The guiding principles of India foreign policy today are founded on pragmatism and the pursuit of national interest without compromising on basics and well-established tenets and principles.

Improvement of bilateral relations is an important component of any foreign policy and India has succeeded in establishing a network of mutually beneficial relations with all the countries of the world. In fact, a major priority and focus of India's foreign policy is the intensification and consolidation of ties with Japan through mutually beneficial cooperation.

As a founder member of the United Nations, India has been firmly committed to the principles and purposes of the United Nations and made significant contributions to its various activities, including peace-keeping operations. As a major troop contributor participating in UN peace-keeping operations, India has always underlined its continuing commitment to peacekeeping as an important instrument for the maintenance of international peace and security. India has also played an active role in deliberations of the United Nations on the creation of a more equitable international economic order.

It is difficult to enumerate the achievements of a country's foreign policy in quantifiable terms. With this as a qualification, it would be a fair assessment to say that Indian foreign policy has sought to preserve, with conviction and consistency, the principles that were enunciated by the founding fathers of the Republic, both in the development of our bilateral relations and in international fora. A significant factor underlying this achievement has been the consensus within the country, cutting across political divides, on the basic aims and objectives of Indian foreign policy.