to welfare provision.

In India, in the rather than as a complement to wider mistake abetted by the discourse of a
2000S, alongside the neo-liberal thrust, public welfare provision. At the very least, "second democratic upsurge" and the
there emerged partial and universal full social protection of all kinds should more general liberal discourse that des-
rights-based approaches - right to infor- be extended to all families dependent on pite criticisms, essentially celebrates the
mation (rti), right to education (rte), the 92% of the workforce in the unorga- "great virtues" of Indian democracy. In
food security legislation and the Mahat- nised sector. Adopting cash transfers fact, the centre of gravity of the polity
ma Gandhi National Rural Employment and recusing itself further from public and society has over the last two dec-
Guarantee Act (mgnrega). provision is the likely direction the Indian ades and more, shifted firmly to the
The book does not really take up these state is going to take no matter who its right, making this Indian state more au-
recent developments or discuss where political overseers will be after the next thoritarian and less substantive in its
they might be heading. But there is the general elections - this reality is not democratic character. Not acknowledg-
recognition that the Latin American really registered in this study. ing this reality tends to promote the
experience of using conditional cash Finally, a few of the chapters seem to belief that it is still possible to establish a
transfers if applied in India will not have suggest that one saving grace that can more humane, social democratic version
as positive an impact. The per capita promote social development in the future of Indian capitalism. Is it perhaps time
income is much lower in India and its is the "deepening" of Indian democracy. to think more radically?
proportion of the poor is much larger. This is to mistake the durability of a pro-
Some rights-based schemes are meant to ceduralist system of liberal democracyAchin Vanaik ( achin.vanaik@gmail.com ) was
be targeted, not universal. Cash transfers (which will have some substantive pay- formerly with the department of political
are more likely to be used as a substitute offs) for its deepening. This is a categoryscience, Delhi University.

most powerful country in the world eco-

Redefining India's Independent nomically and militarily, for India's
needs and aspirations in economic and
Foreign Policy strategic terms. He argues that in spite of
American alliance with Pakistan during
the cold war years and the problems it
PRITHVI RAJ MUDIAM
created for India, Indo-us relations
were not all negative. He acknowledges
the generous aid that India received
India's Foreign Policy: Coping with the
turned academic Muchkund Dubey Changing World by Muchkund Dubey (Delhi: Pearson), from the us during this period includ-
This turned is a welcome
is a welcomebookandacademic
significantbycon-
and a Muchkund career significant diplomat- Dubey con- 2012; pp 306, Rs 699. ing badly needed food aid under PL-480
tribution to the existing literature on and the positive role that the us played
India's foreign policy. The book contains attributes India's growing stature to itsin ensuring considerable help to India
reworked papers published by Dubey higher growth rates and its recently ac- under International Development As-
over the last two decades on issues quired status as a nuclear weapons state. sistance. Though there is a substantive
While emphasising the necessity of Indiaoverlap of interests between India and
related to India's foreign policy forays
and concerns. The absence of an over- maintaining a minimum military pre- the us in the areas of economy, terrorism
arching framework and organic coher-paredness both in conventional and and the Indian Ocean in the post-cold war
ence in the book is more than compen- nuclear terms for its physical survival, period, Dubey warns against excessive
he pays adequate attention to non-con- dependence on the us in solving prob-
sated by the objectivity, incisive analysis
and rare insight that Dubey brings toventional dimensions of security like lems in India's neighbourhood. Taking
bear on his work. food, energy and environment. He alsoPakistan-sponsored terrorism as an ex-
On the underlying principles of India'sfocuses on issues of governance likeample, the author says that there limits
foreign policy, the author emphasises themeeting the basic needs of the people, to what the us can do and is willing
continued relevance of non-alignmentremoval of poverty and prevention of to do to help India. It should first ensure
marginalisation of large sections of thethat it does all it can in its own territory
which he defines as India exercising its
"independent judgment" in promotingpopulation which he regards as potential to improve intelligence, border manage-
India's own national interests and those threats, unless handled with care and ment, governance and prevent the aliena-
of the international order in its own way. purpose. He is quite persuasive in his tion of its minorities and marginalised
The Non-Aligned Movement (nam), with argument that the foreign policy of a groups before thinking of acting beyond
India as one of its leading lights, should country should meet its internal needs,its borders. Dubey's assessment of Indo-
spearhead the movement for interna-developmental as well as security. us relations is nuanced, mature and
tional peace, disarmament, multilateral- Dubey is unapologetic about the impor- refreshingly free from ideological and
ism and a just world order. He franklytance of the United States (us), still therhetorical overtones.

Economic & Political weekly lauyj December 29, 2012 vol xlvii no 52 27

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 Dubey's observations on Sino-Indian
relations are forthright, balanced and
eminently practicable. He advises India
to maintain peace on border, negotiate a
border settlement with patience and
persistence, benefit commercially from
China's rapid economic rise and cooper-
ate with China at the World Trade Orga-
nisation, the BRics and climate talks.
Nevertheless, he warns India not to
ignore Chinese arms supply to Pakistan,
its assistance to Pakistan's nuclear and
missile programmes and its support to and attention to that country. While ad- tarities to the full.
is sustainable in the long run. The rela-
an interest rate of two and a half per
tions with Bangladesh get dispropor-
cent and were payable over 12 years. The
tionate attention, perhaps because of
repayment of credits was by exports
Dubey's stint as India's high commissioner
from India which saved precious foreign
exchange and eased India's balance in
ofDhaka. He displays sound knowledge
payments problems considerably. of the domestic politics of Bangladesh
and their implications for Bangladesh's
The collapse of the ussr in 1991 dis-
relations with India. While economic
rupted this close relationship. However,
complementarities do exist between the
the advent of Vladimir Putin as president
of Russia in 1998 marked the beginningtwo countries, it is the lack of political
compatibility that seems to negate the
of Russia's revival as a factor in global
chances of exploiting these complemen-
politics and India's increased interest

Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. The pur- mitting that there is no going back to theA few general observations are in order
pose of Chinese policies, according to old days of Indo-Soviet ties, Dubey un- to bring out the real worth of this work.
Dubey, is to "prevent India from emer- derscores the continued importance and The approach of the author to the study
ging as a rival Asian power" (p 185). relevance of Russia for India's long-term of India's foreign policy is unsentimental
and realistic without descending into
However, India should not allow its dif- foreign policy goals and concerns. Russia
ferences with China to come in the way of exported cryogenic engines to India crude
in "Realism". He never jettisons nor-
mative considerations, but does not get
overall improvement in relations. China's spite of American opposition. Russia en-
foreign policy is "Realist" in its approach sures smooth supply of spare parts into
to a "moralising mode" either. He
and to establish stable relations with seems to follow the Nehruvian dictum
weapons of Soviet/Russian origin used
China, India needs to emerge strongerby Indian armed forces. Russia has been that "idealism is the realism of tomorrow".

economically and militarily. While Indiaconsistently supportive of India's bid forThough Dubey was closely involved in
India's foreign policy formulation and
need not get into a nuclear arms racethe permanent membership of the un
implementation and had to deal with
with China, it should ensure that a mini-Security Council and India's full mem-
events and problems on a day to day
mum credible deterrence is in place asbership in the Shanghai Cooperation Or-
quickly as possible. ganisation. Russia is the second mostbasis, he never loses sight of long-term
Though the chapter on "China's Tryst powerful military power in the world, goals and broader issues involved in
foreign
with Globalisation" is rich in empiricalpossesses the second largest reserves of policymaking.
data and sharp in its analysis, its link tooil and natural gas after Saudi ArabiaSince Independence, the Indian state
has had no systematic and time-bound
India's foreign policy is rather tenuous.and is important for India's forays into
This chapter would have served its central Asia. Neither India nor Russia will
policy of declassification of official docu-
ments. Given this unfortunate reality,
purpose better if Dubey made an attemptcountenance a world dominated by the
to compare the Chinese experience ofus and an Asia dominated by China. works like these by former policymakers
This convergence of strategic interestscan
dealing with globalisation to that of of reflect, if not quite reveal, the offi-
cial documents that are unavailable to
India and highlighted the lessons thatthe two countries in the long-term makes
each country could have learned fromeach indispensable to the other. general public and hence can be a rich
the other. source of material for other scholars.

Dubey's take on Indo-Russian relationsRelations with Neighbours

is of particular significance because thisAs far as India's neighbours are concerned,
Prithvi Raj Mudiam ( prmss@uohyd.ernet.in )
teaches at the department of political science,
is a subject that hardly gets any mentionDubey puts forward the issues of identity,
University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad.
anywhere these days. He is emphatic asymmetry and the nature of domestic
that relations with Russia "are of vital politics of these countries as the ones
importance to India" because "This rela-that bedevil the relations between India
Style Sheet for Authors
tionship has been time-tested and isand her smaller neighbours. Though he
based on mutual trust and support of theadvocates unilateral concessions and While preparing their articles for submission,

peoples of the two countries" (p 176). short-term sacrifices for long-term gains contributors are requested to follow epw's
Dubey reminds readers that the Sovieton the part of India, there is no guarantee stylesheet.
Union made a "signal contribution" tothat such an approach would engender a The style sheet is posted on epw's web site at http://
"building India's infrastructure andpositive response from its neighbours.www.epw.in/terms-policy/style-sheet.html
industrial base" during the cold war years Given the army's domination of politics inIt will help immensely for faster processing and
(p 170). It is also important to note that Pakistan and a lack of minimum consen- error-free editing if writers follow the guidelines in
nearly 75% of the weapons of Indian sus between the two principal politicalthe style sheet, especially with regard to citation
armed forces have been of Soviet/ parties in Bangladesh over relations withand preparation of references.
India, one wonders whether such a policy
Russian origin. The Soviet credits carried

28 December 29, 2012 vol XLVii no 52 03C3 Economic & Political weekly

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 Several activists have been jailed due displacement of adivasi people fromIs GM Technology
to this attitude of the government. The their habitat. She was first implicated in'Anti-fragile'?
latest detentions in this context have a case for raising her voice against scams
been that of Xavier Dias and Dayamani
in MGNREGA in April 2006. On 16 October
Baria. Xavier Dias has been active in 2012, while she was participating in There
a and andhave
against genetically
against modified
been genetically several articles modified for
Noamundi village of West Singhbhum (gm) crops in journals around the world,
protest, she came to know that a Kudhki
warrant had been issued in her name
district where for the past two decades including the epw. This debate can be
regarding the 2006 case. Baria surren-
villagers have been fighting against Tata viewed in terms of a recent book by
Steel for land grab and molestationdered
of before the court the same day andNassim Nicholas Taleb entitled Antifragile:
women by Tata Steel workers. Things That Gain from Disorder. One
was sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
She was granted bail in this matterwould
Back in the year 1991, the tisco plant on like to ask the question: Is gm
18
was set up on adivasi land without theirOctober, but as soon as she was about
technology fragile or anti-fragile? I would
consent. These were people mainlytoof meet her friends and relatives waitinglike to argue that it is anti-fragile as long
Moodhi village along with those from outside, she was arrested in another caseas this open dialogue which at times
the surrounding villages like Noamundirelating to land acquisition (she was looks disorderly on its usefulness and
who protested against the setting upopposing
of the construction of a National safety is sustained. This dialogue will
the plant on their land. But they did Law
not College and iim on fertile land actually
in make gm technology anti-frag-
succeed. The plant came up. In oneNagdriof village near Ranchi district and ile because it will challenge scientists to
the subsequent protests, villagers also
of- land acquisition by Arcelor Mittal undertake thorough research to make it
Moodhi locked the plant from outside safer. Those who are against gm tech-
for a steel plant in that area). In a letter
written
to prevent workers of the next shift to nology should not advocate banning it,
from jail on 6 November, Baria
enter the plant. In response, the tisco
clearly mentioned she had no problems
copying some purists who would like to
with educational institutions coming ban
management asked their security guards upall sorts of changes, gm technology
to open fire on the villagers. Instead in
of their
a should be treated as a window of oppor-
area, but it was a better idea for
case then being filed against the man-
such construction to happen on barren
tunity for continuous exploration into the
agement, 15 activists were named inland
an and not on fertile land on which future. As a reflection, I remember, even
the
fir filed by the Railways (as the plant in the corridors of Mahalanobis' Indian
is adivasi people depend. Baria is also
concerned about the impact of such
adjacent to the railway line and tisco Statistical Institute, Calcutta, genetics
constructions on water resources and
used the opportunity to somehow have was whispered in 1966, 46 years ago, by
the Railways file a case against environment.
the its outstanding director, C R Rao. Why
Both Xavier Dias and Dayamani Bariadid he and his PhD students wish to
activists). This case has been languish-
ing for two decades and the activistshave given years of their lives strug-spend time to think about genetics? This
have been out on bail until now. gling for people's issues in Jharkhand.zeal to explore the frontiers of science is
However, recently, when their lawyer, Both are law-abiding and surrenderedgetting dampened by those who are
without prior information, abandoned before the court. But it is deplorable against gm technology. If they open up
the case to join another steel company, that the Jharkhand government is nottheir minds, history tells us that scien-
the court issued a warrant in the name taking the concerns raised by the peo-tific progress will make gm technology
of the seven out of the 15 activists whople seriously. "anti-fragile".
are still alive. This warrant has now We strongly condemn this conduct ofChandrashekhar G Ranade
been converted into a Kudhki warrant, the Jharkhand government of increas-
WASHINGTON DC

i e, one which will lead to seizure of their

ingly incarcerating activists in order to
properties also. As in 1991, this time suppress any form of struggle or protest
Corrigendum
too Xavier Dias and his comrades have about serious problems being faced by
The name of the author of the Book Review
gone ahead and surrendered themselves its citizens. We demand that Xavier
"Redefining India's Independent Foreign
in front of the magistrate. The details Dias and Dayamani Baria be released
Policy" has been erroneously spelt as Prithvi
mentioned above about the protest haveimmediately; all cases imposed on them Raj Mudiam in this issue (pp 27-28). The
all been revealed by Xavier Dias himselfand fellow activists be withdrawn;correctand name is Prithvi Ram Mudiam. The
in a letter to fellow activists before he the demands raised by the people corrected
af- version of the article is on the
surrendered on 22 November. He fears EPW website.
fected by the tisco plant in Noamundi
they would be tortured in jail. village and by the land acquisitions
Thein
error is regretted.
Another activist who has had a similar Nagdi village be taken seriously and
fate is Dayamani Baria of the Adivasiacted upon. New Year Greetings
Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch (ForumParamjeet Singh,
EPW wishes all its readers,
for the Protection of Tribal and Indige-Preeti Chauhan
contributors and well-wishers
nous People's Identity). She had been People's Union for Democratic Rights
NEW DELHI
the very best for 2013.
leading several campaigns against the
Economic & Political weekly 13253 December 29, 2012 vol xlvii no 52 5

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