Shashi Tharoor’s duties as a parliamentarian kept him so preoccupied that the writer in him took a back seat. His book, Pax Indica — India and the World of 21st Century, might still not have seen the light of the day, if wife Sunanda had not pressed him to finish it on time. “She wanted it as a birthday gift and I burnt midnight oil to fulfil her wish,” he admitted.
Dealing with the complex issue of Indian diplomacy, which the author in his own words described as, “like the love-making of an elephant: it is conducted at a very high level, accompanied by much bellowing, and the results are not known for two years.” The former under secretary at the United Nations said, “Published by Penguin India, Pax Indica is not meant to convey a message of world dominance, but rather looks to build a peace system through a network of relationships. In today’s time, foreign policy matters are not just confined to borders, they hold significance for the common man. It can effect a fisherman in Thiruvananthapuram or a farmer in north India. The book reflects on India’s relationship with the majority of the countries on the global map.” And then on a modest tone, he added, “It is not a scholarly work, rather an extended newspaper column.”
But if Tharoor travelled to Kolkata expecting only bouquets for his work then he was definitely in for a surprise. As Gardiner Professor of History at Harvard University, Sugata Bose pointed out: “The event has turned out to be a debate rather than a celebratory book launch”. And leading the charge, West Bengal governor M.K. Narayanan termed Tharoor’s views as “much too accommodating” with Pakistan and China. He felt, “A country’s foreign policy must reflect the opinion of the majority. There is immense trust deficit with these two countries, and India’s goodwill gestures have not been reciprocated,” he said, while complimenting the book for covering a wide canvas.
Prof. Bose described the book as a good source for the ordinary citizens to understand the foreign policy of the nation.