Indian diplomacy and the horses of interest, morality

Source- The post is based on the article “Indian diplomacy and the horses of interest, morality” published in “The Hindu” on 25th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- International relations

Relevance– Indian foreign policy

News– During her recent official visit to India, Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs talked about the dichotomy of India’s pursuit of its interests in global affairs.

What are criticisms of the West against the conduct of foreign policy by India?

There is wide variance between India’s moral stand and the pursuit of national interests in not condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

India has been accused in the past of contradictions in its prescriptions for the global community and what it pursues itself.

India was severely critical of U.S. actions in Vietnam, the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt in 1956. But it maintained a relative silence on Soviet operations in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Afghanistan.

What is the basic difference between the Indian discourse on foreign affairs in earlier days and in current times?

India’s foreign policy principles were rooted in contemporary World Order’s principles. Now, the inspiration flows from the wisdom of ancient India, with the claim that its worldwide application would contribute to the welfare of the planet.

Earlier Indian approach did not pay attention to national constituencies. Combative language was seldom used, especially at senior political levels. That has now changed.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has pointed the contradictions in western prescriptions to the rest of the world in the context of the Ukraine war and the pursuit of its own interests. A few months after he became Minister, Mr. Jaishankar famously said in the U.S. that India’s reputation was not made by a newspaper in New York.

Some Sangh Parivar intellectuals avoid the use of the word ‘Vishwa Guru’ in their writings. Ancient Indian heritage can show the path to lead the world out of its present troubles.

They lay stress on Indian traditions of spiritual democracy, celebration of diversity, harmony with nature, the framing of development policies for interests of the poorest, and the idea of a world as a family.

What are the contradictions in the ancient Indian approach?

These principles were not the only ways of Indic thought about the world. For instance, there was the concept of a lawless world where the brave and powerful prevailed. It was part of the political idea contained in the term ‘matsya nyaya’.

There are questions whether these Indic principles were applied in reality. Ancient India history was also full of turbulence and violence.