Twenty Years' Crisis 1919-1939

Since 1945 any cries of Aix have become independent and med control of their foreign relations which, during the previous hundred years or more, were determined by the imperial interests of Western power, but it is only the foreign policy of India, a evolved by Nehrn, which has aroused weldwide interest and controversy. Cue reason for this in, of course, the geo-political significance of the Indian State. Because of India's size and population, and her geographical location, her foreign policy is significant and has been criticised or applauded by other nations according to their own interests and policies. But the intensity of discussion provoked by Nehru's policies cannot be explained solely by the fact that Nehra is speaking on behalf of a large, populous and strategically located country; nor is it solely on account of the puzzling confidence of the Indian Government puzzling in the light of the underdeveloped state of the economy and the country's small military power, nor even by Nehru's heterodox views on military alliances and ideological conformity. The clue to the meaningfulness of Indian policy is to be found elsewhere: it is to be found in the sense of history, in the habit of looking at contemporary international conflicts through the glass of history. It is this habit which characterizes Nehru's approach to current disputes and which has bred in him the conviction that we who are so deeply engaged in an age of conflict, are under an obligation not to be too blindly secure, too wilfully confident, in the contemporary ways of formulating that conflict"; that in so far as international conflicts are com cerned we shall find at the heart of everything a kernel of difficulty which is essentially a problem of diplomacy as such During 1000, Neben in his speeches frequently struck this historical note. The Tetian Union is an infant Sate, infant free State, a year and a half old, but remember that India is not an infant country. ity with mills of kissy kind her history in which she has played a vital part not only within her own va boundaries, but in the world and in Asia in particular. Putie now in this last year or more, engage into the main trend of human

Now, that it something of great istorical significance When we talk of Asia, remember that India, not because of any ambition of hers, but because of the force of circumstances, because of geography, brause of history and because of many other things, inmitably has to play a very important part in Arid."

India is a country with a tremendous ritality which it has shown throughout in history. It has often enough imposed its own cultural pattern on other countries not by force of arms, but by the strength of its vitality, culture and civilization. There is no reason why we should give up our way of doing things, our ways of considering things. ...We should be flexible in mind and we should be receptive, but I have also no doubt at all that we should not allow... we must not allow any wind from anywhere to sweep us off our feet."

*Now, India is very curiously placed in Asia and her history has been governed a great deal by the geographical factor plus other factors. Whether you think of China or the Middle East or South East Asia, India immediately comes into the picture. It is so situated that because of past history, tradition, etc., in regard to any major problem of a country or a group of countries of Asia, India has to be considered. ...She cannot be ignored because of her actual or potential power and resources. Whatever her actual strength may or may not be, India is potentially a very powerful country and possesses the qualities and factors that go a long way to make a country strong, healthy and prosperous.