The complex geopolitical landscape of the years 1949 to 1959 saw the establishment of China’s communist regime, declining British Empire and the emerging superpower, United States. Also amidst all this the newly Independent India was seeking its place in the region amid Cold War tensions. The book delves into the roles of key figures like Nehru, Zhou Enlai, and Truman, highlighting the dynamics of Indian diplomacy during its early years.

About the speakers:
Author Vijay Gokhale was the 32nd Foreign Secretary of India and retired from the Indian Foreign Service after a diplomatic career spanning 39 years. He has also served as India’s high commissioner to Malaysia, as ambassador of India to the Federal Republic of Germany and the People’s Republic of China. He has worked extensively on matters relating to the Indo-Pacific region with a special emphasis on Chinese politics and diplomacy. He has contributed opinion pieces to the New York Times, Foreign Policy, Times of India, the Hindu, and the Indian Express and written three books on China.

Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon served as National Security Advisor to the Indian Prime; Foreign Secretary of India; and as Ambassador and High Commissioner of India to Israel, Sri Lanka, China and Pakistan. He has served in the mission to the IAEA in Vienna and in the Department of Atomic Energy in Mumbai. He has published Choices: Inside the Making of Indian Foreign Policy in 2016 and India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present. He is also the visiting Professor at Ashoka University and Chair of the Ashoka Centre for China Studies.

Ms. Palki Sharma Upadhyay is the managing editor at Firstpost. She is an accomplished Indian news editor, presenter and journalist. She has previously worked WION (World is One News) and CNN-News18.