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Rising India: Friends and
Foes
The book under review, a collection of well-researched articles by respected names in their areas of specialisation, points out where and how those associated with India’s foreign policy initiatives went wrong. Brought out in honour of Prof M. L. Sondhi, a foreign affairs expert of the then Jan Sangh,. Most of the contributors appear to be opposed to any stereotype approach for developing India’s relations with other countries. In their opinion, the country could have played a more effective role on the world stage by adopting such an approach. The book sheds light on most of the issues India has been involved with. If there are essays focusing on the Tibet question, India-China relations, the role of Japan in Asian politics and how India has been playing its card in Asian geopolitics, there are contributions discussing the threats posed by terrorism, Kashmir in the context of international politics and what should be done for ensuring peace and security in the Indian Ocean region. India’s search for nuclear energy through a deal with the US has been discussed in detail. India’s relations with Taiwan, Israel, Iran and Afghanistan have also been examined critically. As M. J. Akbar informs in his foreword, the subject which attracted Professor Sondhi more than any other issue was India’s relations with Pakistan. Many people erroneously attributed this to his being a former resident of Lahore. This, however, is a simplistic way of looking at India-Pakistan relations. In his exhaustive article on the subject, Prof Mahendra P. Lama of the JNU has highlighted the importance of stakeholders for normalising relations with Pakistan. He gives the example of Pakistan’s trade policy, which has been changing for some time mainly because of pressure from stakeholders. Lama says, "there are strident efforts even by the Pakistan Central Bank to drive home the point that its consumers are subject to high-cost imports from other countries which could otherwise be substantially eased if normal trade relations were established with India." He also quotes a recent study by the State Bank of Pakistan to highlight the fact that "the potential of Pakistan-India trade is in the range of $1 billion to $5.2 billion per annum as against the officially reported flow of $500 million bilateral trade." Thus, there is considerable scope for enhancing bilateral trade, which can contribute to improving relations between the two neighbours. The energy sector is another area which can help economics dominate over politics. Pakistan talked of exporting electricity to India some time ago, but little progress could be achieved on that front. Both countries can benefit immensely by promoting energy trade. The Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, if it becomes a reality, can play a major role in promoting the cause of peace. We are already seeing the advantages of increased people-to-people contacts between the two sides. The old atmosphere of hostility has given way to hope for better relations between India and Pakistan. The book has interesting details about the issues discussed by the contributors. It is worth preserving by a student of foreign affairs.
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THERE
was a time when
India viewed almost every development at the international level against
the backdrop of Third Worldism, nonalignment, Cold War politics and
other such viewpoints. No policy initiative was considered worth taking
if it did not fit into the Nehruvian frame. The result was the country
found it difficult to make its viewpoints heard with as much seriousness
as could be possible in the context of various events and issues
influencing world politics.