India's Foreign Policy

Chapter 4

1. India has had a rich maritime tradition. The spread of Hinduism and Buddhism overseas, e.g., Indonesia and Japan, was possible partly due to this. Same holds true for our trade with ancient Rome and other ancient civilizations. Several centuries before Christ, the Maurya and Andhra dynasties devoted themselves to becoming the lords of the eastern seas. Sailendra’s maritime empire lasted a full five centuries. More recently, Calicut and the Marathas fought at sea against the hordes of Europeans pouring into our subcontinent. But it was the British Navy that defeated all others and helped establish the Raj for two centuries.

2. For a vivid description of the teething troubles that our navy faced, see A.K. Chatterjee, Indian Navy’s ...