Do Gandhi's views on world order, peace, and war still hold water?

Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophies have inspired many a person and several movements but the concept of Ahimsa, that is, non-violence has been especially well applied in the realm of international relations and Indian foreign policy. Gandhi had some unique takes on war, peace and criticisms on the methods used to achieve peace which have been recorded by many authors and biographers.

India, today, more often than not falls back on these philosophies to determine foreign policy. From craving for a just world order where middle-power nations like lndia, Brazil and Australia earn their rightful place in the world order to the self-sufficiency mission that is Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat, India has often relied on Gandhian philosophies to decide what kind of a nation it wants to be in the world.

Gandhi, like anyone following the 20th international relations theory of realism, was primarily concerned with war in the international system. In a book from 1987, titled Gandhi on War and Peace, author Rashmi-Sudha Puri records that he "looked upon the problem of war as the most important problem which faced the contemporary world". Gandhi didn't accept distinctions between ''just'' and "unjust wars" - in his mind every war was unjust. He was firmly of the opinion that "war is not a morally legitimate means of achieving anything permanent".

Puri, in her book, says that Gandhi considered nationalism was an essential pre-requisite of internationalism, he asserted that self-sufficiency or what he termed Swadeshi is essential to achieve before India could be equal and a productive player in the international stage.

Despite facing significant threats from Pakistan and China for several decades, the country has been averse to war, and putting boots on the ground. India is one of the biggest stakeholders in the Afghanistan development dream and has invested a lot of financial and human resources to help the Afghan people. Pakistan and China have boots on the ground protecting their interests in the war-torn country, but India refrains from it. A characteristic of Indian policy drawing Gandhian philosophy.

The iconic freedom fighter, was of the opinion that war was never a just means to attempt to create peace or to achieve a so-called noble goal. For him, the ends never justified the means. The author notes that Gandhi didn’t consider peace in international relations to the end in itself, but, he considered peace to be “a means to a nobler goal – that of a just world order”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech at the 75th United Nations General Assembly, asked, “For how long will India be kept out of the decision-making structures of the United Nations?” This shows how India yearns for a just world order, the noble goal that Gandhi envisioned.

World organisations such as the UN that are built to maintain peace and prevent wars, Gandhi saw them as bodies built on a foundation of mistrust, suspicion and fear of other nations. He contended that an international organisation must be “the manifestation of the natural urge of nations towards peace,” and shouldn’t only be made to stop a war or protect one’s interests. He also criticised the League of Nations(LoN), saying that such organisations perpetuate an unjust world order. Rashmi in her book also noted that Gandhi said that the LoN had no real power and was used as a tool by the British and French.

Whilst, in today’s day and age, many countries support India’s rise in the world and taking a place in the decision structures of the UN, some of Gandhi’s critcisms of world organisations hold water to date. 75 years since the formation of the UN, and despite the meteoric rise of India as a formidable power, India still doesn’t hold a permanent position in the Security Council.

So were Gandhi’s criticisms, ideas and thoughts on international relations right?