Indian Parliament Shaping of Foreign Policy K V Prasad

Parliament of India plays an important role in carving out the country’s foreign policy. Over the decades, as representatives of the people, Members of Parliament have exercised the option of conducting a review of the policy pursued by the government of the day. The Constitution, while resting the subject under the exclusive domain of the Union, empowered the institution to set the course and conduct oversight of foreign policy.

Under the Constitution, Parliament is vested with the power to make any law for the whole or any part of the territory of India for implementing any treaty, agreement, or convention with any country or countries; or any decision made at any international conference, association, or other body.

The book focuses on three specific dimensions—security, geo-economic, and geo-political/strategic—from the prism of key decisions that left a lasting imprint on India’s foreign policy. These are the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka, India joining the World Trade Organisation, and the India-United States Civil Nuclear Cooperation. Each of these developments occurred a decade apart from the other. The book examines these developments through the intersection of politics, policy, and processes and whether interventions in Parliament led to a change of course.