05/12/2021
Indian Centre for Diplomatic Studies – An Idea
Idea of Indian Centre for Diplomatic Studies dates back to year 1996, when a group of students studying International Relations were asked to study contribution of India to the subject of Diplomacy. While doing so, the group found that India since its ancient days has lot of contribution to the subject and our ancient texts like Veda’s – Ithihasas – Purana’s has several mentions that talks about various rules and regulations that are supposed to be followed between Nations. These rules became crystal clear and elaborated further in Ramayana and Mahabaratha that talk in detail about diplomatic conventions, role of ambassador etc. These are the same rules and regulations that found its way into Vienna convention, the rule book of modern diplomacy in various ways.
But to the utter dismay of the group who were trying to understand the scenario found it that none of the universities or even Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi that is said to be core study centre for Indian Diplomatic Studies are doing research in what was written and explained in Ancient texts. And further more they are not even interested to understand universally accepted writing of Chanakya, who in detailed discussed the subject in Artha Sastra.
There is no chair, centre established to study these aspects in any university and Ministry of External Affairs that is supposed to be nodal body of such research has simply seems to be ignored it. The situation was so worse that when Ministry of External Affairs has founded and funded around 60 research Centres (known as Area Study Centres that were established in various universities) and none has a mandate to conduct research on the above. This shows the seriousness of problem and their mindset that has not changed even today after change of power at Delhi.
Furthermore none of these centres were found to be studying India’s relations with any other nation from historical perspective or tried to understand what happened since existence of ancient India. Most of the studies focus on relations that started to exist in modern world that may be from the birth of Modern India. None of them tried to study the historical relations that existed between India and other nations before modern India as was done with research on India’s own ancient history. We don’t want to discuss the examples but just wanted to highlight the pathetic direction in which Indian research has moved and moving.
Despite our own universities and governments has not shown any interest to understand the above and never tried to tell the world that this is what Indian perspective of diplomacy even when the world recognised the contribution of ancient India and even recognised its contribution to Law of Seas, Laws of War, Laws of Prisoner of Wars, Law of Human Rights etc.,
When the group realised the pathetic condition, it begun its journey by taking up the task to high light the same and first steps were taken to promote the concept by launching Indian Journal of Diplomacy. The small steps taken to launch the journal reveal more pathetic condition of Indian scenario in organising a genuine research in Indian perspective of Diplomacy. There is no journal/magazine is published by any university or even MEA that provides a comprehensive of view of Indian Diplomatic Activity. It is those few senior teachers, diplomats and even few journalists who supported the idea and suggested us to name the journal as Indian Journal of Diplomacy rather than naming it Indian Journal of International Relations, Indian Journal of World Affairs, Indian Journal of Foreign Relations, Indian Journal of Foreign Affairs etc. The availability of all these titles in 1990’s showcases that no one in universities or government are interested to present comprehensive view of Indian Diplomacy as a whole and just focussed on publishing news letters or journals that are focussing on relationship between a nation and India even when powers like USA, Russia and even European Nations were publishing comprehensive journals like Foreign Affairs etc.
Now the question is why this kind of situation exists in this nation, who is preventing the research on these aspects, why even students were not allowed to conduct research on these aspects and who suppressed even any one tries to do it. We don’t want to blame anyone as we all know the reasons for such scenario, and a decision was taken to take the task ahead that has paved the way for birth of Indian Journal of Diplomacy and subsequently www.indiandiplomacy.org that started projecting the idea in a small way.
Further in order to fill the huge gap found in conducting research on Indian Perspective of Diplomacy on the basis of our own ancient thoughts and beliefs has lead to idea of establishing Indian Centre for Diplomatic Studies. The Indian Centre of Diplomatic studies will encourage research and study on developing an understanding on Indian Way of conducting Diplomacy based upon rich Indian Knowledge that is made available to us and found its mention in various ancient texts and connect the same to the current practices. The idea it has been following and practising it for past two decades in varied form and moving forward to institutionalise the same.
We hope you all love the idea and your support is more valuable. We are looking forward to hear from you with your valuable feedback and suggestions to make it successful. Please do share your ideas, suggestions, guidance at [email protected] or can whatsapp at 9989821333.
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