Thoughts on Pandit Nehru's foreign policy.

The last book that I have purchased has been 'The Penguin Book of Modern Indian Speeches'. I am very much desirous of reading this book. Indeed, those who have made the speeches, have spoken, on matters of importance to the nation, and consequence to themselves. The speeches are of importance, furthermore, because only the speeches of luminaries have been recorded. India has had an embarrassment of riches when the number of her great people have been counted. The book is testimony to this fact, having nine hundred pages in it's volume. I have recorded in my observation, that I hold the speeches of luminaries as very significant. No less significant is the opinion of the person, who is honest in his observation, and wanting to see appropriate changes according to his observation. I feel, that what is to pass, will pass. But, I would like to see in my observations, what is acceptable not to me, but generally acceptable to the whole world, as an identity. This is indeed a Utopian want, or need.

The speech was abridged, in the volume that I speak of. What stands out, is that the speech was delivered very soon after the provisional government had taken power after the end of British rule in India. By the tone, and tenor, of the speech, it seems to me, that Pandit Nehru was a stranger to the leaders of the nations he mentions in his speech. He may have been well known, but not as the Prime Minister of India, and his dealings with the other Heads of State, was not between Heads of State, previously. In fact, it seems to me, that he did not know the Chinese leaders either personally, or formally, or in any other way. This might be a mistake of my perception, since Mr Nehru was not communicating his acquaintance with other world leaders. However, I surmise from the speech, that he had communicated adequately with Mr Roosevelt, and of course, with the leaders of Great Britain. He does not mention the people who resisted Apartheid by name in South Africa, nor does he mention the leaders of Cambodia, who were wanting their own freedom. He mentions, that India then, was in close proximity to other South East Asian nations, and that in the times, India was going to emerge with the other nations, or suffer the fate of the rest of the globe(?), if that was the adversity. I found nothing inspiring in the tone, or tenor of the speech, but the message of the speech, was very inspiring. The speech on the eve of India's Independence was more inspiring. What does this say, about what might have been Mr Nehru's approach to foreign affairs? I believe, that Mr Nehru had an extremely pragmatic foreign policy view. Mr Nehru had a view, of India's foreign policy, which was inclusive of interests. What is interesting, is that Pakistan is not mentioned in the speech. Perhaps, Mr Nehru felt that India's relationship with Pakistan would become more amenable with the passage of time. Or, then, he looked at the relationship with foreboding.

Another interesting part of the speech, expresses that Afghanistan should find her mooring along with Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Perhaps, Mr Nehru saw Afghanistan as a nation which would bring the Sunni-Muslim nation of Saudi Arabia, and the Shia-Muslim nation of Iran, together. India was to partner with other South Asian, and South East Asian nations.The fulcrum of Asian affairs, was Central Asia, of which India was a fulcrum. In Mr Nehru's vision, the spheres of influence in Asia, were delineated between East Asia, and West Asia, of which Central Asia was a fulcrum, and further, to which India acted as a fulcrum to Central Asia. Where exactly, is Central Asia? The area of Asia, above the Indian sub continent, presumably, which was the Soviet Union, previously. Again, there is no mention of Pakistan, in the scheme of things. Pakistan, is as different from the land-mass and the people of Afghanistan, as chalk and cheese. Perhaps, Mr Nehru saw Pakistan not in concord with Afghanistan, but this is conjecture. In another great speech on 23rd October, soon after the independence of India, the great Indian leader Maulana Azaad, addressed the Muslims of Delhi, at the Jaama Masjid. In a particular moment, full of pathos towards his audience, he expressed, that the Muslims of India, were seeming to be clutching at their own throats. Perhaps, he saw the nation of Pakistan in a similar light. Maulana Azaad was not only a leader of the Muslim community. He was a leader whom perhaps Hindu's would like among their present day leaders. The speech of Maulana Azaad on 23rd October, is one of the most inspirational speeches of India, ever delivered.

If one looks at the geo-political vision of Mr Nehru, he perhaps saw, that Afghanistan was of too independent a spirit, to depend on Pakistan, for friendly relations. Pakistan and Afghanistan had not a lot to offer each other, in strategic terms, naturally. Pakistan and Afghanistan, would need to work, and find different avenues for their relationship. Pakistan is a nation, which is completely different from Afghanistan in topography, culture, and apart from the Pashtuns, in the ethnic mix of their peoples.