Abstract
India of the 21st century is a state that is strengthening its position both
in the Asia-Pacific region and on a global scale. Indian authorities focus
on the political, economic and military development of the country’ power
and more and more often emphasise their aspirations on the international
arena. In order to understand India’s current foreign policy, it is essential to
get acquainted with the Indian political culture and its cultural-civilisation
related and historical-geographical conditions. The five-thousand-year-old
civilisation, a specific vision of the world and the experiences of the Indian
national movement were decisive in the development of a common belief
among Indian people that the Indian civilisation is better than others and India
is predestined to be a moral leader of the world. Whether it was Jawaharlala
Nehru’s foreign policy in the post-independence movement period or the
policy of the proponents of realism and nationalism (the present BJP party)
who emphasise the strength and potential of the state, striving to implement
the aspirations to be a world superpower has always been a major direction
of the Indian foreign strategy.