Abstract

The period between 1947 and 1964 marks the formative phase of India’s foreign policy during which Jawaharlal Nehru as the country’s first Prime Minister and Foreign Minister established the fundamental principles that would shape India’s global engagement for decades. Nehru’s foreign policy was deeply influenced by his commitment to peace anti-colonial solidarity non-alignment and economic development. This paper critically examines the philosophical foundations strategic decisions and outcomes of Nehru’s foreign policy. It explores how Nehru attempted to balance idealism with realism in a rapidly polarizing Cold War world. Through an analytical lens it evaluates successes such as the promotion of Asian solidarity India’s leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement and the assertion of independence in world affairs alongside failures most notably the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and diplomatic miscalculations with neighboring states. The paper concludes that while Nehru’s foreign policy was idea