Research On The Goa Issue And The U.S.-india Relations(1947-1962)

Goa issue originated in the conflict between India and Portugal.After India’s independence in 1947,the Goa region became the focus of the dispute between India and Portugal: Portugal insisted that it had the sovereignty of Goa;India’s position was to support the liberation of Goa from Portuguese colonial rule and to make Goa part of the Republic of India.In the background of the global cold war,the United States and the Soviet Union became the driving force behind the manipulation of the Goa issue in order to compete for the power in South Asia.The policies and measures of India and Portugal on the Goa issue were deeply influenced by the United States and the Soviet Union,which made the Goa issue internationalized and complicated.Among them,the United States plays an even more important role in the Goa issue.From the initial avoidance to the false neutrality afterwards,its change of position and attitude towards the Goa issue reflects the evolution of the American Cold War mentality in South Asia in the 1950 s.The United States’ change of stance also reflects its diplomatic considerations in maintaining relations with Portugal and India.On the one hand,the United States wants to win over India and try to create an illusion for India to encourage a peaceful settlement on the Goa issue.On the other hand,Portugal is a member of NATO and an ally of the United States,and the United States tends to favor Portugal when it comes to actual policy.The Nehru administration was dissatisfied with the US and other Western countries’ intervention in Goa’s remarks and actions,and shifted from being close to the U.S.to developing relations with the Soviet Union.In December 1961,India regained Goa by force,which was not only a manifestation of Nehru’s tough attitude on territorial disputes,but also an initial practice of regional power politics,which had a great impact on US-India relations.The United States viewed India’s military actions as outright aggression,and in response,the United States drastically reduced its economic assistance to India.In a short time,the relationship between the United States and India fell into a trough.