Contours of Indian Foreign Policy and the World Order Since Independence

This paper undertakes a neo realist analysis as to how the prevailing world order at different times has influenced the evolution of the contours Indian foreign policy since Independence. This paper has been divided into five parts. In the first part, which is the Introduction, in which the meaning of foreign policy and the world order along with structural realism is explained. Thereafter, the prevailing world order has been analysed in the subsequent parts-that is from 1947–89 (Cold War era); 1989- 2001 (Post Cold War era till 9/11); Post 9/11/2001 By way of conclusion, this paper concludes that India's foreign policy has been certainly influenced by the prevailing world order at different times since independence.