We need to change the standards set by him

1. GUJRAL DOCTRINE
PREPARED BY
RIMA CHATURVEDI

2. PROFILE
• Served as India's Minister of External Affairs in the cabinets of V.P. Singh
(5 December 1989-10 December 1990) and H. D. Devegowda (1 June
1996-21 April 1997.
• He went on to become Prime Minister in April 1997 and retained the
foreign ministry (21 April 1997-18 March 1998).
• During his tenure as foreign minister, he adopted accommodative policy
vis-à-vis India’s neighbours. Gujral’s policy of non-reciprocal
accommodation led to the signing of a 30 year treaty between India and
Bangladesh on December 12, 1996. In fact, the 1977 treaty on water
sharing between India and Bangladesh (after extensions in 1982 and
1985) had lapsed in 1988 and negotiations could not succeed because of
inflexibility on both sides.
• He even ensured Bhutanese consent for digging of a canal from a
Bhutanese river to augment the flow of water to Ganga and
• showed his willingness to revise the controversial Mahakali treaty with
Nepal which was received well in Nepal.

3. ESSENCE
• Essence of Gujral Doctrine: The essence of
Gujral Doctrine is that being the largest
country in South Asia, India decided on
'extension of unilateral concessions to
neighbours in the sub-continent'.

4. GENESIS
• Genesis of the Doctrine: Among other factors,
these five principles arise from the belief that
India’s stature and strength cannot be
divorced from the quality of its relations with
its neighbours.

5. APPLICATION
• APPLICATION OF GUJRAL DOCTRINE:
1. SHARING OF GANGA WATER WITH BANGLADESH.
2. FREEZING OF BORDER DISPUTE WITH PRC.
3. INCREASING PEOPLE TO PEOPLE CONTACT WITH
PAKISTAN
4. CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES WITH PAKISTAN

6. CRITICS AND REMARKS
Gujral was unable to bring about any change primarily because of his
inability to “convert the foreign policy bureaucracy” firmly wedded to
the principles of security, national interests and major power status
at the global level, “to the basic art of friendliness”. It was also
alleged that the foreign office was more comfortable with the
language of “hegemonic power” than “Gujral’s language of friendship
and détente”.
Interestingly, however, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)
government (1998-2004) led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and and the
United Progressive Alliance government (2004 - till date) led by
Manmohan Singh have continued with Gujral’s foreign policy which
laid emphasis on the need to have “a peaceful, stable and
constructive environment in India’s neighbourhood” which is being
regarded as “vital for the goals of accelerated development for India
and the region”.
REMARKS: NEED TO CHANGE FOREIGN POLICY