A meticulously researched book that is a guide on India’s strategic foreign policy since Independence. It takes the reader through the intricate process, challenges and solutions of five pivotal agreements.

An academic researcher, Avtar Singh Bhasin retired from the Ministry of External Affairs in 1993 as director historical division. Since then, he has written many books focussed on India’s relations with neighbouring countries.  

In this book, Negotiating India’s Landmark Agreements,he has highlighted five outstanding agreements, based on their impact (beneficial or baneful). These are:  India–China Agreement on Tibet (1954), the Indo–Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation (1971), the Simla Agreement (1972), the India–Sri Lanka Accord (1987), and the India–United States Civil Nuclear Energy Agreement (2008).

He has painstakingly dissected each agreement with its pros and cons. The book is a slow read for a layperson, going deep into the complex process of drafting policies, handling foreign affairs and creating a peaceful and progressive environment for the country and the region.

With every agreement, there is a new insight. During the India-China agreement on Tibet, a trusting Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of a newly independent India, seeking Asian solidarity and peace is applaudable. However, lack of attention to detail or not knowing your opponent was a bane. India ended up giving their rights and establishments in Tibet for free, which meant loss of trade and loss of income from sale of assets established by the British.

The analysis is critical with no blame games. The focus is on strategies that needed a firm hand and even firmer grasp by the men across the negotiating table. The grey areas left behind by the British and the wounded nation grappling with a whole new world, having gained independence after many centuries, needed more time to grasp its strengths. India eventually did come out of that third world zone but it’s still living with grey border lines of Kashmir and China that become a bone of contention from time to time.

Looking at the Simla Agreement, we get an insight into the wily workings of Pakistan. The domestic strife within the nation, between West and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and a situation that India was caught in, forming the landmass bridge between the two parts has been thoroughly examined. Bhasin has delved in detail on the extremities and compelling circumstances that forced India to send its Army to rescue a harrowed East Pakistan from its parent nation, eventually leading it to freedom. What initially seemed as a pat on the back for India turned to nothing in later years.

Another bane here was the secret meeting between the heads of state for a resolution on Kashmir, which could never be proved after their deaths. Every record matters, documentation is prime in foreign affairs.

The Indo-Soviet Treaty helped the country navigate tough times and threats from China and Pakistan. The India-Sri Lanka accord ended in humiliation and tragic death of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. It was the India-US Civil Nuclear Energy Agreement that put India on the global map with a potential to be a superpower in Asia. Former prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh adopted a firm stand and believed in transparency. At every step, he answered the media’s pertinent questions, making them a part of the process.

The book serves many purposes. It is a guide for students of politics and international relations. It is a vital lesson in history for the common man. It is also a philosophical learning for the masses. Good things take time. As the cycle of time moves, policies and frameworks change. Acceptance of the new world leads to new results.

Government changes in the midst of negotiations and agreements change the goal. Aligning the public and the opposition to the same goal is perhaps the toughest task.

Ethnic populations, culture, language play a huge part in decision-making, as we see the separatist movements of East Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Safeguarding borders and deftly avoiding involvement in another nation’s domestic matters holds importance.

Men with tact, intelligence and expertise are needed for the multiple level of talks, which can take many years. Sometimes, help is needed from other countries and more allies on the global scale.

Coalition governments are tough to handle, as was the case in the India-US nuclear energy agreements. Borders and domestic conflicts impact policy. India, with its huge landmass and population, holds a strategic position in South Asian politics.

For the common man, the stories might appear a bit baffling, as one tries to entangle the various webs that make up international relations. However, a good idea would be to read the introduction and the epilogue, which sum up the facts in a simplified manner. Then, the story is easily understood.

Dissecting the prevailing political, economic, and social dimensions that underpinned these accords, Bhasin’s book is a must read for anyone interested in India and the foreign policies it has adopted since independence. The deep dive into these five treaties highlights India’s evolving role on the world stage and gives a new perspective on the complexities of international affairs and statecraft.

Book Details

Imprint: Penguin India Viking
Published: October 2024
Pages: 400  
Price: INR 999