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Enlightened self-interest
The foreign policy of every nation is shaped by two broad sets of factors— its own ideals and interests and the perceptions and actions of other nations. The task of statesmanship is to create an international climate in which the nation can protect its interest and promote its ideals. The supreme objective of India is to bring about a massive socio-economic transformation through peaceful means and to build a secular and democratic society in which people of our different areas, religions and languages can live, work and prosper together as one nation. We have to promote a more rapid economic growth at home and, at the same time, keep our region free from tensions.
Having been subjected to five conflicts in the short period after independence, we cannot remain indifferent to events which may bring about yet more tension and conflict. We would, therefore, like to see the Indian sub-continent move forward with confidence to a new pattern of relationship based on mutual understanding, respect and co-operation.
Continuing U.S. Interest
The American people have maintained a continuing interest in the affairs of the countries of the sub-continent, an area that has evoked the interest of scholars and travelers from time immemorial. India has in the past been studied from a variety of angles -- for her cultural richness, religious tolerance and linguistic diversity. When India waged a non-violent struggle for liberation from the British rule, there was considerable interest in America in the methods used by the Indian people and sympathy and understanding for their aspirations.
Since independence a new dimension has been added to this. The bold adventure of a large country with a vast population like India embarking on a programme of all-round socio-economic development and trying to cope with a variety of problems ranging from age old poverty and illiteracy to modernisation of economy under democratic institutions has aroused widespread interest. We are aware that advances made in the techniques and methodology of social sciences have made it possible for scholars to probe into some of our problems in great depth.
Yet in spite of such study and analysis, why do scholars and others often seem to go wrong in their predictions about India? I am not a scholar. But I have grown with the national movement for freedom and have been associated with the Government of my state of Maharashtra and the Government at the Centre for the last twenty-eight years in different capacities. It seems to me that the answer may be found in a certain lack of completeness in approach and understanding.