The research project investigates the influence of the British-trained elite cadre of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) on the foreign policy of independent India. Firstly, it analyses the political thinking of a number of Indian officers of the service during the colonial period. Political ideas seem to have been characterized by an ambivalence towards the colonial power, combined with anti-communist and anti-American attitudes. After independence, all top ranks in the Ministry of External Affairs and the majority of missions abroad were occupied by ICS officers. The project investigates to what extent the mindset mentioned above had repercussions on Indian foreign policy. There is a special focus on the latent conflict between Prime Minister Nehru and his most influential advisor V.K. Krishna Menon on the one hand and ICS officers on the other hand. Whereas there was a consensus regarding the USA, former ICS members differed about the USSR and socialism in general. The research project is based on official documents of British India and the Ministry of External Affairs together with private papers of Indian and British ICS officers.    «

The research project investigates the influence of the British-trained elite cadre of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) on the foreign policy of independent India. Firstly, it analyses the political thinking of a number of Indian officers of the service during the colonial period. Political ideas seem to have been characterized by an ambivalence towards the colonial power, combined with anti-communist and anti-American attitudes. After independence, all top ranks in the Ministry of External Affairs...    »