Posted on August 22, 2024
India is one of the world’s largest democracies that have always enjoyed great power status in the world not only because of its size Geo-Economy potential, but also because of the way it conducts diplomacy in the international system. It is however important to note that promoters of world peace have existed in India for centuries and the country’s visionary leaders who have always spelt out goals of non-violence and tolerance in the governance of the nation. Thus the optimistic aspect of the India story is its commitment to peace in times of geopolitics and wars.
Historical Foundations of Peace
The concept of peace has a very old background in India and it is rooted in Indian philosophies and religious beliefs. The principle of non-violence, non-interference which was the creed of Gandhi during the freedom struggle, is still the policy of India in the conduct of her external relations. Most of these polices emanate from Gandhi’s non-violent aims of achieving conflicts through dialogue and mutual respect both domestically and on the international stage.
Based on this we can see that India unlike many nations has had little inclination to engage in aggressive wars and as such favors diplomacy. It suffices here to note that, unlike most nations which grew by mongering military power and territorial conquest, India has always been more inclined towards commerce, civilization and knowledge as a way of dealing with the outer world. This foundation has defined the modern India foreign policy which remains averse to use of forces and emphasizes on the peaceful settlements of disputes and international cooperation.
IDEA Magazin ISSUE 03/2011, page 42 Pro Con India’s seat within the United Nations Organisation
Taking part in different international organisations indicates the country’s intention to contribute to peace in the world. Well aware of the United Nations core principles, India has donated handsome sums of money for the UN and has been the largest contributor of peacekeepers. Over the years, Indian peacekeepers have been deployed in some of the toughest theatres and have made a huge contribution in keeping the peace in conflict-prone areas in Africa, Asia and the middle east. India has been keen and assertive in supporting and following UN Charter and principles through its ethical stand in supporting multilateralism and rules based order on international relations.
However, India’s leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during the Cold War was not a sign of eagerness to engage itself in military entanglements and superpowers’ battles. Standing up for the rights of the newly emerged nations and calling for a nuclear weapon free world helped India to gain a status of the responsible world leader.
Nuclear disarmament and arms control
The other activity that India has taken with regard to the peace initiatives is its position on nuclear disarmament. Although India officially joined the ‘Nuclear Club’ in 1998, New Delhi has forged the ‘No First Use’ policy thereby indicating its nuclear weapons are exclusively for deterrence. India is one of the persistent proponents of nuclear disarmament and has encouraged other nuclear weapon states to follow the policy to lead towards a nuclear weapon free world. Finally, as a responsible nuclear weapon state that has maintained its strategic restraint to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime in South Asia and the region’s strategic stability, India is equally interested in the unequivocal peace and stability the world over.
Regional Peace and Stability
In south Asian region where the flames of conflict and tension blaze India has acted and strived to be this burning that soothes the surrounding fire. India’s involvement in the termination of the Sri Lankan civil conflict, International peace conferencing for Nepal and helping and supporting Afghan in its rehabilitation process show that India is not a passive player in the South-East Asian security. According to India, historical and on-going with neighboring Pakistan conflicts have nevertheless remained a major source of regional instability; at the same time, however, India has always supported the negotiation and diplomatic settlement of disputes.
Neighbourhood First is the foreign policy of India addressing relations with the neighboring countries to develop harmonious, friendly, and fully-fledged cooperation at the political, economic, and other levels, as well as in terms of culture and other aspects. Therefore, through these goals like stability of the region, India not only contributes to the conception of peace within the circle of geographies of its territory but also shows the other regions how it can be done, having similar problems.
Promoting Peace Through Development
In keeping with its world’s largest democracy tag, India seeks not only to engage in diplomacy and conflict resolution for the purpose of peace, but also looks at means based on economic enablers. The current Indian foreign policy cooperation with the countries in Africa, south-east Asia and other regions is for economic development, which is the basis for sustainable peace. Through its assistance in areas such as information technology, agriculture and health, India contributes to the development of other countries’ capacity so that they can deal with the causes of conflict including poverty and inequality.
Conclusion
Indian contribution towards the maintenance of world peace can be described on various models of diplomacy and cooperation; non-proliferation in the shape of nuke disarmament; and finally on economic interdependence. Under the leadership of Sardar Patel under its foreign policy, India has upheld the emphases such as non-violent foreign policy, multicentricism and responsible leadership for global peace. In a world that is continually facing challenges, India’s initiatives towards establishment of peace will always be significant learn occasions in the direction of attaining a peaceful and just world.