作為聯合國的創始成員國之一，印度對於聯合國的目標和原則給予了堅定的承諾，並在聯合國的各種行動中作出了重大的貢獻，包括維和行動。印度參加了聯合國的所有維和行動，包括早年在朝鮮、埃及和剛果的行動，和近年來在索馬裡、安哥拉和盧旺達的行動。在聯合國為創建更公平的國際經濟秩序而進行的審議中，印度也起著積極的作用。印度是77國集團和以後G-15國核心集團的積極成員。其他一些問題，如環境的可持續發展問題和促進和保護人權的問題，在國際論壇上也是印度外交政策關注的重要焦點。
As a founder member of the United Nations, India has been firmly committed to the purposes and principles of the United Nations and has made significant contributions to its various activities, including peace-keeping operations. India has been a participant in all its peace-keeping operations including those in Korea, Egypt and Congo in earlier years and in Somalia, Angola and Rwanda in recent years. India has also played an active role in the deliberations of the United Nations on the creation of a more equitable international economic order. It has been an active member of the Group of 77, and later the core group of the G-15 nations. Other issues, such as environmentally sustainable development and the promotion and protection of human rights, have also been an important focus of India’s foreign policy in international forums.
在維護國家利益和安全的同時，在任何外交政策中，改善雙邊關係都是一個重要的組成部分，而印度與世界上所有國家都成功地建立了互利關係的網路。
Commensurate with national interests and security, the 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 countries of the world.
特別是，改善與鄰國的關係始終是印度外交政策的支柱之一。在孟加拉的解放過程中印度起著歷史性的和不可替代的作用，使之在1971年成為了一個主權獨立的國家。通過實施1964年和1974年的協議，在斯裡蘭卡的印度裔無國籍人的問題得到瞭解決。 1988年印度為馬爾代夫提供協助，防止了一次武裝雇傭兵的政變企圖，幫助維護了該國的完整。印度政府採取了最近的主動行動以進一步加強與各鄰國之間的聯繫，這贏得了國際上的讚賞。這些主動行動均基於5項明確的原則：第一，對於像孟加拉、不丹、馬爾代夫、尼泊爾和斯裡蘭卡這樣的鄰國，印度不要求互惠，而是本著誠意和信任盡其所能地給予。第二，任何一個南亞國家都不應允許其領土被用來反對本區域另一個國家的利益。第三，互不干涉內部事務。第四，所有南亞國家都必須相互尊重領土完整和主權。最後，所有南亞國家都必須通過和平的雙邊談判來解決它們之間的全部爭端。
In particular, the improvement of relations with our neighbors has always been one of the pillars of India’s foreign policy. India played an historic and unique role in the liberation of Bangladesh which emerged as a sovereign nation in 1971. Through the implementation of the 1964 and 1974 Agreements, the issues of the stateless people of Indian origin in Sri Lanka were resolved. In 1988, India helped preserve the integrity of Maldives by coming to the assistance of that country and preventing an attempted take over by armed mercenaries. The Indian government has taken recent initiatives to further strengthen ties with our neighbors, which have won international appreciation. These initiatives are based on five clear principles: First, with neighbors like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, India does not ask for reciprocity but gives all that it can in good faith and trust. Secondly, no South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against the interests of another country of the region. Thirdly, none will interfere in the internal affairs of another. Fourthly, all South Asian countries must respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. And finally, they should settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations.
這些原則取得了豐富的成果。和孟加拉已經簽定了有關共用恒河水域的界標條約。對於不丹和尼泊爾，主要的經濟合作項目已經取得進展。我國與斯裡蘭卡的關係一直在穩步改善。對於巴基斯坦，印度一貫執行的政策是，尋求在1972年簽定的西姆拉協定的框架內改善關係，該協議確定應和平地和雙邊地解決懸而未決的問題，並在次大陸實現持久的和平。與巴基斯坦之間的雙邊討論最近已經恢復，印度將繼續努力，以改善同巴基斯坦的關係。
These tenets have paid rich dividends. A landmark Treaty has been signed with Bangladesh on the sharing of waters of the Ganga. With Bhutan and Nepal, major projects of economic collaboration have been advanced. Our relations with Sri Lanka have shown steady improvement. With Pakistan, India ha consistently pursued a policy seeking to improve relations under the framework of the Simla Agreement signed in1972 which provided for the resolution of outstanding issues peacefully and bilaterally and for establishing durable peace in the Sub-continent. Bilateral discussions with Pakistan have resumed recently and India would continue efforts to have good neighborly relations with Pakistan.
印度外交政策的一個重要成就是加強了地區合作。印度是成立於1985年12月的南亞區域合作聯盟（SAARC）的積極成員。在印度的全力支持之下，SAARC已經採取了一些重大步驟來加速經濟合作的步伐。南亞特惠貿易安排（SAPTA）已在1995年開始生效。1997年5月，以印度為主席在馬累召開SAARC高峰會議上作出了一個歷史性的決定，力爭至遲在2001年實現南亞自由貿易區（SAFTA）。1997年3月成立的環印度洋區域合作聯盟（IOR-ARC）是在更大的區域內進行合作的一個重要手段，它也得到印度的積極支持。
An important achievement of India’s foreign policy has been the strengthening of regional co-operation. India is an active member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) which was launched in December 1985. With India’s full support, SAARC has recently taken significant steps in accelerating the pace of economic co-operation. The South Asian Preferential Trade Arrangement (SAPTA)became operational in December 1995. At the 9th SAARC Summit in Male in May 1997, which was chaired by India, a historical decision has also been taken to strive for a South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) latest by the year 2001 AD. The emergence of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation (IOR-ARC) in March 1997, as a major instrument of cooperation in the larger region, has also had the active support of India.
印度的外交政策始終把鄰國的概念看成是一個以歷史和文化共同體作為軸心擴展而成的一個同心圓。從這個觀點出發，印度始終把發展與東南亞的關係置於應有的優先位置。還是在1947年印度就組織了亞洲關係會議。印度主持了1954年的國際控制委員會，又是組織1955年萬隆會議的主要參與者。今天，印度正在執行“向東看”的政策，這種政策是由重要的經濟考慮所支持的。為了實行這個政策，已經採取了若干重大的步驟，包括作為加入東南亞國家聯盟（ASEAN）的正式對話夥伴，並在1996年成為ASEAN區域論壇的一個成員。
India’s foreign policy has always regarded the concept of neighborhood as one of widening concentric circles, around a central axis of historical and cultural commonalties. From this point of view, it has always given due priority to the development of relations with South East Asia. In 1947, India organized the Asian Relations Conference. It chaired the International Control Commission in 1954 and was a major player in the organization of the Bandung Conference in 1955. Today, India is implementing a ‘Look East’ policy which is underpinned by important economic considerations. Some significant steps in the pursuance of this policy have been taken with the admission of India as a full dialogue partner of ASEAN and a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum, in 1996.