Observer Research Foundation fellow Manoj Joshi (right) and defence analyst Rahul Bedi during a talk organised by the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement in Panchkula on Saturday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 10

The first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had little understanding and liking of the armed forces and consequently he did not take the military’s advice as he should have done.Stating this here today while delivering a talk on “Evolution of India’s Defence Policy under Pandit Nehru” as part of the Veterans Day Commemoration organised by the local chapter of the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement, Dr Manoj Joshi, fellow, Observer Research Foundation, said while Nehru had his shortcomings on the military front, the military too did not come up with any strategic plan or vision. As a result, appropriate advice was not available to Nehru and he committed mistakes and ad hocism prevailed.Dr Joshi said Nehru had reposed great faith in the United Nations (UN) giving a fair play in sorting out the post-Independence India-Pak imbroglio, but that did not happen as some countries like Britain backed Pakistan.Stating that while Nehru had made significant contributions to the national cause, he faced vast challenges and after the death of the then Home Minister, Sardar Patel, he had no equal among his political peers, which led to him developing a personality cult and devising his own way of doing things unilaterally.They also discussed various aspects of India’s national security issues pertaining to the Nehruvian era.