PEACE FEELER FROM NEW DELHI TO PEKING
By Kailas Chandra
Bombay
Following the cease-fire agreement between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch, the Shastri government appears to be considering a shift in policy in the "border confrontation" with the People's Republic of China. President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan himself has come out publicly for India's need "to come to terms with China and Pakistan" so that the huge funds now spent on defence could be turned to “internal development."
This is the first time since the Sino-Indian border war in 1962 that such a conciliatory statement has been made about China on behalf of the government, That it comes from the head of the state is significant.
Dr, Radhakrishnan made his remarks June 2 during a speech inaugurating the aluminium plant at Mettur near Madras. It would appear that Peking took notice.of the trial balloon and has responded not unfavorably.
_ In fact it has been reported that the Chinese government is willing to help create the necessary atmosphere.for talks by agreeing to vacate the seven controversial military posts established in the Akshai Chin region of Ladakh, This would meet the precondition that India has been insisting upon for negotiations,
-4.
The Colombo proposals worked out by the five Afro-Asian governments when Mrs. Bandaranaike was the Prime Minister of Ceylon would constitute the basis for the talks.
New Delhi has contended that China did not accept the Colombo proposals “unconditionally” and that therefore the talks could not start. The Chinese have said, however, that they accept the "spirit" of the proposals subject to a final settlement through negotiations.
The most important question is whether New Delhi is prepared to give up its claim to the uninhabited Akshai Chin region which is now under effective Chinese control, China, it has been reported, is prepared to recognize the MacMahon line as the boundary between the two countries in the northern and eastern sectors,
The Indian bourgeoisie have some rather compelling reasons for reconsidering their intransigeance in the border dispute. They are faced with a growing internal crisis due to the rapid dwindling of foreign exchange.
The imperialist countries have evidenced no willingness to pump in sufficient funds to keep the Indian economy going. A number of projects, advanced under the Fourth Plan, are likely to founder on the rocks of financial bankruptcy. Only the Soviet Union has come forward with offers of substantial aid.
The political representatives of the Indian bourgeoisie have consequently been entertaining sour thoughts about the attitude of the imperialist powers in questions of aid for the underdeveloped countries, The Indian bourgeoisie are not prepared as yet to com= pletely surrender their "independence" to imperialism as is demanded.
Moreover, the enormous cost of building up the Indian armed forces has placed a tremendous added burden on the economy. The consequence has been a severe domestic crisis, both economic and political, which the bourgeoisie feel could well threaten their very existence as a ruling class, Having extended themselves too far, they feel the need to draw back.
It is also likely that the government has learned something from the slap in the face which Johnson dealt Shastri April 16 in announcing without previous consultation that the prime minister's visit to Washington had been "postponed." To have a "special relationship" with Johnson obviously doesn't pay off!
A friendly gesture in Peking's direction in the present world situation, on the other hand, might well serve to remind Washington that its own fences are badly in need of mending with something more attractive than announcements about the size of its nuclear stockpile.