Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
—George Santayana

It has been said that the road to hell is often paved with best intentions, and despite the probable best intentions, ‘The Nehruvian Era, 1947–64’ unfortunately laid the firm foundations of India’s misery. The same are detailed in this two-part book. This part deals with the major foreign policy and external security issues.

Chapter-1 gives an overview of the history of J&K, and details chronologically how Nehru, by arrogantly ignoring wise councils and making one blunder after another, single-handedly created the Kashmir problem that bedevils India till today.

Chapter-2 details how creation of Pakistan-II was frustrated by Sardar Patel by a firm policy on the integration of the Hyderabad Princely State, despite Nehru’s muddle-headedness.

Chapter-3 is a sad story on how India under Nehru pusillanimously and irresponsibly created a permanent severe external security threat for...