The Cold War: Country Trends--India

Figure 1.--India's Congress Party at the time of Independence was committed to British-style parlimentary democracy, but Soviet style socialist econimic planning. There was a substantial Communist Party which favored a much more radical approach once independence was aschieved. Here we see Communist Party supporters in a Kerala tribal community during 1946.

The United States and India are the world's two great multi-ethnic demoracies. It might seem that they would have been natural allies in the Cold War struggle with the totalitarian Soviet Union. This for a number of reasons did not occur. The United States had pressed Britain on the colonial question during World War II. And with the election of a Labour Government (1945), Britain proceeded rapidly with independence after the War. India became independent (1947). The Congress Party stabilized the political life of perhaps the most ethnically and culturally disparate country in the world. Unlike many other European colonies, India adopted a real democratic system after independence. Many were convinced that democracy could never work in such a large, diverse country. Free market economics was another matter. Nehru and other major Indian leaders after independence saw the United States as a basically colonial power and Western free market economics as inappropriate for the rapid development of the Indian economy as well as explotive system. This idea was widespread within the Congress Party. Many Indians saw Soviet socialism and central planning as the way to both rapidly modernize the economy and to do so in a more ethically just manner. Many American liberals would now use the term 'social justice'. The result was despite India's vast economic potential was several decades of economic stagnation and poverty. None of the economic goals so optimistically anticipated were met. Despite the alienation with the British during the indpendence movement, the Indians decided to pursue English-style parliamentary democracy, but Soviet-style central planning and costly massive beaureacracy. India as a result languished as a poor, backward third world country. Indian leaders persued this economic program for several decades becuse of an almost religious devotions to socialist ideology. The Soviets in turn courted India and provided funding for major projects. It is unclear why the Indians with their democratic system were not disturbed by Soviet totalitarianism and creation of a colonial empire in Eastern Europe. It is presumasblt the same dynamic which affected left-wing individuals like Sarte in the West when they viewed Soviet atrocities. It appears that Soviet anti-colonial retoric was more important than actual Soviet policies. India was a participant in the Non-Aligned Movement which essentially became a foil for Soviet foreign policy, blaming economic conditions in the Third World on the West. India's Cold War policies were complicated by the wars with Pakistan over Kasmir and a war with China over the Himalayan border. Only with the fall of the Soviet Union and the exposure of its economic failure did India begin its free market reforms that has so transformed its economy.

America and India

The United States and India are the world's two great multi-ethnic demoracies. It might seem that they would have been natural allies in the Cold War struggle with the totalitarian Soviet Union. This for a number of reasons did not occur.

Independence

The United States had pressed Britain on the colonial question during World War II. And with the election of a Labour Government (1945), Britain proceeded rapidly with independence after the War. India became independent (1947). The Congress Party stabilized the political life of perhaps the most ethnically and culturally disparate country in the world. Unlike many other European colonies, India adopted a real democratic system after independence. Many were convinced that democracy could never work in such a large, diverse country. Free market economics was another matter.

Socialist Economics

Nehru and other major Indian leaders after independence saw the United States as a basically colonial power and Western free market economics as inappropriate for the rapid development of the Indian economy as well as explotive system. This idea was widespread within the Congress Party. Many Indians saw Soviet socialism and central planning as the way to both rapidly modernize the economy and to do so in a more ethically just manner. Many American liberals would now use the term 'social justice'. The result was despite India's vast economic potentialseveral decades of economic stagnation and poverty. None of the economic goals so optimistically anticipated were met. Despite the alienation with the British during the indpendence movement, the Indians decided to pursue English-style parliamentary democracy, but Soviet-style central planning and costly massive beaureacracy. India as a result languished as a poor, backward third world country.

Indian-Soviet Relationship

The dominant dynamic during the Cold War was India's emerge from a British colony after World war II to an independent country (1947) and the concurrent conflict with Pakistan that resulted from Partition. Pakistan became a Western ally. The American motivation was the containment of the Soviet Union. Pakistan may have had some concerns about the Soviet Union because of Soviet activities in Afghanistan, but its primary focus was on its disputes with India, especially Kashmir. For the Indians, Western arms provided to resist the Soviets were more likely to be used against them and this did occur in the various Indo-Pakistani Wars. Indian leaders persued this economic program for several decades becuse of an almost religious devotions to socialist ideology. The Soviets in turn courted India and provided funding for major projects. The Soviet Union had a major aid program aimed primarily at industrialization which impressed many Indians. The American aid effort attracted fewer headlines even though the resulting Green Revolution fundamentally improved the country's ability to produce food for its growing population. India also turned to the Soviets for arms. The United States used its U.N. Security Council veto in favor of Pakistan six times. During the Third Indo-Pakistani War (1971-72), America and Britain deployed aircraft carriers to the Indian Ocean, although they were not used, this was seen as a hostile act by the Indians. It is unclear why the Indians with their democratic system were not disturbed by Soviet totalitarianism and creation of a colonial empire in Eastern Europe. It is presumasblt the same dynamic which affected left-wing individuals like Sarte in the West when they viewed Soviet atrocities. It appears that Soviet anti-colonial rhetoric was more important than actual Soviet policies. What ever the reasons, an emotional tie with the Soviets developed. The Indians just ignored the Soviet colonial empire in Eastern Europe. In addition, the Indian nuclear power plants, space program, and military inventory are primarily of Soviet origin creating a significant dependence. India's socialist economic policies, in part influenced by the Soviets, was largely a failure. The utopian surge of development following independence simply did not occur. India remained a very poor country, a phenomenon thsat occurred in other newly independent countries following World War II..

Tibet

Indian-Sino War (1962-63)

The short 1962 Sino-Indian War is also called the Sino-Indian Border Conflict by those desiring to deephasize this conflict in the high Himilayas. The long remote 3,225-kilometer-long Himalayan border between India and Tibet was not well defined. It inincluded a western area (west of Nepal), short central area (between Nepal and Bhutan), and eastern area (east of Bhutan). The border was not a significant problem until Cimmunist China seized control of Tibet (1959). The border was not the only problem and some authors refer to it as a pretext. Border incidents occurred after the 1959 Tibetan uprising against the Chinese. India granted asylum to the Dalai Lama. They also initiated a Forward Policy, placing outposts along the border. Several were located north of the McMahon Line (eastern border area). This was the eastern portion of the Line of Actual Control proclaimed by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1959. When diplomatic efforts to resolve the ussue stalled, the Chinese without warning launched simultaneous offensives both in Ladakh and aklso along the McMahon Line (October 20, 1962). This occurred during the Cuban Missile Crisis and this received relatively little oress coverage. Chinese troops drove Indian forces back in both border areas. They took Rezang la in Chushul (western area) and Tawang (eastern area). The war ended as abruptly as it began. China declared a ceasefire (November 20). And they withdrew from the disputed area. The Sino-Indian War is notable for two militaruy aspects. It ws the most significant war fought at such high sltutudes meaning exceeding harsh consitions. Most of the fighting occurred at altitudes over 4,250 metres (14,000 feet). And as this was in exceedingly remote areas, both sides encountered serious logistical problems. Both countries decided to limit the scale of the conflict. Neither used either its navl or air forces in the fighting. The Chinese invasion surprised the Pakisranis as much as th Indians, who also had a Himilayan border with Tibet. The poor perfirmance of the Indian Army probably led the Pkistanis to believe that a well executed strike might suceeded in seizing Kashmir before the Indians could respond.

Non Alligned Movement

India was a participant in the Non-Aligned Movement which essentially became a foil for Soviet foreign policy, blaming economic conditions in the Third World on the West. India's Cold War policies were complicated by the wars with Pakistan over Kasmir and a war with China over the Himalayan border. Only with the fall of the Soviet Union and the exposure of its economic failure did India begin its free market reforms that has so transformed its economy.

Market Reforms

Created: 8:13 AM 12/17/2010
Last updated: 12:30 PM 4/26/2023