Pax Indica - Chapter 1 - Revisiting the Tryst with Destiny

Oct 1, 2026

A study of India’s foreign policy vision since independence, framing “Pax Indica” as a peace-oriented approach for the twenty-first century rather than regional dominance. The opening chapter revisits Jawaharlal Nehru’s 1947 “tryst with destiny” speech, linking Partition-era tragedy and refuge with India’s awareness of international obligations. It also situates contemporary engagement within long-running Indian interactions with the world, spanning ancient trade, invasions, cultural influence, and scholarly exchanges.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages301

Reading Time12 h 39 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

About the Author

Praise for the Book

Revisiting the Tryst with Destiny

Brother Enemy

A Tough Neighbourhood

China and India: Competition, Cooperation or Conflict?

India’s ‘Near Abroad’: The Arab World and the Rest of Asia

Red, White, Blue and Saffron: The United States and India

Familiar Lands and Uncharted Territories: Europe, Africa and Latin America

The Hard Challenge of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy

‘Eternal Affairs’: The Domestic Underpinnings of Foreign Policy

India, the UN and the ‘Global Commons’: The Multilateral Imperative

‘Multi-Alignment’: Towards a ‘Grand Strategy’ for India in the Twenty-first Century

Footnote

Selected Bibliography

Acknowledgements

pax in dica India and the World ofthe 21st Century Contents About the Author Praise for the Book 1 Revisiting the Tryst with Destiny 2 Brother Enemy 3 A Tough Neighbourhood 4 China and India: Competition, Cooperation or Conflict? 5 India ’s ‘Near Abroad’: The Arab World and the Rest of Asia 6 Red, White, Blue and Saffron: The United States and India 7 Familiar Lands and Uncharted Territories: Europe, Africa and Latin America 8 The Hard Challenge of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy 9 ‘Eternal Affairs ’: The Domestic Underpinnings of Foreign Policy 10 India, the UN and the ‘Global Commons ’: The Multilateral Imperative 11 ‘Multi-Alignment’: Towards a ‘Grand Strategy’ for India in the Twenty-first Century Footnote 10 India, the UN and the ‘Global Commons ’: The Multilateral Imperative Selected Bibliography Acknowledgements Follow Penguin Copyright Page PENGUIN BOOKS PAX INDICA An elected Member ofParliament, former minister of state for external affairs and former undersecretary-general ofthe United Nations, Shashi Tharoor is the prize-winning author oftwelve previous books, both fiction and non-fiction. A widely published critic, commentator and columnist, he served the United Nations during a twenty-nine-year career in refugee work and peacekeeping, at the Secretary-General ’s office and heading communications and public information. In 2006 he was India ’s candidate to succeed Kofi Annan as UN Secretary-General, and emerged a strong second out of seven contenders. He has won India ’s highest honour for overseas Indians, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, and numerous literary awards, including a Commonwealth Writers ’ Prize. For more on Shashi Tharoor, please [see](see www.tharoor.in)[ www.tharoor.in](see www.tharoor.in). Praise for the Book ‘Pax Indica is a great introduction for those interested in reading about India ’s foreign policy and its evolution since independence ’—DNA ‘ [Tharoor ’s] view ofthe world and India ’s role in it is hearteningly sane; he has a diplomat’s faith in dialogue and cooperation effecting incremental benefits ’—Tehelka ‘A remarkable survey ofIndia ’s international interests, covering enormous ground . . . Whatever your own views, Pax Indica will enlarge your understanding, and encourage more attention to our still hesitant and unsure engagement with the world’—K. S. Bajpai ‘A comprehensive dissertation on the diverse fields of India ’s endeavours since Independence . . . a timely book, very well written, a must-read for students and professionals alike ’—Jaswant Singh ‘This exceptionally lively and well-written survey of India ’s international relations challenges preconceptions that foreign policy must be dull ’—David Malone ‘Those dreams are for India, but they are alsofor the world’—Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘Tryst with destiny ’ speech, 15 August 1947 As a major power India can and must play a role in helping shape the global order. The international system ofthe twenty-first century, with its networked partnerships, will need torenegotiate its rules ofthe road; India is well qualified to help write those rules and define the norms that will guide tomorrow ’s world. That is what I have called Pax Indica: not global or regional domination along the lines of a Pax Romana or a Pax Britannica but a ‘Pax’ for the twenty-first century, a peace system which will help promote and maintain a period of cooperative coexistence in its region and across the world. chapter one Revisiting the Tryst with Destiny At midnight on 15 August 1947 , independent India was born as its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, proclaimed ‘a tryst with destiny—a moment which comes but rarely in history, when we pass from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance ’. It was an hour of darkness, too, with the flames ofPartition blazing across the land, hundreds ofthousands being butchered in sectarian savage

FAQs

What does “Pax Indica” mean in the book’s framing?

It is presented as a “Pax” for the twenty-first century: a peace system meant to promote cooperative coexistence across India’s region and the world, defined by norms rather than domination.

How does Chapter 1 connect the 15 August 1947 moment to foreign obligations?

It centers on Nehru’s “tryst with destiny” speech while noting that, even amid Partition violence, the Prime Minister remained conscious of India’s international obligations and the interdependence of nations.

Why does the text emphasize India’s historical engagement with the world?

It argues that India’s connections with other regions stretch back millennia, citing migrations, invasions, trade with ancient empires, and cultural exchanges to contextualize modern global engagement.

Oct 1, 2026

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