire line as the
new "Line of Control (LoC)" between the two nations, which neither side was
to seek to change unilaterally, and which "shall be respected by both sides
without prejudice to either side's recognised position." In 1972, both the
Indian and Pakistani parliaments ratified the Simla Agreement.
✓ It has been 50 years since the Shimla Agreement was signed.
❖ Lahore visit of Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee travelled by bus to Lahore to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
(through the newly inaugurated Delhi-Lahore Bus route).
➢ The two signed the Lahore Declaration, the two countries' first significant
accord since the 1972 Simla accord.
 India-Pakistan Relations

➢ Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to the Simla Agreement and

agreed to implement a variety of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to
improve bilateral ties.
❖ SAARC Summit of 2004: Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf met
directly in January during the 12th South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Islamabad, and the Foreign Secretaries of the
two nations met later that year.
➢ The year saw the start of the Composite Dialogue Process, which included
bilateral discussions with officials from various levels of government.
 India-Pakistan Relations

❖ Mumbai attack of 26/11: Armed gunmen opened fire on victims at multiple

locations in Mumbai on November 26 in one of the world's most heinous
terrorist assaults.
➢ Ajmal Kasab, the lone attacker apprehended alive, said that the assailants
were LeT members. Calls and conversations were traced back to Pakistan,
where the whole attack was planned and executed.
➢ Following the attacks, India suspended discussions with Pakistan.
 India-Pakistan Relations

Areas of Cooperation
People-to-People connect:
❖ People-to-people relationships have not reached their full potential in the
context of Indo-Pakistani ties.
❖ In March 2015, a group of fishermen's leaders and authorities from Gujarat
visited Karachi to negotiate the release of 57 Indian fishing vessels.
➢ The Indian government has continuously pursued the release of 1100 Indian
fishing vessels thought to be in Pakistani captivity.
 India-Pakistan Relations

❖ The Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Sites agreed between India and
Pakistan in 1974, governs visits to religious sites between the two countries.
Every year, three Hindu pilgrimages and four Sikh pilgrimages visit 15 sites in
Pakistan, whereas five Pakistan pilgrimages visit seven shrines in India.
❖ On November 22, 2018, the Government of India formally informed the
Government of Pakistan that it would initiate the Kartarpur Corridor on the
Indian side and urged Pakistan to construct a corridor with appropriate facilities
in its territory from the international border to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in
Pakistan to facilitate easier access and smooth passage of Indian pilgrims
throughout the year.
➢ On November 22, 2018, the Pakistani government agreed to India's request.
 India-Pakistan Relations
Trade:
❖ After Partition, trade contacts remained active for a long time. According to
former Pakistan commerce secretary Zafar Mahmood, India accounted for
approximately 56% of Pakistan's total exports and 32% of its total imports in
1948-49.
❖ Despite the 1948 wars, India remained Pakistan's top commercial partner until
1955-56.
❖ India had given MFN status to Pakistan in 1996.
❖ In August 2012, India announced a 30% reduction in its SAFTA Sensitive List for
non-Least Developed Countries [including Pakistan], lowering tariffs on 264
items to 5% over three years.
 India-Pakistan Relations
➢ Pakistan, on the other hand, has maintained a restrictive trade policy towards
India.
❖ In the aftermath of the cross-border terror incident in Pulwama, India, on
15 February 2019 removed Most Favoured Nation Status to Pakistan.
➢ India also hiked customs duty on exports from Pakistan to 200% on 16
February 2019.
➢ Subsequently, as part of its unilateral actions, Pakistan banned bilateral trade
with India on 7 August 2019.
 India-Pakistan Relations
➢ Pakistan, on the other hand, has maintained a restrictive trade policy towards
India.
❖ In the aftermath of the cross-border terror incident in Pulwama, India, on 15
February 2019 removed Most Favoured Nation Status to Pakistan.
➢ India also hiked customs duty on exports from Pakistan to 200% on 16
February 2019.
➢ Subsequently, as part of its unilateral actions, Pakistan banned bilateral trade
with India on 7 August 2019.
 India-Pakistan Relations
Conflict over Jammu and Kashmir
❖ Both nations have fought three wars over the Kashmir issue.
➢ It is not only a battle over territory but also over identities.
➢ In the region captured by the invaders, Pakistan established the so-called
Azad Kashmir Government.
➢ Even now, Pakistan maintains that the territory under its authority is
autonomous, or Azad Kashmir.
India-Pakistan Relations

Fig: Border Dispute between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Internationalization of the issue: Under Article 35 of the UN Charter, India
brought the subject to the attention of the United Nations Security Council on
January 1, 1948. India requested UN aid in resolving the Pakistan-backed attack.
➢ The Commission was named the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP).
❖ The Security Council also decided that Indian troops and tribesmen should be
withdrawn, that an interim government representing major political groups be
formed and that the UNCIP should visit Jammu and Kashmir to help the two
countries restore peace and hold a fair plebiscite. Neither India nor Pakistan were
pleased with this resolution.
❖ On December 11, 1948, the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan
(UNCIP) conducted an investigation, met with representatives from both India and
Pakistan and eventually delivered a report.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ This report made the following suggestions to halt the hostilities and hold a
referendum.
➢ First, Pakistan should evacuate its forces from Jammu and Kashmir as quickly
as feasible following the ceasefire, and Pakistan should also attempt to expel
tribesmen and Pakistan nationals who are not regular inhabitants of Kashmir.
➢ Second, the land so evacuated by Pakistani forces should be handled by local
officials under the Commission's supervision.
➢ Third, after these two requirements have been met and India has been
informed of its compliance with the UNCIP, India should remove a significant
number of soldiers.
➢ Finally, in the absence of a formal agreement, India should keep just the
soldiers necessary to preserve law and order.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Pakistan seeks to internationalize the Kashmir issue, while India considers it a
bilateral issue per the 1971 Shimla Accord.
Siachen Glacier
❖ The conflict started in 1984 when India successfully carried out Operation
Meghdoot, during which it dislodged Pakistan from the control of the Siachen
Glacier and forced the Pakistanis to retire to the west of the Saltoro Ridge.
❖ India has achieved control over the entirety of the Siachen Glacier, which is 70
kilometres (43 miles) in length, as well as all of its subsidiary glaciers, as well as
the three main passes of the Saltoro Ridge, which are located directly to the west
of the glacier:
 India-Pakistan Relations
➢ Sia La, Bilafond La, and Gyong La. The glacial valleys that are direct to the
west of the Saltoro Ridge are within Pakistan's sovereignty.
❖ India's military actions in Siachen resulted in the acquisition of more than 1,000
square miles (3,000 square kilometres) of additional land.
❖ The land on the map beyond the position on the map known as NJ9842 that has
not been entirely delineated is the root cause of the conflict in Siachen.
❖ The 1972 Simla Agreement did not specify who held the glacier; instead, it just
stated that the boundary would run "thence north to the glaciers" from the
NJ9842 site.
 India-Pakistan Relations
Gilgit Baltistan issue
❖ Gilgit was a princely state within the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir,
although it was controlled directly by the British, who had taken it on lease from
Hari Singh, the Hindu monarch of the Muslim-majority state.
➢ Revolt in Gilgit Baltistan: When Hari Singh became Prime Minister of India on
October 26, 1947, the Gilgit Scouts revolted, commanded by their British
commander Major William Alexander Brown.
➢ The Gilgit Scouts also advanced into Baltistan, which was then part of Ladakh
and took Skardu, Kargil, and Dras. Following clashes, Indian forces retook
Kargil and Dras in August 1948.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Previously, on November 1, 1947, a political organisation known as the
Revolutionary Council of Gilgit-Baltistan declared the independent state of Gilgit-
Baltistan.
➢ It proclaimed its accession to Pakistan on November 15, but only to the extent
of complete administrative authority, preferring to administer it directly
under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, a statute designed by the British to
maintain control over the restive tribal territories of the northwest.
❖ Following the India-Pakistan truce on January 1, 1949, Pakistan entered into an
arrangement in April 1949 with the "provisional government" of "Pakistan
occupied Kashmir" — areas of the state controlled by Pakistani forces and
irregulars — to take over its military and foreign affairs.
 India-Pakistan Relations
➢ The "PoK" government also handed over the governance of Gilgit-Baltistan to
Pakistan under this arrangement.
❖ Pakistan passed the Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order,
2009, which replaced the Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) with the
Legislative Assembly and renamed the Northern Areas Gilgit-Baltistan.
❖ The Gilgit-Baltistan region granted "provisional provincial status" on November
1, 2020, which is celebrated as "Independence Day" in the area.
 India-Pakistan Relations
Sir Creek
❖ Location of Sir Creek: The 96-kilometre estuary between India and Pakistan,
which cuts through Gujarat State and Sindh Province, has had a tremendous
influence on Indian security, despite being perceived as relatively
straightforward to address.
❖ Negotiations: Six rounds of negotiations have taken place, the two parties have
completed a joint reconnaissance of the creek, and maps illustrating their
respective positions have been exchanged.
➢ The problem is still unsolved.
❖ Cause of Dispute: The provisions of two contradicting lines in the Bombay
Government's 1914 Verdict make India and Pakistan contestants on the same
topic.
India-Pakistan Relations

Fig: Sir Creek Area

 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ The boundary between Kutch and Sindh is stated in paragraph 9 of this
judgement to be "to the east of the Creek" (Green Line), implying that the creek
belonged to Sindh and hence to Pakistan.
❖ In contrast, paragraph 10 indicates that Sir Creek is navigable for most of the
year.
❖ A boundary may only be placed in the middle of a navigable canal, according to
international law and the Thalweg principle, which meant that it had to be
divided between Sindh and Kutch, and therefore India and Pakistan.
➢ This is the foundation of India's claim (red line), which is supported by a map
from 1925.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Significance of Sir Creek Region: The creek's path has also altered dramatically
throughout time.
➢ Resources: The possibility of large oil and gas concentrations under the sea,
which are presently unexploited due to the imminent gridlock on the subject,
is a critical cause for two countries locking horns over this creek.
➢ Drug trade: Officials monitoring phone calls in the disputed seas off Sir Creek
say the indicators are that drug cartels are operating in the area, and the
amount and frequency indicate that the location might be among the most
active dealing hubs in the world.
➢ Fishery: Sir Creek is regarded as one of Asia's greatest fishing grounds. In
their eagerness for a big catch, several of their boats breach the imagined
limits and are apprehended by the other side.
 India-Pakistan Relations
➢ Maritime security worries have grown since November 2008, when ten
Lashkar-e-Taiba militants boarded a Pakistani boat bound for Mumbai. They
kidnapped an Indian fishing vessel, Kuber, off the coast of Sir Creek and used
it to launch an attack on Mumbai.
Water Disputes
Indus Water Treaty 1960
❖ Signing the treaty: After nine years of discussions between India and Pakistan
with the assistance of the World Bank, which is also a signatory, the Indus
Waters Treaty was signed in 1960.
➢ It was signed by India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's then-
President Ayub Khan.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ The treaty concerns the most full and satisfying use of the waters of the Indus
system, which includes the six rivers that run through the Indus basin.
❖ It has withstood several stresses, including violence, and has served as a
foundation for irrigation and hydropower development for more than a half-
century.
Features of Treaty:
❖ In terms of both the sharing ratio (80.52 per cent of aggregate water flows in the
Indus system designated for Pakistan) and the overall amount of basin waters for
the downstream state, it is a liberal treaty.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Pakistan was granted full access to the three western rivers (Jhelum, Chenab, and
Indus).
❖ The unlimited usage of three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) was granted
to India.
❖ Under the Treaty, India has the right to create hydroelectricity on the western
rivers through run-of-the-river projects. These are subject to certain design and
operation criteria.
➢ Indian projects: Indian HEP projects on Chenab River tributaries include
Pakal Dul, Kiru, Lower Kalnai, and Ratle.
➢ Dams, link canals, barrages, and tube wells were built, most notably the
Tarbela Dam on the Indus River and the Mangla Dam on the Jhelum River.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Indus Commission: The treaty requires the establishment of a Permanent Indus
Commission, with one commissioner from each nation, to maintain a line of
communication and to attempt to address concerns over treaty compliance.
❖ Dispute resolution: The Treaty also establishes various methods for dealing
with potential issues: "questions" are addressed by the Commission,
"differences" are decided by a Neutral Expert, and "disputes" are sent to a
seven-member arbitral tribunal known as the "Court of Arbitration."
➢ Role of World Bank: The World Bank's engagement in "differences" and
"disputes" is restricted to appointing personnel to perform specific
responsibilities when either or both sides seek it.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ India and Pakistan disagree over the development of India's Kishenganga (330
megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power facilities.
❖ The two nations argue on whether the two hydropower projects' technical
design elements violate the Treaty.
➢ The plants are located on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers,
respectively.
❖ The Treaty identifies these two rivers, along with the Indus, as "Western Rivers"
that Pakistan has free access.
➢ The Treaty allows India, among other things, to build hydroelectric power
plants on these rivers, subject to the limits outlined in the Annexures to the
Treaty.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ There are continuing discussions over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric
power projects.
❖ However, India and Pakistan are looking for other treaty arrangements.
Status of the Indus Water Treaty:
❖ In light of Pakistan's use of terrorism as a tool of state policy, concerns have been
expressed concerning the treaty.
❖ India ratified the deal in 1960 as a goodwill gesture, exchanging water for peace.
➢ Within five years of the treaty's coming into force, Pakistan started a war in
1965 to seize the Indian portion of J&K.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Pakistan is adamant about rights without obligations.
➢ Many think that India might claim state-sponsored terrorist organisations as
valid grounds for withdrawing from the Indus Treaty under Article 62 of the
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
❖ The International Court of Justice has supported the idea that a treaty can
be terminated if the circumstances change fundamentally.
❖ The problem in revocation for India: The Pakistani side might use the treaty's
revocation to drag into another brief conflict or to bolster its efforts to stir
problems in Kashmir.
➢ Given the China-Pakistan axis, cancelling the pact might be used to depict
India as seeking to arm-twist the region's lower riparians.
 India-Pakistan Relations
Way ahead for the treaty:
❖ The pact has avoided water-related disputes and established an incentive for
peace.
➢ The Indus Water Treaty has allowed India and Pakistan to amicably share the
water of the Indus and its tributaries for almost five decades.
➢ It should be emphasised that both India and Pakistan have remained at odds
over a variety of topics since Partition, but there has been no conflict over water
since the Treaty was enacted.
❖ The deal has weathered India-Pakistan wars in 1965, 1971, and 1999, as well as the
Kashmir insurgency since 1990, and is regarded as the world's most successful
water accord. Upholding the treaty even under difficult circumstances has improved
India's worldwide image, and the country takes satisfaction in being a responsible
country.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Short of abrogation, the Treaty may be changed under the current provisions of
Article 12.
CPEC
❖ The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a component of China's wider
OBOR or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
❖ Its goal is to connect Kasgar in China's Xinjiang province to the warm water port of
Gwadar in Pakistan's Baluchistan region.
➢ It includes a variety of infrastructure projects such as roadways, railroads,
canals, and pipelines.
➢ The estimated project investment ranges from $40 billion to $60 billion.
India-Pakistan Relations

Fig: Route of CPEC

 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Gwadar deep sea port, the crowning achievement of the ambitious China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC), will be able to handle 13 million tonnes of cargo
annually within five years — and an astounding 400 million tonnes annually by
2030 — to be transported to landlocked Central Asia and western China.
Apprehensions of India over CPEC
❖ India sees CPEC as a threat to its security and sovereignty, as it passes through the
disputed territory of Gilgit-Baltistan, which India claims as its own.
➢ The United States has also raised concerns about China's growing influence in
the region and the potential security implications of CPEC.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ China and Pakistan have also deepened their military cooperation in recent years.
China has provided Pakistan with military aid, including fighter jets and submarines,
and the two countries have conducted joint military exercises.
➢ This military cooperation is seen as a response to India's growing military power
and influence in the region.
Way ahead for India on relations with Pakistan
❖ Maintaining discussion: While maintaining its redlines on terrorism and Kashmir,
India should try to expand on the ceasefire agreement and resume a more thorough
engagement.
 India-Pakistan Relations
❖ Improving Trade Relations: Pakistan has approved limited imports of sugar,
cotton, and wheat from India.
➢ Both nations can build on this to normalise border trade.
❖ Confidence-building measures like prisoner swaps, sporting visas, and so forth
can help to bridge the trust gap between two countries.
❖ Backchannel diplomacy through civil society and industrial organisations, as well
as third-party countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, can compensate for the
diplomatic deadlock.
❖ Soft power diplomacy, such as PM Modi's greetings letter on Pakistan Day, hydro
diplomacy on the Indus water sharing, and cricket diplomacy, can have a knock-
on impact on the development of comprehensive and long-term conflict resolution
mechanisms.