10 introduction
Despite Nehru’s initial reluctance to recognize it, Israel was enamored
by the foreign- policy vision of the Indian leader. This approach is vividly
apparent in the long letter written by Israel’s most se nior diplomat, Walter
Eytan. Outlining Israel’s foreign policy to the head of the Israeli delega-
tion to the Lausanne Conference on August 11, 1949, Eytan observed:
In the course of a debate on foreign aff airs in the Indian parliament
on March 8th of this month Pandit Nehru made the following
statement:
We are friendly with all countries. We approach the whole world
on a friendly basis, and there is no reason why we should put our-
selves at a disadvantage by becoming unfriendly to any group. India
has a vital role to play in world aff airs. There is absolutely no reason
why we should be asked to choose between this ideology and that. In
the past, India spread her cultural doctrine to other countries, not by
force of arms, but by the strength and vitality of her culture. There
are no reasons why she should give up her own way of doing things
simply because of some par tic u lar ideology emanating from Eu rope.
By aligning with any par tic u lar group we lose the tremendous van-
tage ground we have of using the infl uence that we possess— and
that infl uence is growing— for the sake of the world peace. We do not
seek domination over any other country, and do not wish to interfere
in any other country’s aff airs, domestic or other. Our main stake in
world aff airs is peace; to see that there is racial equality and that
people who are subjugated are free. For the rest, we do not seek to
interfere, and we do not desire other people to interfere in our aff airs.
If there is interference, po liti cal, military or economic, we shall resist
it. The supreme question today is how can we avoid a world war. If
there is a World War, it will mean such a catastrophe that for a gen-
eration or more the progress and advancement of humanity will be
put at an end. This is a terrible thing to contemplate. Everything
should be done to avoid the catastrophe. I feel that India can play a
big part and may be an eff ective part in helping the avoidance of war.
Therefore, it becomes all the more necessary that India should not be
lined up with one group of Powers or other, which for various rea-
sons today are full of the fear of war and are preparing for it. This is
the main approach of our foreign policy. It is possible that other
countries who are also not happy at the prospect of war may support
our attitude and back us in this march....