New Forces
Nehru had made a very precise judgment of the new world that was emerging after World War II. He also laid down certain fundamental principles for the foreign policy of this country. I would like to quote a passage from the inaugural speech he delivered at the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi, held on 23rd March, 1947, the concluding paragraph of which said:
"All over Asia we are passing through trials and tribulations. In India also you see conflict and trouble. Let us not be disheartened by this. This is inevitable in an age of mighty transition. (Mark the words "mighty transition"). There are often creative impulses and a new vitality in all the peoples in Asia. The masses are awake and they demand their heritage. Strong winds are blowing all over Asia. Let us not be afraid of them, but rather welcome them, for only with their help can we build a new age of our dreams. Let us have faith in these great new forces and the dream which is taking place. Let us, above all, have faith in the human spirit which Asia symbolised for long ages past."
That was the assessment of Nehru twenty-eight years ago. What has happened since in Asia and Africa supports this. It has shown that people in Latin America, Africa and Asia, all peoples who were under the domination of imperialism, were on the march and struggling against these evil forces. We also see from year to year that these forces are marching forward from one triumph to another.
We have seen what has happened in Cambodia and what is happening in south Vietnam. We have seen what has happened in South Africa in the African continent and what had happened in Portugal. These are the new forces, the peoples' forces, in Africa and Asia which, certainly, have made a great impact on the international scene today. I mention it because this is the most important element which will play a vital role in shaping our foreign policy or world trends in the years to come.