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'Explaining the Persistence of Nehruvianism in Indian Strategic Culture'

'Explaining the Persistence of Nehruvianism in Indian Strategic Culture'

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'Explaining the Persistence of Nehruvianism in Indian Strategic Culture'
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<strong>SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, ORGANISATION AND DISARMAMENT</strong> a seminar on <strong>'Explaining the Persistence of Nehruvianism in Indian Strategic Culture'</strong> Despite changes to the international system, India's capabilities, and Indian foreign policy in the past 25 years, India's strategic culture remains stubbornly Nehruvian. That culture emphasizes status, autonomy, and restraint regarding the pursuit and use of force. It is underpinned by the conviction that India is the heir to a great civilizational inheritance, including a great stock of religious and philosophical wisdom, but is materially weak, and unable to defend and extend its interests according to the normal methods of power politics – alliances, threats, and the use of force. Despite being shaken by defeat at the hands of China in 1962, extensively modified under Indira Gandhi, compromised by India's alignment with the Soviets after 1971, shaken again by the end of the Cold War, this Nehruvian culture has proven persistent. Although India is now nuclear-armed and significantly richer than it was in the immediate postcolonial period, with close partnerships with Japan, the United States, and others, Nehruvian restraint still characterizes Indian strategic behaviour. This paper argues the persistence of Nehruvianism is due to the strategic elite's continued attachment to (tempered) moralism; the relative weakness of Indian diplomatic influence and military power; and the prioritization of domestic development over international assertion. SPEAKER: <strong>PROFESSOR IAN HALL</strong> GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA Ian Hall is a Professor in the School of Government and International Relations and the Acting Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. He is the author of a number of books and articles, including the edited volume, The Engagement of India: Strategies and Responses (2014). He is currently working on projects on Indian international thought and India's interactions with the liberal international order. <strong>Wednesday, 9 November 2016</strong>

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.