GUJRAL DOCTRINE - INTERNATIONAL

News: What does Indian foreign policy's "Gujral Doctrine" entail?

 

What's in the news?

       The Gujral Principles, which bear his name, are an approach to foreign policy that Gujral alone had as prime minister.

       This idea had enormous benefits for India. Despite the fact that I.K. Gujral served as prime minister for just a single year.

 

Gujral Doctrine:

       Gujaral was in charge for less than a year, and his tenure received little individual attention from India’s leaders.

       He is, however, the only Prime Minister with a foreign policy approach named after him — the Gujral Doctrine.

       It was during his second tenure as External Affairs Minister (EAM) that Gujral delineated his approach towards India’s neighbours, which later came to be known as the Gujral Doctrine.

       This consisted of five basic principles, as outlined by Gujral at a speech in Chatham House in London in September 1996.

 

Objectives:

       The Gujral Doctrine was based on the understanding that India’s size and population by default made it a major player in South East Asia, and its position and prestige could be better cemented by adopting a non-domineering attitude towards its smaller neighbours.

 

Features:

       India does not ask for reciprocity but gives all that it can in good faith and trust with the neighbours like Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

       No South Asian country will allow its territory to be used against the interest of another country of the region.

       None will interfere in the internal affairs of another.

       All South Asian countries must respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

       To settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations.