Panchsheel & Utopianism

Every country’s path to progress and the decision taken at important junctures of history are based on its leader’s ideological inclination and based on his upbringing and cultural orientation. When we trace our origins of foreign policy moorings in post independent India the only torch bearer was our first Prime Minister. Who is understandably involved in freedom movement and European educated who knew to an extent how the nations were conducting themselves when it comes to dealing with other nation states.

Being a country which recently got a political independence with a shattering economy, I say shattering because British’s systematic plunder of India made national treasury dry and nothing is left for Indians. When the whole world divided itself in to two camps - capitalism V/S communism, India had no base to take a stand. In this background with the intention that India should not be seen as a country which is siding with any one camp few proactive ideas were floated and adopted like Panchsheel, Non-alignment etc., though it’s relevance in 21^st century is a topic which requires an intense debate with keeping in mind the current day realities. We shall focus on Panchsheel at the moment.

Though India is similar to China to an extent in its land mass and other aspects, its diversity has always played a spoil sport. Myriad cultures, languages & customs etc., and on a relative basis this was not a challenge for China at all. It is often said that if you have power, then control, if not get controlled. This was the situation of India at that time ie., it had no power to control the events, at the same time we never wanted to be seen as a weakling. And to preemptively capture the moral high stance we spoke about Panchsheel.

But what we have never realized was Panchsheel is against the very basic tenets of communism. Let’s speak of one virtue one of the five principles – peaceful co-existence. When the very idea leftism/communism is about turning the whole world in to communist ghettos apparently through aggression, isn’t a misnomer to talk about peaceful co-existence with communist China? But Nehru’s utopia has demoralized the whole country, the rest is history especially after 1962 china's agression on India.

Communists have no regard for the peaceful co-existence.The recent events of border incursions by Chinese army in to our territory just prove that, the irrelevance of Panchsheel with China. I am not sure if Nehru thought this would appeal to china because China is a Buddhist country and borrowing principles from Buddhism will make sense, what he failed to realize that godlessness is at the core of what communists actually are. Even as a fellow communist sympathizer he never realized this fact.

It is said that on every year for the past few years or more, there has been an alarmingly increase in Chinese incursions, and GOI is waging a war with media to manage the reportage and there is no substance in the outcome of negotiations with China. In a face off for India with China it will only be a situation of asymmetric warfare. So statements like taking China and Pakistan head on at a same time is apparently baseless and is considered to be unreal. And there is no reason for us to celebrate because we have defeated Pakistan for more than few times in a conventional war, but in fact we actually are losing in a different theater i.e., the proxy wars.

Hind-chin bhai bhai propagated by Nehru has absolutely no relevance within the context of South Asian affairs. It is time to strengthen our defenses, but from where would the money come from? Good question. Money and resources are there. But it is whisked away by Politicians. We are losing on every front because of Political Corruption. But then who will rein up on these crooks? Don’t think, it is none but us.