Naveen Releases Dr. Gopabandhu Dash’s Foreign Policy Book ‘Dynamics of Indo-South African Cooperation in a Changing World’

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday released the book ‘Dynamics of Indo-South African Cooperation in a Changing World’ authored by Dr. Gopabandhu Dash.
In his book, Dr. Dash , noted administrator and OSD to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, claims that the bilateral relations between two sovereign nations – India and South Africa form the bedrock of International relations.

The book explains in detail about the age old and contemporary political and cultural relations between India and South Africa. The association between the two countries is strengthened because of their common goal of fight against colonialism.

“The dynamics of bilateral relations are determined by a host of factors such as history, culture, politics, economics, geography, security environment, decision-making structure, dominant personality of the key decision-makers, the changing character of the global power structure, etc”, the soft spoken former bureaucrat explained.

“While dealing with each other, two sovereign nations, invariably, seek to strike a judicious balance between promotion of their core national interests and their commitment to the values and institutions of the International System”, Dr. Dash emphasized.

Releasing the book, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “The two countries’ struggle against colonialism has brought them closer together. Mahatma, Madiba and the Ship Brothers are the examples of the emotional relationship between India and South Africa.”

“Mahatma Gandhi’s political career was founded in South Africa and his non-violent struggle against racism in South Africa gave him a new identity,” Naveen said.

He also congratulated Dash on writing the book and hoped readers will have a great time and experience.

In his book, Dr. Dash has highlighted that in the current context of cosmopolitanism and regionalism, there are many opportunities for both the countries which will bring Indo-South African relations to a new height in the coming days.

The book critically analyses the relationship between the two countries that span many centuries and how bilateral relations between the two sovereign nations form the bedrock of International Relations.

Indo-South African Cooperation spans over four different phases: the colonial era, the freedom struggle period, the post-independence phase and the post-apartheid times. Dealing with the apartheid regime was particularly a very difficult and challenging phase for India. However, once the apartheid regime was dismantled and South Africa became a free nation, bilateral relations between the two countries made marked progress in diverse spheres: political, economic and trade, socio-cultural and security. The multilateral dimensions of Indo-South African cooperation are equally significant and visible. This is quite evident from their engagements in various multilateral bodies like NAM, IBSA, BRICS, WTO, BASIC, G-20, and the UN.

The coming decade presents massive development challenges for India and South Africa, which have been severely affected by the socio-economic consequences of COVID-19 pandemic. In such challenging times, the two nations extended mutual supports to better manage the situation, the book reveals.
India, on April 10, 2020, facilitated the export of about 25 million tablets of Paracetamol and 0.5 million tablets of Hydroxychloroquine (200mg) to South Africa. South Africa purchased 1 million COVISHIELD vaccine doses from Serum Institute of India (SII) which arrived in South Africa on February 1, 2021.

In a significant move, the five-nation grouping BRICS on June 1, 2021 supported a proposal by India and South Africa to temporarily waive patents on COVID-19 vaccines and called for their equitable access and distribution while ensuring transparency on prices, the book explained.

On the whole, both India and South Africa have shown greater maturity and understanding while dealing with each other by keeping pace with time, by sharing their common experiences, tapping their huge potentials for mutual benefits, maximizing their common interests and minimizing their differences. With such a strong foundation, both the nations are equally confident and well poised to deal with the issues and challenges which a changing world would pose in the coming decades.

The present volume critically examines all these issues on the basis of evidence and data. Dynamics of Indo-South African Cooperation in a Changing World would be a rich source material for scholars and students specializing in foreign policy analysis and International Relations in general and the bilateral relations between India and South Africa in particular. It will also be a handy reference book for diplomats and policy makers alike.

The book has received wide acclamation from various quarters.

Complementing Dr Dash, Prof Bhabani Shankar Nayak, Director of MBA, University for the Creative Arts, UK, says “As the cheerleaders of diplomacy looking away from the core values and legacies of Indian foreign policy, Dr Gopabandhu Dash’s book reminds the importance of social affinity, cultural bond, political and economic solidarity between India and South Africa. Dr Dash takes a holistic approach to analyse and set the directions of the Indo-South African cooperation and its role in global transformation. The book offers much needed arguments for the consolidation and deepening of relationship between India and South Africa.”

Prof. Kiyoshi Sugimoto, from Tokai University, Japan says “India and South Africa have two things in common: a history of British colonial rule and a history of development as mineral-rich countries. This book is an excellent introduction to the deepening relationship between the two countries in the post-apartheid era.”

Dr Gopabandhu Dash, who holds Ph.D and D.Litt., is the co-author of “Dismantling Apartheid in South Africa” (2004), with Bishnupriya Padhi, and “Post-Pandemic Life World: Society, Cultural Materialities and Practices” (2021) with Chandi Prasad Nanda and Subrat Acharya. He has also published an anthology of poems in Odia titled ‘Chaira Sabda’ (Sound of Shadow, 2020).