India has consistently responded to American assertiveness head-on. This global leader of the New World Order always sees the world from its perspective and hasn’t weighed global matters fairly. When India gained independence in 1947 and pursued a non-alignment policy under Jawaharlal Nehru, America was upset. It signaled an era of autonomy and pressure-free foreign policy for the newly independent India.
From then to now, India has prioritized autonomy and national interests in its foreign policy. Despite being a global powerhouse, the US has routinely attempted to influence India through economic, diplomatic, or military pressures. However, India has stood firm, preserving its strategic autonomy and conveying a clear message that its policies aren't crafted to please an international audience.
Imagine a scenario where India is embroiled in conflict with Pakistan, depending on US wheat to feed its people. Suddenly, the US threatens to halt wheat supplies unless the war ends. India's response? Go ahead, stop the wheat. It doesn't matter. Post the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, America imposed economic and military sanctions on India. Yet again, India held its ground. Let's understand the history-altering events.
The 1965 War and America's Wheat Watch
After the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict, India's food reserves were alarming. When Lal Bahadur Shastri became Prime Minister, the nation wasn’t food secure, facing a dire eating crisis. The 1965 monsoon failed, pushing the country to famine's brink. Pakistan attacked during this adversity.
On August 5, 1965, 30,000 Pakistani troops crossed the LOC into Kashmir, igniting fierce conflict. The Indian Army reached Lahore.
During this period, the US was supplying wheat under the PL-480 scheme.
An American report discusses India’s food crisis, stating, "India's leaders fear PL-480 cutoff. Without shipments, India faces severe crisis. Insufficient food grows for self-reliance, and the recent crop was disastrous."
In this tumult, President Lyndon Johnson threatened Shastri with halting wheat supplies unless the war ceased. That time, India was not yet agrarian independent, and the world faced food shortages post-WWII. Feeding 480 million was a significant challenge.
Fearless of Johnson's threat, PM Lal Bahadur Shastri instructed, 'Stop the wheat.' He outright rejected American wheat.
Shastri called for national unity and self-reliance. A famous anecdote mentions Shastri asking his wife to skip cooking for a day to understand the nation's situation.
He coined "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan," rallying the country toward food self-sufficiency. On October 1965 Dashera, Shastri urged weekly fasts during a Ramlila Maidan rally, leading by example.
This demonstrated that despite American pressure, India preserved its strategic autonomy while securing long-term food security.
The 1998 Nuclear Testing
In 1998, when India conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran, the US began flexing its influence. On May 11 and 13, 1998, Pokhran-II tests established India as a nuclear power.
Having bombed Japan twice, the US wasn't pleased about India's nuclear ambitions and imposed sanctions under the Glenn Amendments of the 1994 Arms Export Control Act.
They canceled military and arms sales licenses, stopped EXIM and OPIC loans, and opposed World Bank non-humanitarian loans to India.
Led by PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India stood firm, asserting that nuclear tests were essential for national security, especially with neighbors like China and Pakistan.
Subsequently, India engaged in diplomatic discussions led by Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, clarifying India's nuclear policy and credible minimum deterrence.
By 1999, the US lifted most sanctions, realizing isolating India wasn't effective. President Bill Clinton's 2000 India visit played a crucial role in normalizing relations.
1974 Sanctions Revisited
Earlier, in 1974 under Indira Gandhi, India's first nuclear test prompted US sanctions targeting nuclear fuel supply, technological cooperation, and economic aid, aiming to limit India's nuclear program and enforce the NPT. Unyielding, India responded with indigenous development, alternative partnerships, and a firm nuclear policy.
The 25% Tariff Pressure
After lengthy negotiations from January to July, President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian exports to the US effective August 7. Yet again, India stands firm against unjust trade deal conditions, with the Ministry of Commerce affirming steps to safeguard traders' interests without retaliatory tariffs.
