An Analysis On The Impact Of Cultural Factors On India's Foreign Policy

Indian culture has a great impact on Indian foreign policy. Since the independence of India, the foreign policy that from Jawaharlal Nehru's "non-aligned" foreign policy to Vajpayee's "nationalism" foreign policy was affected by the international pattern of great-power relations and national comprehensive strength and other factors, the Indian culture is also an important influencing factor that can not be ignored. Because the Indian culture has the characteristics as diversity, complexity and succession, the Indian culture also presents the similar characteristics in Indian foreign policy. The impact of Indian culture on the Indian foreign policy is also various.The first chapter is mainly analysis on the Indian culture and the evolution of Indian foreign policy. Culture plays a huge and profound role in the national foreign development, the culture has already became a important influencing factor in national foreign policy. Indian culture is a typical representation. It is broad and profound and it has distinct characteristics, such as strong religious and the high spiritualization and so on. Indian culture always pursues their values ideas that stress the harmony and the unification between human and the nature. After India independence, there is not big change in cultural development direction, but after getting rid of the colonial rule shackles, Indian culture development became more prosperous. After independence of India,Indian Government formulates a series of foreign policy and the strategy for consolidating political independence and eventually achieving its strategic target to become a great-power country. In the initial period of independent, Nehru formulated a "Non-Aligned" foreign policy which Advocates the independence and peace, and achieved great success. "The Non-Aligned" has become the criteria for Indian successive governments to formulate foreign policy. The international society and the world pattern have a great change after the cold war. The Indian government takes advantage of a situation, adjusts the 2diplomatic politics promptly, changes foreign policy from passive to initiative, in the Indian diplomacy presented"Gujral Doctrine"and the "India Nationalism"strength foreign policy adjustment.The second chapter is mainly analysis on the influence of traditional culture on Indian foreign policy. Indian traditional culture and the value ideas have been affecting the Indian foreign policy from formulation to implementation since independence. Although the new country-building in South Asian enriched and developed the South Asian area culture, the cultural diversity of the South Asian region is still subordinate to the main culture what Indian culture is. Because of the cultural identity, Nehru formulates the "Non-Aligned" foreign policy and the conception of "Great-Power Indian Federation".Nehru reiterated that the source of his foreign policy thought is based on Indian traditional thinking mode and traditional culture heritage. The Nehru thought establish a theoretical foundation for safeguarding Indian unity and promoting the development of Indian foreign policy. Indira Gandhi in power, the"South Asia Hegemonies"foreign policy she formulated is also show the traditional culture thought because of her father Nehru's influence. What Indian culture values main emphasis is the harmony and the nonviolent resistance thought. Nehru's "Non-Aligned" foreign policy manifests the Indian culture values to the morals, the nationality, the equality and other aspects understanding. The Nehru's thought is that pursues spiritual values, create harmony and achieve peace with the nonviolent resistance. "Gujral Doctrine" foreign policy settle confliction between States in peaceful means, and he put emphasis on the harmonious and unification that Indian culture values pursue.The third chapter is mainly analysis on the influence of contemporary culture on India foreign policy. In the 1980s, Hindu nationalism emerged and had became the mainstream of contemporary Indian culture, and it is also the main thought basis for Indian foreign policy-making. India is a religion country of Hinduism primarily and coexistence of a variety of religious. Hindu nationalism is a combination of Hinduism and India nationalism, and it has a direct impact on Indian concept of the formation of a great-power country. Hindu nationalist advocates the great-power Hindu Doctrine, and it declares that Hinduism is the supreme religion repelling the external religion vigorously. Hindu nationalism declared by Indian People's Party with the presentation of Vajpayee is much more moderate, and it changes a lot in recent years. The thought principle of Vajpayee is more in line with the requirements of times development, more in line with Indian national condition, more beneficial to Indian stability and the development. After the ruling Indian People's Party, its ideological line represents a new stage of Hindu nationalism development. Indian People's Party transforms the traditional idea of the Hindu culture, but it has to ensure excellent Hindu cultural traditions continue to flourish in the process of modern culture's absorption. Indian People's Party regards Hindu nationalism as a cultural concept and it takes Hinduism culture as the core thought to speed up the construction of great power Indian. Indian People's Party declares nationalism to promote the national unity, and it also advocates working together to strengthen economic and military power construction.The fourth chapter is mainly the profound consideration of cultural factors in Indian foreign policy. Indian caste system and religious contradictions and religious sect's conflicts cause the Indian political situation more complex and the deficient in stability. These laggard culture factors make the foreign policy which the Indian central authorities formulated is difficult to carry out, and these also hinder Indian step to develop outward. Hindu Congress Party, Indian People Union and the National Voluntary Service and other parties. These organizations are settled up by revitalize the traditional culture of Hindu for the slogan. These organizations oppose the Indian present federal system structure in the varying degree, and they advocate establishing a formidable and the stable sole country. These organizations criticize National Congress Party betrays Hinduism, and they thought that National Congress Party's tolerance to Muslim causes the divided between India and Pakistan. Kashmir problem must be erased from the United Nations agenda, because Kashmir has always been an inalienable part of India. Presently, if Hindu nationalism continues to spread and becomes a strong political involvement, it will bring the enormous harm to India. The integration religious and politics will have a risk to make India retrogression. The combination between sectarianism and regionalism must be further threatening the stability of the Indian federal system.