India and the United Kingdom: Finding a New Equilibrium

India’s relationship with the United Kingdom (UK) is an unusual one with the legacy of empire both pulling the two states closer and pushing them apart. In the immediate post-1947 period India saw itself in opposition to the larger aims of UK foreign policy. Yet bilateral relations between India and the UK were frequently constructive during the Cold War. The presence of a significant Indian diaspora in the UK adds depth to relations between the states. The UK is receptive to India’s soft power, and vice versa. Individual decision makers including Prime Ministers Nehru, Thatcher, Indira Gandhi and Cameron have tried to make a personal impression on bilateral relations. Longer term systemic changes, especially the end of the Cold War and the post-1991 reforms, facilitated renewed cooperation between India and the UK. Trade increased and the two states formed a strategic partnership.