Who was responsible for differences in Indo-US relations in early 1950s to 2000?
Recently India's foreign minister S. Jaishankar criticized first PM J.L.Nehru for not forging good relations with USA. Let us clear what was the actual scenario at that time and we will see India's foreign policy approach with respect to USA in early days just after independence to upto 2000.
As we all know that after the second world war there was cold war era from 1945 to 1991 between westerns block of democratic countries led by USA and eastern bloc of communist countries led by USSR. It was also the era of independence as many Asian and African countries getting independence mainly from western block countries.
India's first Prime Minister J.L.Nehru was a visionary leader and he knew the value of hard earned independence. So he didn't want any interference in India's internal and external matters. He wanted to maintain India's sovereignty. So he decided not to join any of the two groups. He believed that neutrality is the very best idea to maintain sovereignty. That why India was one of the founding member of NAM (Non-Aligned Movement).
But, USA thought that it was the leader of democratic countries and wanted India which decided to be democratic, in its block. And Nehru believed in multilateralism and more democratic World. He wanted a a multipolar world rather than a bipolar world.
USA wanted to fullfilled it's strategic intrest by making countries in its side. But, India has its own intrest that could be fullfilled only to be a neutral country. Newly Independent India has many problems like hunger, poverty, very low literacy rate, very poor infrastructure, no health and education facilities, so poor human resources. Nehru wanted to solve these issues.It was the difference in priorities and so in political ideologies of India and USA. But, it was not the actual or main reason of cold relations between India and USA.
The main reason was that Pakistan had joined the USA led western block against communist block. That why USA tilted towards Pakistan. With 1958 military coup the then Pakistan President Muhammad Ayub Khan established strong military alliance with USA. Naturally, how India could have good relations with a country that is supporting it's enemy. USA started to provide military aid to Pakistan in early 1950s.
J.L.Nehru wanted to resolve India's internal issue so he wanted peace at borders. That's why he adopted the neighbours first approach to ensure cordial relations with China. It was also against USA foreign policy approach as China was a communist country. But, India have right to decide it's foreign policy approach according to its own intrest.
Being a NAM member India had to forged military ties with Russia because :- 1) Already developed cooperation in both the countries due to similarities in socialist economic policies of both the countries. 2)USSR also providing funding and machinery to develop our industries and space sector and providing training to our people. On the other hand USA threatened India to stop foodgrains under its PL-480 program but India had seen USA's this approach in others countries already and didn't allowed it to blackmail India. India decided to be self-reliant in foodgrains and started to work on green revolution. That time also USA used it's humanitarian aid to fullfill it's Geopolitics intrest. But, Russia had friendly attitude specially with respect to India.
Specially, after the 1962 war with China, India had felt the need to develop its defence sector. But, USA has a military alliance with Pakistan since very early in 1958. And India has a cooperative friend like USSR. That why India had to choose Russia for defence cooperation also. Here, one thing is very important to note that India closeness to USSR was not the closeness to the USSR led eastern bloc or communist block, but it was the bilateral friendship and still India was maintaining its NAM stance.
USA came in defence of Pakistan in 1971 Indo- Pak war against India. Actually, USA wanted China to involve militarly to defend Pakistan and offered to make a USA, China and Pakistan alliance against India. But, China didn't come up and USA itself came in defence of Pakistan. Then, Russia came in defence of India due to strong friendly relationship.
When, USSR attacked Afganistan in 1979, it made the need of Pakistan for USA more stronger to counter USSR. By this time the intrests of USA and Pakistan were fully complying with each other. So, Pakistan wanted more military capabilities to counter India and USA wanted Pakistan's geographic strategic location to counter USSR expansion. Thus, USA helped Pakistan with sixty F-16 fighter planes in 1989.
Initially alliances but now USA had started to force Pakistan by economic sanction to be used by it against Russia and Taliban also when required. Pakistan chose to go with USA led group to counter India. But, lost its sovereignty.
Therefore, it is the need of Pakistan and USA that brought these two countries closer in early 1950s to 2000 and made USA away from India. And it was not due to then India's PM J.L Nehru foreign policy approach. India' foreign policy approach was totally in India' intrest only. Newly independent India need funding and investment to start its industries to be self reliant. That the approach of India's first PM J.L.Nehru to maintain good relationship with both USA and USSR. But, USA wanted India to be in its group. And it was not in India's intrest. It was the Geopolitics self intrest of USA due to that it itself chose Pakistan because Pakistan had chosen USA block.
India chose to maintain its sovereignty and decided to be neutral. This factor of neutrality is more alive in India's today foreign policy approach also. We have seen it recently in Russia -Ukraine war also where India was walking on very tight diplomatic rope again to maintain neutral stand between western bloc and Russia. Based on that initial time neutral, Non- Aligned, multilateralism approach, India is a symbol of multipolar world today.
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