International Mediation is Hazardous in a Complex World, Says Former Ambassador T.P. Sreenivasan

Our Bureau

New York, NY

Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (New York Chapter), Indian Diaspora Center and the Indian American Kerala Center organized a talk titled ‘India’s Role as a Peacemaker Since Independence,’ by former Ambassador T.P. Sreenivasan at the Dr. Thomas Abraham Library Hall at the Kerala Center to celebrate 77th Anniversary of India’s Independence. Community leaders representing several organizations participated in an exciting discussion after Sreenivasan’s presentation.

The program started with a welcome by the Kerala Center Secretary Raju Thomas. GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, who chaired the session spoke on the accomplishments of GOPIO in the last 35 years and that its initial goal of bringing the Diaspora community to political mainstream has been achieved.

T.P. Sreenivasan told the meeting that in the complex world of the 21st century, marked by the absence of a defined global order, international mediation to end conflicts was extremely hazardous. India had emerged on the world as a messenger of peace and it played a peace making role even in distant lands based on the principles of Panchsheel and by leading the Nonaligned Movement. India led the decolonisation and disarmament initiatives of the UN and was part of global efforts to settle disputes and to prevent war. But over the years, India unwittingly became a party to the conflicts with Pakistan and China and had to fight wars to protect its own sovereignty and national interests. Moreover, India had to keep out of the NPT, CTBT, etc and eventually became a nuclear weapon state.

“India is seen today not as a pacifist state, but as an aspiring world power, said Sreenivasan.

According to Sreenivasan, India has been a strong supporter of the UN as the guardian of international peace and security, but in the context of the increasing irrelevance of the UN on account of the imbalance in the Security Council, it is struggling to maintain its strategic autonomy in a divided world. But India continues to be a responsible member of the international community, engaged in building a reformed global order to fight both conventional threats to security as well as the new and emerging dangers like terrorism, climate change and pandemics. It has steered clear of military alliances but has built strategic partnerships with like-minded countries.

China has emerged as an adversary and recent incursions across the Line of Actual Control and continuing claims on Indian territory are a major challenge. But through negotiations, strengthening of our defence, reducing our trade imbalance and strengthening cooperation with others, India is facing the Chinese challenge. Our relations with the United States and Russia are also being strengthened. The recent G 20 meetings in India increased our engagement with the Global South.

There have been demands for India to be a mediator in the two most serious conflicts, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Palestine war.  The fact that India has good relations with all the adversaries appears to give an opportunity for India to negotiate peace, but these wars are distinctly different from the wars of the twentieth century, because each side is fighting for a decisive victory in the context of creating a new global order. India itself has learnt a lesson from Tashkent and others that mediation is a double-edged weapon.

“We clearly believe in resolution of conflicts through bilateral discussions and that is what India is trying to achieve by keeping the dialogue open. The traditional peace-making efforts outlined in the UN Charter of preventive diplomacy, ceasefire, peace keeping and peace building do not seem to be effective in the present geopolitical situation,” Ambassador Sreenivasan concluded.

In the active and informed discussion that followed, many ideas were exchanged and India’s constructive engagement with the world was applauded.

The program ended with a conclusionary remarks and vote of thanks by Kerala Center Board Member May Philip.