CHAPTER - 3

DEMANDS FOR GRANTS 1976-77

Lok Sabha, 8 April 1976

EDITORIAL NOTE

Reviewing the world situation, Chavan pointed out that the two big powers were moving toward detente. In the economic field both the Socialist world and the Western world have made tremendous progress in their industrial strength. Western World has seen unprecedented growth of trade. Along with these developments, the world was witnessing impact of technological developments. Rapid developments in the field of weapon system have made the two super powers realize limitation of their power and that had induced the process of detente.

Speaking about China, Chavan pointed out that geography had put China and India, two land masses, nearer each other. Our policy is to continue making efforts to improve relations with China. Our efforts will be governed by certain principles namely friendship, world peace and non-alignment.

This was Y. B. Chavan’s second occasion to handle the debate on the Demands of Grants for the Ministry of External Affairs. His speech is an illustrative of the grasp that he had acquired over in handling of the India’s Foreign Policy.

Shri Y. B. Chavan : Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am sorry that I could not be present in the House throughout the day; I missed the first two speeches but, I came to the third which is also an important speech; I could have the satisfaction of having heard pointedly the views of the Opposition.

I can assure those hon. Members whose good speeches I could not listen to as I was not there, that I have read them very carefully. I must compliment the Members for the quality of the debate and the constructive suggestions they have made in the course of the discussion.

Some Members mentioned here that they did not have an opportunity to discuss foreign affairs but I can assure them that I shall be willing to discuss that as many times as possible. As regards the discussion on the international situation, whenever the occasion arises, there will be no unwillingness on the part of myself or the Ministry of External Affairs to discuss this matter. Naturally, we meet quite often in the Consultative Committee where we have the advantage of listening to the views and suggestions of many of the leading members who are especially interested in the problems of foreign affairs. But I can understand that the debate in this House is much more important because it is not only a debate here but it is a debate that goes to the people of the country as well.

Therefore, Sir, the debate was very useful. The one important point that I always find in the debate - when I say ‘always’, I mean last time and this time because I have the experience of only two debates on foreign affairs - naturally because of the way the policy has been evolved in the course of last 25 or 30 years, transcends the division of parties in this house and reaches a sort of national consensus as far as the basic features of foreign policy are concerned. That is something very important.