Continuity and Change in Indian Foreign Policy: Ideas, Leaders, and the Weight of History

Abstract

This thesis explores the role of prime ministers in shaping Indian foreign policy, focusing on the weight of shared historical experiences that influence ideological development and state identity. In particular, the thesis illuminates the relationship between continuity and change in Indian foreign policy and examines how India's ongoing colonial history has influenced the foreign policy of Indian prime ministers since 1947. This gives rise to three distinct understandings of the Indian state identity: the strategic, postcolonial, and Hindu nationalist identities; shifts in leadership exemplify these identities. Furthermore, four themes in Indian foreign policy are developed that provide a framework for advancing the understanding that ideas play in foreign policy analysis: Nehruvian Idealist, Nehruvian Pragmatist, Pragmatic Liberalist, and Strategist Multilateralist. The thesis employs a qualitative interpretative methodology and a broadly defined constructivist approach using a Skinnerian method and Post-Imperial Ideology. The research aims to develop a theoretical description of the role of ideas in Indian foreign policy, exploring the ongoing impact of ideational continuity on Indian foreign policy, particularly in the context of changing political landscapes. The study contributes significantly to the field of Indian Foreign Policy by providing a detailed historical analysis of the role of ideas, particularly emphasizing the long-standing effects of colonialism. It illuminates the persistence of ideational continuity and its resulting impact on the evolution of Indian foreign policy. The research underscores the need for a more expansive appreciation of Indian foreign policy, considering the influential interplay between leaders' ideologies, historical legacy, and current global circumstances.