Diplomacy in ancient times and present days

                Key words - diplomacy, kings, war, peace, negotiations

          

Diplomacy is the art of conducting negotiations between two countries to avoid confrontation culminating in a war and to maintain peaceful relations. As per ancient scriptures of India, there are instances of diplomacy used to avoid war between two groups. 

Some such instances are:

According to Hindu mythology, Sree Rama of Ayodhya kingdom deputed Hanuman to Srilanka to negotiate with king of Srilanka - Ravana for releasing Sita from his captivity. But Ravana did not agree and fighting started between the two warring groups. Similarly  as per the epic Mahabaratha, Lord Krishna acted as mediator to abandon the idea of a war between the two sides -Pandavas and Kauravas. But Duryodhana did not agree for a truce and then war started.

The main aspects of diplomacy in India were:

1.Concept of dharma(righteousness)

2.Treaties and alliances

3.Envoys and ambassadors

4.Exchange of gifts

5.Non alignment and neutrality

6.Diplomatic immunity

7.Cultural exchange

King Chandra Gupta Maurya founded Maurya empire and ruled northern India from 321 BC   to 297 BC. Chanakya served as an adviser for Chandra Gupta. He gave much importance to diplomacy. According to him, war was the last resort to attain a solution. His opinion was that for a nation to be stable, power is very essential.

Types of diplomacy according to Chanakya.

1.    Peace (sandhi)

2.    War (vigraha)

3.    Neutrality(asana)

4.    Marching(yana)

5.    Alliance(samsraya)

6.    Dwidibhava (Peace  with one and war with another)

  

            Maurya kingdom

King Ashoka, wanted to expand his kingdom further. Kalinga (modern Odisha) was the neighboring country. He sent his emissary to meet king of Kalinga. But Kalinga king refused to surrender and war broke out. In the war, a large number of people were killed. Ashoka felt very sorry and was upset in the death of many persons. He then adopted Budhism.  He  went out on periodic tours preaching dharma to the rural people. He got constructed hospitals and  rest houses in different parts of the  kingdom. More trees were got planted on way sides.

Southern India was at that time ruled by Chera, Chola and Pandya kings. They frequently waged  wars against each other.

(6 century BCE to 13 century).

   Chera,Chola, Pandya kingdoms

The country was at that time ruled by several kings in different parts. Though diplomatic efforts were being carried out, majority of time the efforts were not succeeded  and ended in wars . Some of these wars are:

Samoodiri’s administrative boundary

 Battle of Calicut – Land and sea- Portugese and Zamorin of Calicut (1503)

Anglo Mysore war – Tippu sultan & his father Hyderali and East India company assisted by Nizam of Hyderabad and Marathas – 1799.

Maratha-Mughal war – Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj and Mughal king Aurangazeb – 1665

An entirely different strategy was adopted in India to get freedom from British rule. Mahatma Gandhi adopted satyagraha as a non - violent tool to fight against Britishers.

Many diplomatic efforts and round table conference were held and finally on August 15,1947 India got freedom.

Three years have elapsed since the start of Russia - Ukraine war. A very large number of casualties have taken place during this period. It is estimated that the financial losses are also quite high. Diplomatic discussions are going on at different levels between Russia, Ukraine, USA, Saudi Arabia and European nations to end the war at the earliest.

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