India followed a non-aligned policy in the Cold
War while America led the Western countries against
Communism. When war began between Communist North
Korea and non-Communist South Korea in 1950, India
at first sided with America in condemning North Korean
aggression. However, Indian and American policies concerning
the war soon differed leading to deteriorating
relations between the two countries. India believed
that America changed its goal in the war from stopping
North Korean aggression, which India supported, to
uniting Korea by force, which India opposed. India
felt American actions were largely responsible for
Chinese intervention in the war. The American Government
became upset by what it regarded as India's
failure to appreciate the danger of Communist imperialism.
The war did not make enemies of India
and America, but it did reveal that they had important
foreign policy differences, especially with regard
to international Communism.