Pakistan stands a better chance at winning over Indians than China, because we can tolerate hostility and hate campaigns but not deception. Diplomats must factor in this oddity of the Indian psyche

By Prabhakaran Paleri

Indians by nature abhor deception. Indians find it difficult to come to terms with the deceiver in a partnership. And, this has consequence in international diplomacy.

In fact, diplomacy is the first casualty of deception. The relationship between India and the United States was damaged by many covert situations in the past. Among them a sordid incident was the former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's visit to China through Pakistan in July 1971. He used India an illusory stop over. For Indians, it was humiliating. The 1962 Chinese attack on India, at a time when know-all Americans will send yet another summons to the ISI chief, which will then be turned down by the Pakistan administration. In spite of all, Indians hope that Pakistan will one day pay back all the goodwill. Pakistanis reciprocate their feeling-good-about-Indians by dancing to Bollywood songs such as Munni badanm hui or Kajrare, pirated or otherwise.

So, US and China? Hideous, says the Indian mind, you can't believe them. Pakistanis are better. See, how the psyche boggles the mind! No wonder the erstwhile Soviet Union could get India to ride its shoulder simply by adopting a song, Raj Kapoor's Awara hoom. Small, sentimental acts can win us Indians over. The United States, who considers itself a master of diplomacy, should know this.

Secret societies

In a world full of countries, diplomacy at times is routed through deception and treason. Every government has done its share of treasonous acts in geostrategic engagements. Is India deceitful in its relations with others? No, not in general at least. John Coleman in his book Diplomacy by Deception clearly states how secret societies operate, and how their orders are carried out by the very people who are supposed to protect national interests. The book mentions India of having been deceived by many others in the past. An example, according to Coleman, is the pernicious "apartheid caste system" followed by the British in the colonial days. It killed India's determination and national esteem, more or less, forever.

Just be nice to the people

While India may not be deceptive in diplomacy with other nations, Indian diplomacy is sadly deceptive to Indian populace. The people do not know what their country is doing. The politicians confuse them at convenience. But diplomacy, among other things, is all about geostrategic security. It is about gaining respect of the people of other countries and thus their governments. The governments should recognise it and balance the geostrategic context.

China's cultural show at Guangzhou showcasing, in a flattering light, the mores of India certainly won them some Indian hearts (minds). It is left to the Chinese to keep the goodwill going. Support to the flood victims in Pakistan crossed borders without fear. Every country can earn the respect of others by just being nice to them.

Leaders, note

Even the postures and demeanor of the heads of states matter when they meet. Richard Nixon's demeanor with the visiting Indira Gandhi at the formal dinner at the White House in 1971 was in sharp contrast with the recent Barack Obama- Manmohan Singh meet, which had a touch of virtuousness that Indians appreciated. Nixon would have been able to help India avoid the Indo-Pakistani war in 1971 if he was empathetic to Indira Gandhi's concerns. Ambassador Dennis Kux wrote in his book India and the United States: Estranged Democracies that Mrs. Nixon had to struggle hard to make the Indian prime minister comfortable in the White House during dinner.

Geostrategy is not diplomacy, but without diplomacy, geostrategy cannot be formulated. To that extent, it is important to understand that every citizen of a country is a diplomat within the true sense of the word.

Deception is an old and now rusty diplomatic tool. It succeeds only momentarily. It does not lead to a win-win situation. Bonding synergy between nations has to come from people-to-people understanding and then, the interaction between their heads of states. The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh knows the importance of the second half. The next step is to get the people understand, not politically convert them. Support and genuine from own embassies abroad, making the citizens aware of national objectives through direct contact, cultivating non-residents to spread the messages of goodwill in the countries of their residence, etc. are a few but sure fire ways of getting through the turnstiles of diplomacy. That is for the official diplomats to achieve. If not, the efforts to improve relationships by the heads of states may not be lasting and effective.

(The writer is a former naval and coast guard officer, scholar in national security studies, and presently, an academician)