An IFS Guide

Indian diplomacy, a veteran journalist told Shashi Tharoor, ‘is like the love-making of an elephant: it is conducted at a very high level, accompanied by much bellowing, and the results are not known for two years’. In ‘Pax India’, Shashi Tharoor (the well known diplomat, minister, columnist and author of twelve books) outlines India’s international interests and challenges. 

The book begins with a chapter titled, ‘Revisiting the Tryst with Destiny’, where Tharoor talks about Nehru’s visionary policies. Next, Tharoor dwells on the foreign policy challenges in dealing with ‘Brother Enemy’ - Pakistan. The rise of China and India on the world stage has become a cliché for political analysis; Tharoor analyses whether the two major success stories will compete, co-operate or ever enter into a conflict. He also dwells on the varied dimensions of India’s relations with Palestine, Israel, Iran and other states. The chapter titled ‘Red, White, Blue and Saffron’ is a wide-ranging dissertation on India’s relationship with the United States – on the economic and domestic fronts. 

The book also dwells on India’s relationship with Europe, Africa and Latin America, as the ‘rest of the world presents India with an intriguing mix of under-developed opportunities and unexplored potential’. Towards the end, Tharoor shares his views about the Ministry of External Affairs, traditions in diplomatic practice, media ethics, and the policing of the internet. 

‘Pax Indica’ is a comprehensive exposition and a refreshing survey chronicling India’s international relations... and more.

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