OBJECTIVES OF INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY‌

India’s foreign policy is directed towards the realisation of the following objectives5 :

1. To protect India’s core national interests and concerns in a rapidly changing international environment by fostering support and understanding in the international community.

2. To preserve the autonomy of the decision making process and to play a pioneering role in the establishment of a stable, prosperous and secure global order.

3. To strengthen the international campaign against terrorism which is a global threat.

4. To build an international environment which is supportive of India’s rapid economic growth including higher investments, trade, access to technology and strengthening India’s energy security.

5. To work closely with P-5 countries and to build strategic ties with the major powers such as the USA, the EU, Japan, Russia, and China.

6. To intensify and strengthen ties with neighbours through mutually beneficial cooperation and by acknowledgement of each other’s legitimate concerns.

7. To work for the realisation of SAARC as an economically integrated region at peace with itself and engaged with the world.

8. To ensure that cross-border terrorism is brought to an end and the entire infrastructure of terrorism operating from Pakistan is dismantled.

9. To further the gains from India’s 'Act East’ Policy (erstwhile 'Look East’ Policy) and aspire for substantive progress in several areas of common interest to India and ASEAN.

10. To strengthen our ties with the countries of the Gulf region that has become home to over 4 million Indians and is a major source of supply of oil and gas.

11. To leverage economic growth through support to the activities of regional organisations like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic

Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and trans-regional groupings like the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Initiative and Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).

12. To continue to work closely with regional groupings like the EU and G-20 for furthering India’s interests in the international arena.

13. To reform and restructure the UN Security Council and espouse multi-polarity in a world order that respects the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention.

14. To promote a more equitable equation between the developed and the developing world in the political, economic and technological domains.

15. To work towards the goal of global nuclear disarmament within a timebound framework.

16. To closely interact with the Indian diaspora on a continuing basis in order to strengthen their bonds with India and to recognise their pivotal role in India’s international relations.