SYNOPSIS

Political Science
Submitted by: R B V Pratap Singh

Submitted to: Ms. Neha Singhal

Statement of Purpose:
Non-alignment policy initiated, advocated and implemented by India in the Nehru era did not
inhibit India from developing friendly relations with USA, a leading capitalist country in
post-war world. India followed such a policy because it needed the support of America in
critical areas of development but there were irritants like the perception of cold war,
recognition of communist China by India, deep-rooted suspicion about Indias reliability and
stability that stood in the way of friendly relations between India and America, though there
was no unremitting hostility between these two governments. However, people to people
relations remained friendly. There were pro-Indian groups in America and there were proAmerican groups in India too. Towards the end of fifties there was a considerable
improvement in relations because of growth of economic ties and exchange of technology
and machinery between India and America. The Kennedy administration through its
ambassador John K. Galbraith made sincere effort to improve ties. In this situation only, the
Chinese attack of India shocked Nehru to the core and made him turn towards the Kennedy
administration. Thanks to the mediation of john K. Galbraith, the awkward situation was
partially eased for Nehru. Relations between India and USSR also started on a cool note and
acquired great warmth in due course. USSR too suspected India as it wanted to be a member
of Commonwealth and Stalin never gave audience to the Indian Ambassador Vijayalakshmi
Pandit. But since 1951-52, the nature of relations began to change. Stalin met our
Ambassador S. Radhakrishnan and even offered a treaty of friendship. USSR began to
support India on the Kashmir issue in the UN and in 1954 USSR offered to give military
equipment but India refused. Nehru visited USSR in 1955 and Kruschev and Bulganin visited
India in 1956. The path of economic development through planning based on public sector
brought the two countries still closer. While US hesitated to help, USSR expressed readiness
to help us technologically and economically. By 1973-74, it was said that 50 per cent of
Indias steel, 35 per cent of oil, 20 per cent of the electrical power, 65 per cent of heavy
electrical equipment and 85 per cent of our heavy machine-making machines are produced in

projects set up with Soviet aid. When China invaded India in 1962, USSR maintained
neutrality and in December 1962, Suslov, the important Soviet leader declared China as
responsible for war in the meeting of the Supreme Soviet. USSR started military supplies
since 1963 on a large scale and it is no exaggeration to suggest that the victory in 1971 war
was due to the important independent manufacturing base created in India with the assistance
of USSR. Bipan Chandra writes, The Soviet Union too gained from this link. India was an
important entry point to the Afro-Asian world of newly independent countries that did not
want to become US satellites and were open to Soviet friendship. This helped the USSR in
the cold war as well. The Indo-Soviet friendship thus emerged as one of the most critical
elements of Indian foreign policy. The analysis of the aforementioned topic will be two fold.
On one hand, relations with the Soviet Union will be analysed and on the other, there will be
the USA. Both the dynamics would be further divided into three phases- Independence, Cold
War era and Post Cold War era.
Research Questions:
1) How did the doctrine of Non-alignment determine the relations of India with the
superpowers until the breakthrough war of 1971?
2) How did the war of 1971 change the dynamics of Indias relations with the superpowers?
3) How did Indias position in the Cold War era help determine the Geopolitics of that
period?
4) How did Indias Soviet inclination help determine the variables of its relations with the
USA in the future?

Hypothesis:
India was seen as a potential soviet ally after she achieved her independence. Nehrus
socialist model drifted her away from the capitalist blocks despite her efforts to maintain a
neutral stand. But in the war with China, she did receive aid from the Americans but to no
avail. India was one of the countries which as on the forefront of the establishment of the
NAM. 1971 Indo-Pak war was seen as a major breakthrough development in its relations
with the superpowers where she received aid from the Soviets and also strategic help in

blocking the American warships. Thus, despite its effort in maintaining a neutral stand, the
leftward Soviet inclination became apparent. Also, the conflict in Kashmir led to major
developments in the Geopolitics of the cold war era and it numbed down her relations with
the Superpower that would emerge victorious in the cold war.

Chapterization:
1) Introduction
2) NAM and its impact on foreign policy.
3) Soviet-India Dynamics
4) Indo-US relations and a ray of gleaming hope with recent developments.
5) Conclusion