mention in brief the major features of India's foreign policy.
Answers
the outset I would like to thank the Vice Chancellor of the Central University of Rajasthan for his initiative to organize a Talk on India’s Foreign Policy ; this should go a long way in generating interest in the less-debated subject in our country. I would also like to thank Ministry of External Affairs for deputing me to deliver the Talk under its prestigious Distinguished Lecture Series Programme. The topic assigned to me is:
India’s Foreign Policy: 2014-19: Landmarks: Priorities and Challenges Ahead
I have divided my Talk into three segments: To begin with I will briefly touch upon the definitions of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, and also upon the objectives and Fundamental Principles of India’s Foreign Policy. I then propose to dwell at some length on thrust areas and landmarks of India’s foreign policy in the last five years. And finally I will touch upon the foreign policy Priorities and Challenges ahead of us.
Foreign Policy and Diplomacy: Definition: I do not wish to burden you with the complicated definitions of Foreign Policy as offered by eminent scholars and prominent political scientists. As a practitioner, I look at Foreign Policy as a framework within which the Government of a given country conducts its relations with the outside world in different formats i.e. bilateral, regional and multilateral or global.
Diplomacy on its part is a profession, skill and art of managing country’s relations with the rest of the world with a view to achieving the objectives of country’s foreign policy. Broadly, Diplomacy can be political, economic or cultural, and ideally should work in tandem. As a rule the diplomacy is pursued through established diplomatic channels and mechanisms. It may or may not always be transparent and in public knowledge. At times It can be pursued through back-door channels or through informal Track 1.5 /Track2 mechanisms.