Foreign relations

India and Russia share an extensive economic, defence and
technological relationship.[105] Shown here is PM Manmohan
Singh with President Dmitry Medvedev at the 34th G8 Summit.

Since its independence in 1947, India has maintained cordial relationships with most nations. In the 1950s, it strongly advocated for the independence of European colonies in Africa and Asia and played a pioneering role in the Non-Aligned Movement.[106][107] India was involved in two brief military interventions in neighbouring countries – the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and Operation Cactus in Maldives. India has a tense relationship with neighbouring Pakistan and the two countries went to war in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Most of these conflicts were fought over the Kashmir dispute, with the exception of the 1971 war where the dispute primarily concerned the civil unrest in erstwhile East Pakistan.[108] After the Sino-Indian War and the 1965 war, India developed close military and economic relations with the Soviet Union and by late 1960s, the Soviet Union had emerged as the largest supplier of military arms to India.[109]

India continues to maintain strategic relations with Russia and also enjoys extensive defence relations with Israel and France. In recent years, it has played an influential role in the SAARC and the WTO.[110] India has provided as many as 55,000 Indian military and police personnel to serve in thirty-five UN peacekeeping operations across four continents.[111]

India is also an active participant in various multilateral forums, particularly the East Asia Summit and the G8+5.[112][113] In the economic sphere, India has close relationships with other developing nations in South America, Asia and Africa. Since early 2000s, India has vigorously pursued its "Look East" policy which has helped it increase its collaboration with the ASEAN nations, Japan and South Korea on a range of issues, particularly economic investment and regional security.[114][115] Recent overtures by the Indian government have enhanced India's economic, strategic and military cooperation with the United States and the European Union.[116]

In 2008, a civilian nuclear agreement between India and the United States was signed, prior to which India received waivers from the IAEA and the NSG which ended restrictions on nuclear technology commerce, even though India possesses nuclear weapons and is not a signatory of the NPT. As a consequence, India became the world's sixth de facto recognised nuclear weapons state.[117] Following the NSG waiver, India has also signed civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreements with other nations including Russia,[118] France,[119] the United Kingdom,[120] and Canada.[121]