Nehru’s Bandung

Shed light on a vital yet neglected chapter of India’s Cold War diplomacy with Nehru’s Bandung by author Andrea Benvenuti!

About the Book: “An excellent illustration of how Nehru conducted India’s quest for international standing.”—Survival, Journal of the International Institute for Strategic Studies

Starting with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s pivotal role in organizing the landmark Asian-African Conference in Bandung in April 1955, this insightful book explores India’s early Cold War strategy. Andrea Benvenuti draws on comprehensive Indian, Western, and Chinese archival sources to examine how Nehru sought to transcend escalating global tensions. His grand vision? A neutral Asian “area of peace” governed by the Panchsheel (the five principles of peaceful coexistence). While initially skeptical of Indonesia’s push for the gathering, Nehru recognized Bandung as a crucial mechanism to secure China’s commitment to regional stability—a soaring diplomatic vision that ultimately collided with China’s pursuit of national interest. Essential reading for anyone fascinated by India’s foreign policy, the roots of the Non-Aligned Movement, and the historical dynamics of India-China relations.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Rigorous Historical Research: Built upon extensive archival sources from Indian, Western, and Chinese perspectives.

• Fascinating Cold War Insights: Uncovers Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s diplomatic calculations, foreign policy goals, and vision for Asian neutrality.

• Crucial Context on India-China Relations: Explores the complex diplomatic efforts to secure regional stability and peaceful coexistence before shifting geopolitical tides.

• The Perfect Gift: An invaluable and intellectual present for historians, political science students, scholars of international relations, and readers of modern Indian history