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Foreign policy is the set of principles adopted and followed by a nation to secure the objectives of its national interest during its relations with other nations. The main aim of foreign policy is to safeguard a country's national interests, national security, ideological goals, and economic prosperity. The behavior of each nation is always conditioned by its foreign policy. There is a close link between foreign policy and national interest, and foreign policy acts for securing the goals of national interest. National interest is the objective of foreign policy, and foreign policy is the protector of national interest. Foreign policy is the plan and program formulated for securing the goals of national interest of the nation, whereas diplomacy is the means and tactics employed for implementing the foreign policy. The history of Indian foreign policy is short but active, and it is based on the principles of anti-Cold War, anti-imperialism, anti-racialism, anti-power politics, and pro-neutralism. The elements of independent India's foreign policy are the pursuit of non-alignment, maintenance of world peace, peaceful settlement of disputes, peaceful coexistence of nations, opposition to colonialism and neo-colonialism, anti-Apartheid, promotion of economic development, development of an Asian-identity, and intra-Asian cooperation.

Indian Council of Social Science Research.

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