<h1>Nation First principle led to refusal of a Pakistan visit and prioritisation of national interest over diplomatic gestures.</h1> Nation First principle influenced diplomatic choices with Singh refraining from visiting Pakistan as a matter of propriety; his tenure foregrounded national interest over symbolic visits. He backed the US nuclear cooperation agreement, maintained a collegial cabinet style, and advanced socialist-oriented welfare measures such as loan waivers and MGNREGA, while publicly acknowledging the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and maintaining religious neutrality in governance.