Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows:
It is important to remember that India chose to involve other members of the nonaligned group in this mission of reducing tension. During the Cold War, India repeatedly tried to activate those regional and international organizations, which were not a part of alliances led by the US and the USSR. Nehru reposed great faith in ‘a genuine commonwealth of free and co-operating nations’ that would play a positive role in softening, if not ending, the Cold War’.
(i) Explain the meaning of the Cold War.
(ii) Explain India’s response to then-ongoing Cold War.
(iii) Highlight any two features of India’s policy of Non-alignment.
OR
Read the following passage and answer the following questions :
India has maintained good relations with all the post-communist countries. But the strongest relations are still those between Russia and India. India’s relations with Russia are an important aspect of India’s foreign policy. Indo-Russian relations are embedded in a history of trust and common interests and are matched by popular perceptions. Indian heroes from Raj Kapoor to Amitabh Bachchan are household names in Russia and many post-Soviet countries. One can hear Hindi film songs all over the region, and India is part of the popular memory.
(i) What is meant by the post-communist countries?
(ii) Explain any two factors responsible for strong relations between India and Russia.
(iii) How are India’s relations with Russia an important aspect of India’s foreign policy?
(i) Cold War referred to the ideological and political tensions that existed between the USA and USSR after the Second World War. Both parties were nuclear powers, and since these tensions never escalated into a ‘hot war’, it was aptly named a ‘cold war’- fought through conflicts in several areas like Vietnam, Kuwait, Syria.
(ii) Unlike other newly independent nations, India decided to distance itself from both the USA and USSR. Instead, it was a founding member of NAM-Non Aligned Movement, which pledged neutrality, despite active political participation on the global level.
(iii) The two features were:
a) The countries pledged to stay politically neutral and take whatever benefits they could from the USA or USSR.
b) The countries pledged to remain politically active and call out the super-powers on their misdeeds or attempts to throttle democracy in other nations.
OR
(i) Post-communist countries refer to the countries that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. They are called post-communist as they have given up communism and embraced capitalism as their mode of economy.
(ii) The following factors are responsible for Indo-Russia ties:
a) Russia’s support has helped India to offset the dismal and wavering relationship with China.
b) Russia has rescued Indian causes like Kashmir issue in the Security Council by using its veto power to undo proposals that would have asked for a referendum in the area.
(iii) a) India needs to maintain a good relationship with Russia because it needs to counter the growing Chinese influence in the sub-continent. Since China and Russia are not on good terms, Russia’s backing prevents China from making any foolish moves.
b) Russia provides massive technological support to India. It has helped India’s military and space programs to modernize and reach world standards.
c) There are common values of Asian empowerment and multi-polar world order, which the two nations cherish and uphold.
Couldn't generate an explanation.
Generated by AI. May contain inaccuracies — always verify with your textbook.
