Question

The Constitutional principles

Article 51 of the Indian Constitution lays down some Directive Principles of State Policy on ‘Promotion of international peace and security’.

“The State shall endeavour to -

1. Promote international peace and security
2. Maintain just and honourable relations between nations
3. Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised people with one another; and
4. Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.”

How well did the Indian state live up to these principles in the first two decades after Independence?

Answer 1

India made substantial efforts to follow these principles. It supported decolonisation, advocated peaceful coexistence through Panchsheel, helped build Afro-Asian unity and the Non-Aligned Movement, and contributed personnel to UN peacekeeping. It also worked to resolve disputes peacefully, as seen in the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. However, its record was not perfect: India did not publicly condemn the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956, and it fought wars with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965. Overall, India promoted peace and international cooperation, while also responding to security challenges and taking positions that were sometimes inconsistent.