- India's foreign policy has moved from non-alignment during the Cold War to what is now described as strategic autonomy and "multi-alignment" — working with many partners without joining military alliances.
- Its core ideas appear in the Constitution: Article 51 (a Directive Principle) asks the State to promote international peace and security and respect for international law.
- India shares land borders with seven countries — Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan and Afghanistan — totalling about 15,106.7 km.
Milestones in India's Foreign Policy
| Year | Policy / doctrine | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Panchsheel | Five principles of peaceful coexistence in the India–China agreement on Tibet (April 29, 1954): mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence |
| 1961 | Non-Alignment | Staying out of both Cold War blocs; NAM's first summit in Belgrade |
| 1991 | Look East Policy | Started under P.V. Narasimha Rao to build economic ties with South-East Asia |
| 1996 | Gujral Doctrine | India, as the largest neighbour, gives more to smaller neighbours without asking for reciprocity; led to the Ganga Water Treaty with Bangladesh |
| 2014 | Neighbourhood First | Priority to neighbours — SAARC leaders were invited to the 2014 swearing-in |
| 2014 | Act East Policy | Look East upgraded to include security and connectivity, extending to the Indo-Pacific |
| 2015 | SAGAR | "Security and Growth for All in the Region" — India's vision for the Indian Ocean, announced in Mauritius |
| 2025 | MAHASAGAR | "Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions", announced in Mauritius in March 2025 — builds on SAGAR with a wider Global South focus |
PanchsheelApril 29, 1954
Look East1991
Act East2014
SAGAR2015
Longest land borderBangladesh
Land neighbours7
India's Land Borders
| Country | Length (approx.) | Indian states / UTs on the border |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 4,096.7 km (longest) | West Bengal (longest share), Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| China | 3,488 km | Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Pakistan | 3,323 km | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh |
| Nepal | 1,751 km | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim |
| Myanmar | 1,643 km | Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram |
| Bhutan | 699 km | Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Afghanistan | 106 km | Ladakh (the area under Pakistani occupation) |
Boundary Lines
| Line | Between | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Radcliffe Line | India–Pakistan and India–Bangladesh | Drawn by Cyril Radcliffe at Partition, 1947 |
| McMahon Line | India–China (eastern sector) | Simla Convention, 1914; China does not accept it |
| Durand Line | Pakistan–Afghanistan | Agreed in 1893 between British India and Afghanistan |
| Line of Control (LoC) | India–Pakistan in Jammu & Kashmir | The 1971 ceasefire line, renamed under the Simla Agreement, 1972 |
| Line of Actual Control (LAC) | India–China | The working line since 1962; not formally demarcated |
Maritime points to remember: Sir Creek is a disputed estuary between Gujarat and Sindh; the Palk Strait separates Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka; Katchatheevu island was recognised as Sri Lankan under a 1974 agreement.
Evacuation and Humanitarian Operations
| Operation | Year | From |
|---|---|---|
| Operation Rahat | 2015 | Yemen |
| Operation Ganga | 2022 | Ukraine |
| Operation Kaveri | 2023 | Sudan |
| Operation Ajay | 2023 | Israel |
| Operation Sindhu | 2025 | Iran and Israel |
Vaccine Maitri (2021) supplied Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines to partner countries, and India positions itself as a "first responder" in the Indian Ocean through disaster relief missions.
- Doctrine ↔ year/leader: Look East (1991, Narasimha Rao), Gujral Doctrine (1996), Act East (2014).
- Border questions: "Which state does not border Nepal?" or "Which country shares the longest border with India?"
- Line ↔ countries: McMahon (India–China), Durand (Pakistan–Afghanistan), Radcliffe (India–Pakistan/Bangladesh).
Q1. The Gujral Doctrine is associated with:
✅ Answer: (a) Non-reciprocal goodwill towards smaller neighbours
💡 Explanation: It held that India should give more to neighbours without demanding reciprocity.
Q2. India shares its longest land border with:
✅ Answer: (d) Bangladesh
💡 Explanation: The India–Bangladesh border is about 4,096.7 km long.
Q3. The McMahon Line separates India from:
✅ Answer: (b) China
💡 Explanation: It marks the eastern sector of the India–China boundary, drawn at the Simla Convention of 1914.
Q4. Which state does NOT share a border with Myanmar?
✅ Answer: (c) Assam
💡 Explanation: The Myanmar border touches Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
Q5. The SAGAR vision for the Indian Ocean was announced in 2015 in:
✅ Answer: (d) Mauritius
💡 Explanation: PM Modi outlined SAGAR in Mauritius in March 2015; MAHASAGAR was also announced there in 2025.
🔁 Revise in 60 Seconds
- Panchsheel 1954 (with China) → NAM 1961 → Look East 1991 → Gujral 1996 → Act East & Neighbourhood First 2014 → SAGAR 2015 → MAHASAGAR 2025.
- Borders: Bangladesh 4,096.7 > China 3,488 > Pakistan 3,323 > Nepal 1,751 > Myanmar 1,643 > Bhutan 699 > Afghanistan 106 km.
- Radcliffe (1947), McMahon (1914), Durand (1893), LoC (1972).
- Ganga (Ukraine 2022), Kaveri (Sudan 2023), Ajay (Israel 2023), Sindhu (2025).
📌 Prelims Traps to Avoid
- ✘ Panchsheel was signed with China, not at the NAM summit.
- ✘ The Durand Line does not touch Indian-administered territory.
- ✘ Look East (1991) was upgraded to Act East in 2014 — they are not separate policies.
What are the five principles of Panchsheel?
Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. They were set out in the India–China agreement of April 29, 1954.
What is the difference between Look East and Act East?
Look East (1991) focused mainly on economic ties with South-East Asia. Act East (2014) widened this to security, connectivity and culture and extended it to the wider Indo-Pacific.