HOW INDIA SEES THE WORLD: Kautilya to the 21st Century [Paperback] Shyam Saran

by Shyam Saran

How India Sees The World

Genres: India, International Relations, Nonfiction, Politics, History

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Ambassador Shyam Saran is a career diplomat born on September 4, 1946. Since joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1970, he has served in several capitals of the world including Beijing, Tokyo and Geneva. He has been India’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal and High Commissioner to Mauritius. In the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, he headed the Economic Division and the Multilateral Economic Division and also headed the East Asia Division which handles relations with China and Japan. As a Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office in 1991/92, he advised the Prime Minister on foreign policy, nuclear and defence related issues. After a career spanning 34 years in the Indian Foreign Service, he was appointed India’s Foreign Secretary in 2004 and held that position till his retirement from service in September 2006. Subsequent to his retirement, he was appointed Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Indo-US civil nuclear issues and later as Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator on Climate Change.

He has now concluded his assignment in Government and returned to being a private citizen. During his last two assignments, Ambassador Saran served as Prime Minister’s personal representative or “Sherpa” at the Gleneagles and St. Petersburg G8+G5 summits and was present at the Toyako and L’Aquila Summits as an advisor on Climate Change issues. He also attended the Pittsburgh G-20 summit as a member of the Indian delegation.

Currently, he serves as Chairman, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, which is an autonomous think tank specializing in studies on economic and trade related issues. He is also a Senior Fellow with the Centre for Policy Research, a prestigious think tank which covers a wide range of political, social and economic issues, including foreign policy related issues. He speaks and writes regularly on a variety of subjects.

On January 26, 2011, Ambassador Saran was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India for his contribution to Civil Service. The Padma Bhushan is the third highest national award in the country. Ambassador Saran holds a post-Graduate degree in Economics. He speaks Hindi, English and Chinese and is conversant in French.

Reviews

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: How India Sees the World: Kautilya to the 21st Century
Author: Shyam Saran
Publisher: Juggernaut (14 September 2018)
Language: English
Paperback: 336 pages
Item Weight: 500 g
Dimensions: 20 x 14 x 4 cm
Price: 339/-

I am tempted to embark on this review with Kautilya.

In his Arthasastra, one of the jewels of ancient Indian political thought, which is not only an instruction manual for the ruler on how to run interior administrating productively but also a code of international behaviour, Kautilya reveals that in ensuring territorial veracity for oneself and securing expansion thereof ‘The Mandala Siddhanta’ ought to be followed.

Mandala Siddhanta postulates a sequence of states in the centre of which is the vijigshu (the king who desires for winning over the territories of the neighbouring states). Besides vijigshu, the Mandala consists of eleven states five in his front, four on the back and two at any place. The vijigshu is the nucleus of the Mandala while the state adjacent to and in front of the vijigshu is the Ari (natural enemy of the Vijigshu).

The state next to the Ari is the Mitra (friend) of the Vijigshu. The state next to be Mitra is Ari Mitra (the foe of the Vijigshu), meaning thereby that one's neighbour is one's natural enemy and enemy’s enemy is one's friend. The state next to the Air-Mitra is a friend of the Vijigshu and is known as Mitra-Mitra.

This astute, sensitive and scholarly narrative of the well-springs of Indian foreign policy by Saran, is in four sections, each representing a decisive theme.

I. The first, titled ‘Traditions and History’, explores the origins of India’s world view and explains how they evolved into the template through which Indians look at the world around them. The experience of foreign invasions and colonial rule has also shaped independent India’s foreign policy, as have post-Partition happenings in the subcontinent. These are covered in the two chapters on Indian foreign policy in the pre- and post-Cold War periods.

The following chapters comprise this section:

1) Sources of India’s World View
2) Foreign Policy from Independence to the End of the Cold War
3) Foreign Policy in the Post–Cold War World

II. The second part, ‘Neighbours’, focuses on our multifaceted and disturbed relationship with three of our neighbouring countries – Pakistan, China and Nepal. The author has not covered our other neighbours, only because he did not have much revelation to them and not because India’s relations with them are less important. In analysing our relations with Pakistan, China and Nepal, the author has drawn a great deal from his own private experience and perception of the cultural and psychological factors behind these countries’ perceptions of India.

This section mirrors the author’s view that the Indian subcontinent is a single, interconnected geopolitical body and ecological space with a shared history, strong cultural affinities and opaque economic interdependencies. The ultimate integration of this space, transcending national boundaries, will remain a durable objective of Indian foreign policy.

This section has the following chapters:

1) The Challenge of Proximity
2) The Pakistan Puzzle
3) Understanding China
4) The India–China Border Dispute and After
5) India and Nepal: A Relationship of Paradox

Part Three, entitled ‘The Wiser World’, explores the borderless world that is emerging in the virtual sense, driven by technological change and globalization. Energy security and climate change are twin challenges for India, requiring negotiations spanning national, regional and international concerns.

Enhanced relations with individual countries have improved India’s admission to and participation in international arrangements. This in turn has helped develop its individual relationships with the major powers.

These developments also underscore how, in the current international landscape, the line between domestic and external has become blurred. These issues have been dealt with in the chapters which describe the Indo-US nuclear deal, India’s obtaining of a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) which helped it participate fully in international civil nuclear commerce, and the negotiations over a new climate change agreement.

The Indo-US nuclear deal is an example of how India enhanced its energy security and expanded its strategic space. Meanwhile, the Copenhagen climate change summit marked the beginning of a downward slide for India, when it had to agree to a global climate change dispensation that limited its energy options. Its hopes for a strong climate change framework were dashed.

Such an outcome would have minimized the unfavorable fallout for India. Both the nuclear deal and climate change episodes have been lessons for Indian foreign policy.

This section is concluded by a chapter titled ‘Shaping the Emerging World Order and India’s Role’. It offers a wide review of the shifting geopolitical terrain, the drivers of a new world order and India’s place in that order.

The chapters of part three are:

1) Tackling Energy Security and Climate Change
2) The Road to the Indo-US Nuclear Deal
3) Running the NSG Gauntlet
4) One Long Day in Copenhagen
5) Shaping the Emerging World Order and India’s Role

Last in this book is an epilogue. It looks at potential drifts and their brunt on India.

Three cross-national domains are examined – the maritime, cyber and space worlds. These domains need new international institutions and governance processes for their careful regulation and management.

Now, a relevant question that arises is: Why is Kautilya in the title of this book?

The answer is that Kautilya deals with the politics of power, prestige and imperialism-and seeks to discover rules of guidance in the dealings of states with one another, and he comes nearer to Machiavelli, when he deals with interstate relations. The solitary guiding principle in making the choice is the material welfare of the state.

The Indian spirit in its most refined articulations has been a stupendous example of the sharing of diverse cultures, traditions, and ways of thinking and living; coexisting harmoniously for centuries.

But we are in danger of losing this unique cultural inheritance even though much of the world still comes to our shores to seek the wisdom which could restore humanity amidst a rising tide of extremism, cruelty and barbaric violence.

And what about the Indian state?

Do Kautilya’s Arthashastra or Kamandaki’s Nitisara still hold lessons for their navigation of a world so different from theirs?

Both Kautilya and Kamandaki advise discretion in managing interstate relations. For a moderately frail king, Kautilya has this realistic advice: ‘One should neither submit spinelessly nor sacrifice oneself in foolhardy valour. It is better to adopt such policies as would enable one to survive and live to fight another day.’

At the same time, the reader of this book would do well to keep in mind that our view of the world is not India-centric, unlike that of other cultures, including the Chinese. There is a reception of different, coexisting and similarly valid realities, which is encapsulated in the ancient Sanskrit sloka from the Rig Veda: ‘Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti’ – ‘Truth is one but sages call it by different names’.

This lies at the heart of India’s expansive cultural sensibility, in the Argumentative Indian’s delight in open discourse and debate and, above all, in India’s embrace of humanity with all its quirks and eccentricities.

These traits have been the seal of a civilization that has more often than not seen itself as a journey, not a destination.

This book is neither an emblematic memoir, nor is it a hypothesis on India’s foreign policy. It is simply an effort to find the veiled strands that could attach together the author’s varied experiences representing India in the foreign policy sphere for over four decades and see what identifiable prototypes they yield.

This book is a recounting which seeks to place events the author participated in (or witnessed) against the backdrop of India’s history. It is partly introspective, partly reflective, re-examining some of the key happenings of his time from a perspective unclouded by the passions of the day.

This recounting also rediscovers templates that are ancient in origin but more enduring than one would have believed.

Hindu cosmology locates India, or Bharatvarsha, on the southern petal of the four-petalled lotus that floats on the surface of the cosmic ocean. The petal is broad as it emerges from the central axis of the blossom, and narrows towards the tip, tracing in its sacred form the physical shape of the subcontinent.

This geography constitutes the stage on which the story of India has unfolded over many aeons. It is this geography that to a great extent sways India’s foreign policy behaviour.

The book has a strong focus on China, reflecting my belief that China is, and will remain for the foreseeable future, the one country that has a direct impact on India as far as international relations go. It is already expanding its economic and military presence in India’s subcontinental neighbourhood, and not only in Pakistan. Its naval forces now make frequent forays in the Indian Ocean, so far dominated by India.

But China remains poorly understood by India, and this lack of familiarity can be costly when it comes to safeguarding India’s interests. It is my hope that this book will trigger greater interest in what is a fascinating country with a civilization as complex and layered as our own.

India may have a rich tradition of statecraft that offers good advice on how a state can go about protecting and promoting its interests. One could claim that, on balance, the Indian state has been reasonably successful in this endeavour, despite the constraints it has faced since Independence.

However, the nature of the challenges that are now emerging, and whose importance is likely to increase in the future, demands a template different from the narrower interpretation of Kautilya’s principles. Technological change is driving globalization and there are new activities (such as those relating to cyberspace and outer space) which lie beyond the control of nation states.

There are two contending and often incompatible forces at work in the modern world. At one end of the spectrum, the technological revolution has bonded humanity much closer than it has been at any other time in history.

There are vastly greater opportunities to directly experience other cultures or learn about them through virtual media. There is continual exposure to different ways of life, cultural norms, traditions and even cuisine.

This is leading to a growing appreciation of the best that every country and culture has to offer, making us more aware of the cultural particularities of peoples the world over.

This awareness is the basis on which we develop kindliness to and reverence for the genuinely held beliefs and convictions of people different from us.

In his book World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History, former U.S. Secretary of State and Nobel Laureate Henry Alfred Kissinger refers to the Arthashastra of Kautilya as a work that lays out the requirements of power, which is “dominant reality” in politics. For Kissinger, the Arthashastra contains “a realistic vision of politics long before Prince ,” which Kissinger deems “a combination of Machiavelli and Clausewitz.” German sociologist Max Weber had a contrary view to that of Kissinger; he called Arthashastra “truly radical ‘Machiavellianism… compared to it The Prince is harmless.”

Where does India in the 21st century feature in all of this?

Read this book to know the answers and ask a few more questions of your own.

You can grab a copy if you choose.

[Aditya Kulkarni · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an excellent book written by former Foreign Secretary of India, Shyam Saran. The book takes a historical worldview of India and describes the tenets of foreign policy enclosed within ancient Indian texts such as the Arthashastra. It was wonderful to read about how Chanakyan principles are valid even to this day. The author then describes the foreign policy of India with respect to its neighbours, focusing on the countries where he had direct involvement such as China and Nepal, and of course touching upon the subject of Pakistan.

At least three chapters of the book are dedicated to the Indo-User Civil Nuclear Deal which took three years to take place and passed a lot obstacles. How India and the US broke deadlocks whenever they faced such a situation and overcame the NSG and the IAEA guidelines is a must read for every student of diplomacy and as the author was personally involved in the whole situation, first as the Foreign Secretary and later as the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister, it is really the best part of the book.

As the final part of the narrative, the author passionately champions the cause of a multipolar world which would be in India's interest as well considering the geopolitical changes that have taken place in the recent times and are still taking place and also in the context of climate change which affects each and every country and each and every citizen of that particular country. It is heartening to see the author quote the Rig Veda in the epilogue of the book and upheld the Chanakyan ideals that define the Arthashastra which is arguably the earliest and foremost book on statecraft.

[E.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 In the introduction, the author said that this book was neither a memoir nor a thesis, and this was its greatest failing.
For the first few chapters, the book had a lot of theory in diplomatic language - theory that could mean anything and probably nothing. Foreign policy is about practice and outcomes. This part was boring and made me regret picking up another book by a career diplomat.
In the next section, the chapters on Pakistan and Nepal were good, and the 2 chapters on China were GREAT and helped understand the Chinese mindset and the Indo-China border conflict and the 1962 war comprehensively. But, does the author see only these 3 countries in the "World" ? Even if we talk of our neighbours, atleast a chapter each on Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were needed. Actually, the author was (rightly) relying on his personal knowledge and so this is actually a memoir.
In the last few chapters, there was a detailed behind-the-scenes of the Indo-US nuclear deal and the Copenhagen agreeement on climate change in 2009. This part was interesting and new for me. BTW, in the author's view Obama rode roughshod every1 including his European allies on climate change. The irony is that USA absolved itself of its responsibilities and the process has been completed by Trump.
A good book overall, much better than Pax Indica: India and the World of the 21st Century but certainly should be read as a memoir. Ironically, as a memoir it doesnt provide a picture of the working of the IFS. Maybe this part can be added from Pax Indica :P
Also, the title is grandiose and misleading, but when has India's foreign policy been pragmatic ?

[Darshan Shetty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by how I was introduced to this book and why I choose to read it. Its not that easy for me to be swayed by the books I see around me. My choice of which book to read is always deeply premeditated. However, in this case, my premeditation aligned with what I saw serendipitously on a friend's Goodreads bookshelf. I had some idea at the time, that India has a pretty sought-out foreign policy and they have leveraged it very effectively lately. However, I did not know they were pulling it from the traditional Indian statecraft. As I read the title of this book - How India sees the world - Kautilya to the 21st Century, the connection was apparent and I was instantly curious. Although, it is entirely coincidental that I picked up this book, in the middle of two international crises of pandemic and Afghan Taliban takeover, both of which deeply affects India.

So what is the book about? Well, let me quote the author straight off the bat to delineate the purpose he had in mind while writing this book.

"This book is an endeavor to find the hidden strands that could tie together my varied experiences representing India in the foreign policy sphere for over 4 decades and see what recognizable patterns they yield. A recounting which seeks to place events I participated in against the backdrop of India's history."
"In writing this book I wanted to demonstrate that India is heir to a very rich and sophisticated tradition of statecraft and diplomatic practice and that this legacy continues to shape its current strategic culture and diplomatic behavior. It may not always be explicit but it does constitute a mental prism through which the nation assesses and acts upon situations. It is important to study this intellectual heritage and its evolution over the ages, not only because it explains our own foreign policy behavior in some respects but also because it provides a set of principles that remains remarkably relevant in tackling contemporary problems. I have tried to use these principles in my own analysis of the many foreign policy challenges I had to deal with."

The book is divided into 3 parts - Tradition and History, Neighbours, and the Wider World.

Tradition and History section explores the origins of India's worldview and explains how they evolved into the template through which Indians look at the world around them. This is by far my favorite section of the book and it covers ancient sources of Indian worldview and foreign policy shifts before and after the cold war.
A notable thing in this section was that author categorized Sage Narad Muni and Shri Krishna from Indian mythology as some form of diplomats, guess I had never thought of it that way.
It was also interesting to realize that ancient India's metaphor of itself was as only one of petal in the lotus flower floating on the cosmic sea and it accepted a world in which there are other petals with their own characteristics and values.


The next section is dedicated to India's complex and troubled relationship with three of our neighboring countries - Pakistan, China, and Nepal. This is the slowest section of the book but China was the interesting chapter within this section as the Indian establishment has been guilty in the past of not picking up cues and oblique hints of China which could have led to different outcomes in our interactions. One of the hopes expressed by the author was that this book will trigger greater interest in China among Indians, which is a fascinating country with civilization as complex and layered as our own.
It was also fascinating for me to notice that the recurring theme of maintaining its strategic autonomy and aligning the interests of the Indian Subcontinent as one geopolitical entity remains the enduring objective of Indian foreign policy with every challenge they face.

The Last section was dedicated to the Wider World and explored the emerging world order, driven by technological changes and globalization as well as hinted at India's role in it.
India sees the problem of energy security and climate change as 2 sides of the same coin. The author described the events of 2005 Indo US Nuclear deal & 2008 NSG wavier which he partook in to explain the Energy Security concerns. Similarly, 2009 Copenhagen Climate Summit was used to explain the Climate Change concerns.

The book ends with an epilogue which raises the point that because India is one of the rare countries to have successfully managed diversity and plural society, and has civilizational attributes honed over centuries, thanks to its crossroads cosmopolitan culture, it has a unique opportunity to taking a leadership position in the world stage and changing the notion of competition among nation-states, that is of course if it can fight polarization at home first.

This book has introduced me to a whole new world which I was totally ignorant about up until now and I have a premonition that it is going to change the trajectory of my thinking moving forward. It has also piqued my interest in studying the profession of Foreign Diplomats because they are the best means out there to learn more about a variety of cultures in a very distilled manner. As I have come to realize reading this book, Diplomats are a very unique breed of people who see the world in a very different light than you and me.

This is a fascinating book, I would highly recommend it to everyone but especially to my fellow Indians. It's also mildly ironic that although my local library did not have this book, they were kind enough to procure it for me from a neighboring University of Austin library.

[Mukesh Repaswal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book on Foreign Affairs that I have read and it was an engaging and learning experience. The author is a retired Foreign Secretary and discusses the various aspects of the Indian Foreign Policy in quite detail, deliberating upon the reasons for our approach, the mistakes as well as the successes of the policies adopted. The influence of the Prime Ministers in the decisions is also well brought out. Further he shares some anecdotes of his own experiences in dealing with the matters discussed in the book to further substantiate the assertions being made.
The book has been divided the book into three parts - the first one dealing with the evolution of the Indian Foreign Policy tracing back the historical influences that continue to guide our thinking in diplomatic circles explicitly or implicitly. The relevance of texts written by Kautilya and Mandaka to the current multi-polar world is well established by the author.
The second part deals with India and its neighbours and how again the historical facets of our relation do continue to be a significant driver of foreign policy concerns even it today's world. The third and final part focusses upon the larger world, along with the energy security and climate change challenge that we face today.
I found the book to be a balanced narrative, neither too cirtical nor too praising, and very informative one as well.

[Rahul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent read. The book provided a lot of insights into some of the diplomatic tussles that India got into from the recent past. I was a little hesitant of the book while reading the first chapter; but all my misapprehensions were thwarted as soon as Mr. Saran got into the nitty gritty of the negotiations that the country had.

The penultimate chapter deals with the Copenhagen Climate Summit. It was very interesting to me the the same event was written in a much positive and on a bravado note in "A Promised Land". Some of the events described my President Obama and Mr. Saran differs in the optics and chronology.

Overall, if you are a fan of what goes behind the scenes in much publicized events/declarations, this is a great book to read.

[Suman Srivastava · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a huge disappointment for me. Shyam Saran is not a story teller. Nor does he really give a framework to help us understand how India sees the world. He basically ends up defending what has been done in the past. I expected a lot more from Mr Saran who writes great op-ed pieces and is a good speaker too.

[Chandana Kuruganty · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti - Truth is one but sages call it by different names."

This line from Rig Veda is used by Shyam Saran to underline the hallmark of Indian Civilization which is acceptance of all cultures, thoughts and ideologies.

The author utilises Indian ancient knowledge, its relevance and applicability in arena of international relations for the coming era. Some chapters provide a wholistic view on Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal and Copenhagen Summit that help us understand the crucial role diplomats play in driving some important collaborations at world stage.

However, this book tries to touch upon things in haphazard manner- it is sometimes a memoir, sometimes talking of historical precedents or sometimes suggesting way forward in our relations with certain countries, making it a little difficult to follow. Also, a pre-requisite for understanding this book is basics of Indian relations with the world and its current foreign policy.

That being said, I enjoyed the author's intent of providing an all-encompassing view of International Arena and India's role for the coming times. Suggested read for those interested in foreign policy and a career as a diplomat.

[Vishnuprasad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is perfect for someone like me who is just starting to read about the foreign policy of India. With the experiences that Shyam Saran had imbibed into the book with his insights of the particular issues that he is familiar with, he has opened up the vast area of diplomacy through a lucidly written book. Having said that, the title of the book is misleading. While we think that the book would be a thesis on the Indian foreign policy as the title is "how India sees the world", the book is more about the author's insight of the world and how the world sees India, particularly the USA, Nepal, and China. Otherwise a great book. recommended.

[Prachi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm new to this topic, the reviews and the title was interesting enough to compel me to read, I started reading books on geopolitics after reading the prisoners of geography. The book was wonderful but the chapter on India wasn't satisfying enough. so after that began my search to know more about Indian Geopolitics and I got hold of this book!!
I must say, the book is insightful, gripping, crisp and thought provoking. As the title of the book suggests, the book is not only about how India sees the world, but also how other countries have build up their belief system based on their respective histories.The author doesn't only tell us about the few major episodes in Indian Geopolitics in which he was directly or indirectly involved, but also gives us a background story and the thought process behind each event. He goes as far to tell us about how our history as a community influences our  decision making process and the mental prism through which we look at the world. The present day Geopolitical issues are related to the ancient principles of Kautilya and Kamandaki. There is a chapter on India's current struggle of maintaining balance between the energy security and climate change challenges and how Sir Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh took a great initiative in addressing this issue. The book ends with a wonderful note on reminding how India as a country has always been plural, tolerant with its people peacefully coexisting. It is this plural democracy which has helped India reach where it is today and which makes it trust worthy for international collaboration which is must in today's increasingly globalized world.We have a chance to play a major role in creating global governance structures. We need collaborative effort in tackling problems like climate change, terrorism, cyberspace and space security among many other issues. Today as one of the emerging power in Asia Pacific, We have to maintain our strengths of democracy, diplomacy and a world centric view. But the question is are we losing our strengths of an tolerant and accommodative culture where we balance both our cultural values and Cosmopolitan lifestyles, are we falling for the political narratives of divison and insecurities of coexistence? Are we building a wall around us in order to protect us, but which in turn would hamper our progess?

[24Neo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is structured as a set of essays, with a few detailed anecdotes. The few detailed episodes from the author's rich experience in foreign service are from the fag end of his illustrated career, namely the Nuclear Deal and the Climate Negotiations. This was felt inadequate to form an opinion on how India sees the world.
Some of the other notable essays in the book pertain to his assignment in China and Nepal which have been relatively covered in detail and provide a good picture of the major events.
On the other side, the essay on Pakistan, covered in the book, is very limited and does not offer much insights on the relationship between the two countries. As admitted by the author, this might be due to the limited assignments he dealt in the country.
Overall, apart from the handful of episodes, as mentioned above, the book fails to push the envelope on the complexity of foreign relations of India.

[Anukul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. There are a lot of books on geo politics and the future world order, this book presents that topic in a very India centric point of view which was exactly why I wanted to read it and I'm glad I did.
I liked the section on historical views on India's diplomacy by Chanakya et al and how they are still relevant. It has a study on cultural differences among India, China and others and how it affects these countries' diplomatic behaviours. This book has a study on India's immediate neighbors, opportunities there and concerns. It also covers India's relations with world powers over the years.
A very detailed coverage of Civil Nuclear Agreement (too detailed for me) and the Copenhagen climate conference is present. Fascinating first hand account of the diplomatic warfare.
He enlists the dangers of ideology, that was my favourite part of the book.

[Nishant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not how India Sees The World. The author is successful on confusing the readers. Ambassador Sharan wanted to write a book on his experience as a prominent diplomat, but protocols, I understand, didn't let him open up while writing. This book is not a memoir or a doctrine of the Indian International Relation. This book only gives a brief on how Indian Diplomacy functions, nothing more than that..

[Saurabh Goyal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part memoir and part foreign policy layout for India. The memoir part is extraordinary. It details out the tortuous diplomacy Shyam Saran has engaged in for US-India Nuclear deal, Global Climate Regime and many other landmark agreements. Apart from it, its analysis of China and its world view, emerging multilateral order and undercurrents of change is remarkable. Most importantly, the book puts Indian Policy of Non-Alignment in right historical context. It wasn't a romantic policy. It was pure realism. And perhaps that is why for all the talks against it, core of Indian foreign policy still remains non-alignment.

The book lacks to convince about its foreign policy prescription. It does a lazy job of repeating cliched jargon- India's strengths in plurality, democracy and demography. Lazy liberal ideas of a Pluralistic India being a role model for the rest of the world are stressed. Present tensions in Indian (and Internationally in many countries) vision of its nationalism are derided. What is lacking in the analysis is the WHY part. Why has nationalism surged in so many countries of late? Why the globalisation and integration is alienating so many people? Why are we seeing conflicts in India around the idea of India, its history and its vision? What place should culture hold in Indian Nationalism? All these vital questions are left unaddressed. It reads like a view from ivory tower, dismissing the discontent of masses as petty parochialism.

Read it like a memoir and you will enjoy. Read it like a diagnosis, and you are in for a disappointment.

[Khurram Shehzad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran's assertion on India's strategic thinking process and its linkage with Kautilya's Arthashastra and Kamandaki's Nitisara in today's world is thought provoking. While India's relations with China, Pakistan and Nepal are explained with some details, the way forward to improve ties with China is covered adequately only, other parts leave much to be anticipated.
The writer's own account of India-US nuclear deal and climate change has brought two things in limelight; one, that the outcome may seem simpler, the negotiations at the background are often torturous and need diplomatic patience and understanding of own leverage clearly to assert yourself. Second, the environment and circumstances take competitors apart and closer and hence that flexibility must be exercised by the nations; clearly demonstrated by China's opposition of US-India nuclear deal and later joining hands with India on Paris Climate Change Agreement.
While we have much clarity as to how India sees the world after reading this book, its linkage with internal turmoil are not drawn or at best ignored. The rise of Hindutva and linked extremism threatening plurality and secularism, insurgencies coupled with deprivation among masses and much despised kinetic approach by Indian LEAs in north east and against indigenous movement in Kashmir must be points of concern. Unless resolved politically, these issues will haunt India on its way to becoming a world power. The account of this remained much desired. Overall, an excellent and easy read.

[Hrishikesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The biggest lesson that I have learnt from this book is that rhetoric is often used to mask policy specifics. The book is divided into three parts, and I enjoyed the one written about India's neighborhood the most. Some perspectives were counter-intuitive. Some parts were badly organised. Overall, a good read.

[JYOTHSNA L V · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is partly memoir and partly about India's foreign policy and International Relations.

The author Shyam Saran IFS (Retd) is former Foreign Secretary, Government of India. His contribution is significant w.r.t. Indo US Civil Nuclear deal and was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
The book starting with what Arthashastra tells about foreign policy (sama, dana, danda, bheda) goes on to describe the why behind China's behavior tracing it to their history and culture. In the Chinese scheme of things, the use of force is an essential and accepted way of pursuing national interests; and war is not necessarily an unmitigated evil.

A sense of entitlement to equal status with India is ingrained in Pakistan. Economically and militarily, India is much ahead of Pakistan. So they are using the strategy of cross border terrorism to bleed India.

Further the author explains how exactly India involved in establishing a Constitutional Republic in Nepal.

The author's first hand experience in formulating the Indo US Civil nuclear deal and Copenhagen Climate Summit and his articulation of it in the book makes you feel, being present in the making of important agreements concerning India.

My favorite part from the book:

An unlikely rapport developed between the hearty, voluble and outgoing Texan who was the president of the US and the very reserved, soft spoken and cerebral Manmohan Sigh. Bush appeared to have a genuine regard, even affection, for Singh. And the Indian prime minister was unusually relaxed and communicative in the presence of the US president.

He gripped me by my shoulders, pointed to the prime minister already seated in the car, and said, 'This man is my friend. You take good care of him.' (He - George W Bush, My - Shyam Saran, prime minister - Manmohan Singh)

My favorite line from the book:

There are moments in history when decisions taken by leaders can turn the tide.

[Anurag Kharapkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts with the elaboration of the Nitisara of Kamandaki and Kautilya's Arthashastra and how their policies served the previous rulers of India. Saran offers advice on how India can use them to make inferences about the complex world and how they could be used as a standard model we live in today. Furthermore, Saran elaborates the Chinese are convinced that their view of a developing nation was an anomaly of recent ages and that they are destined to reclaim their proper status as a major world power. India must become acquainted with Chinese strategic thought if it wants to face the China challenge. Given that China is still far behind the United States regarding economic development, military might, and technical innovation, Saran argues that the idea that a China-dominated world is exaggerated. Saran discusses the quarrelsome relationship of India with its neighbours and the major changes that need to be made.

Finally, the Indo-US nuclear deal and the negotiations on climate change at Copenhagen. From negotiating the agreement's numerous articles to gathering support from the 48 member nations at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which later came to signify uniqueness in the nuclear world order. We can clearly infer that Saran is frustrated and evidently tensed by the fragility of the negotiations. Saran concentrates on India's place within this new order as the US era ends and a more multi-polar world emerges. He maintains that the effects of globalisation have increased interdependence to the point where a globally oriented regime that supports national interests is the only way to address global challenges. Due to historical bindings infused in its civilisational spirit and location, India today exhibits a recognisable worldview and increased confidence.

[Sakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

How India Sees the World (2018) by Shyam Saran

The Jain Philosophy of Anekantavada may explain differences in perceiving things from different points of view, but with Saran Sir’s grand narration one can “see the world“through the lens of his ground experiences that is partly introspective, partly reflective and re-examines the key events unclouded by the passions of the day.

In How India Sees the world , Saran Sir takes us through India’s Foreign Policy, neighbourhood and specifically the paradoxical relations with Nepal and China where he had his direct involvement and discusses the Pakistan Puzzle . He widens the ambit of the book when he describes about the challenges he faced negotiating in the Climate Change, Energy Security and the Indo-US Nuclear Deal sitting at the apex of the Foreign Policy making pyramid during the dynamic decades in the “open era”. The book is peppered with the principles of Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Kamandaki’s Nitisara and concludes on how these are valid hundreds of years later in our transformed world .

#bookreview

[Vivek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book on diplomacy, or rather a selected set of memoirs of a diplomat. For someone reading a diplomatic material for the first time, I enjoyed it.
There were lots of pearls of geopolitical wisdom emanating from certain sections, while the rest were dry.
At the end of the read, I found myself agreeing that a multipolar world order is good to keep any hegemonies in control, thereby providing a stabler outlook for the common civilian life.
It also made clear the power of negotiations, often with impromptu arguments. This also raised my understanding and respect for the job of diplomats.
I guess I would read more to get a larger perspective as diplomacy is always about having more options.

[Avinash Pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must read for readers in the age group of 18-50 years.

This book clearly and beautifully explores the topics related to diplomacy, foreign relations, global order and India’s journey over the years. The book discusses some of the crucial international and neighbourhood engagements of India. After reading this book, one is certainly going to develop deep and keen interest in India’s foreign policy and its global engagements.

The book is written in an easy to understand and lucid manner. Even if one is a regular news reader and a foreign policy enthusiast, one will get to learn many insights and knowledge from this brilliantly written book.

[Konrad von Pless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, not overly long, relatively precise. It attaches too big a role to two events in which the author participated himself, but their account serves well to showcase India's negotiating style, position in the pecking order, and approach on crucial matters. Some of the predictions and ideas about the world and its future are less than prescient, though that is an argument only available in retrospect. Then again, the author never claimed omniscience and in being an important cog in the Indian foreign policy wheel himself, all his opinions, even the imperfect and spurious ones, reflect lines of thinking about the world floating somewhere in the machine of the Indian state.

[Rahul D'cunha · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, I read the book because I met the author at a corporate event and thought it would be interesting to see sub-continental relations through his eyes. Unfortunately, a good operator maketh not a good author as this book is testament to. Mr Saran jumps back and forth too often, justifying contemporary politics with anecdotal historical/mythological evidence (not a convincing proposition). I'm also bemused as to whether this is an editorial look at politics or a personal memoir because the book doesn't completely fall in either category. A complete let-down in my humble opinion.

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book indeed. However I did think that the few chapters at the end were way too detailed. While they do make sense from author’s point of view, a general reader loses interest when details are touched to this extent, especially when it is hard to draw insights to make it relevant to present situation. Overall, a decent read.

[Amit Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book covers various facets of Indian foreign policy including critical issues like nuclear deal and copenhagen climate summit. However the book feels outdated both in subjects and ideas. The post 2014 India has seen a significant shift in the ways in which we deal with various countries. Still a good read to understand perspectives on Indian foreign policy.

[Byabang AD · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Insightful book. I think anyone interested in the world affairs should read this book coming directly from someone who himself served as a diplomat in different capacities in foreign policy formulation.

[Aditya Saraff]

Though it seems a bit biased towards the government at the time Shyam Saran held his position as Minister of External Affairs, it is a good book for all those who are interested in foreign policies implemented by India...

[Roshan Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to understand Foreign Policy, Diplomacy and International Relations.
Deals with History of Foreign policy, 3 Neighbours (Pak, China & Nepal), US-India Civil Nuclear Deal and Copenhagen Climate Summit (COP-15). Really enjoyable and helpful in understanding intricacies of diplomacy.

[Saurabh Pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by a former foreign secretary of India, this book is all about the vision which we have for our country and the way our nation is perceived by other nations. Factors which have played important role in the formation of foreign policy. The author has covered our relations with almost all the important countries and explained to us the relevance of the Chanakya principles in present times. If you are interested in knowing about some details of major events which has changed the course of our bilateral relations with other countries then this is the book which you can pick.

[Sagar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part discursive, part memoir, this book is a quick read providing an overview of the Indian foreign policy and how its historical and geographical identity continues to influence its foreign policy in the new millennium. The chapters on China are my favourite.