Book Review: Looking East To Look West

The book “Looking East To Look West Lee Kuan Yew’s Mission India by Sunanda K Datta-Ray” gives an authentic and detailed view of the Lee Kuan Yew’s (LKY) ideas and impressions about India. Lee is fondly remembered as the father of modern Singapore. He has a special interest towards India for various cultural, political, geographical and economic reasons. His affiliation to India and its culture emanates from the historical connectivity of Suvarnabhumi, Singapore to the great Hindu civilisation which has extended far into the Indian Ocean.

This book has a significant contemporary relevance as it deals with all the issues related to the South East Asia, and Lee’s perceptions of Nehru’s India. He greatly admired Nehru’s role in nurturing the independent India and awed at his vision, destination and goal for the nation. Lee was deeply impressed by his impeccable knowledge and awareness about the world polity and reckoned him as a true statesman and leader of the South East Asia. As a subject of British Colony, Lee felt that his manners far more English than English men.

India has Singapore had common problems as they were former British colonies. Both nations had the burden of revamping severely battered economies. Singapore was declared as separate state after it officially split from Malaysia in 1965. Lee underwent similar struggles as Nehru in constructing the former British colony decrepit of poverty, unemployment and devoid of proper defence. Lee transformed the country and now it has emerged as one of the most developed country in Asia, next to Japan in percapita income. Unlike India, his dream city country is devoid of natural resources and even drinking water supply was controlled by Malaysia when it separated from the Malayan province. Lee was very keen about the progress and development of the land and had a deep penchant for the developmental models that can facelift the economy of his country. India embarked on the journey reviving its economy and restoring its lost glory just a decade back in 1947. Lee keenly followed India’s progress after independence. He was particularly impressed with Indian style of democratic functioning patronised by Nehru. Lee eulogised the five year plans envisaged by him and vouched for the state of art of Air India. With demise of Nehru he observed a sudden shift from western-oriented leaders to local oriented leaders in India. Over the next few decades economies turned around with India still languishing in poverty and rated as a third world country. Whereas Singapore stead fast on the path of economic progress and development and evolved into an exemplary Asian country.

Singapore is a land of migrants with 150 years of history and hence devoid of historical baggage. Lee felt that it could be a dangerous proposition. He firmly believed that future grows out of the past. On the other hand, India was seat of evolution of the great Hindu civilisation. Lee was of view that Indians wouldn’t have been able to foster music, art, literature, architecture, painting and sculpture without surplus agricultural and pastoral production. These relics and statues are the indicators of the past glory of the land. Even though disciplinarian regime was never imposed in Hindu style of living people still maintained exemplary living. He has special place for Indians and adores them for their exceptional intellectual and oratory skills.

Lee desired India to be part of ASEAN, a group founded by him to foster trade relations between the South East Asian nations. But unfortunately, he failed in all his attempts to make India a part of this group. He wanted India to open up the economy so that foreign investments can bring trade giving the needed impetus for the economy to grow at a faster pace. Though India’s economy took off well immediately after the independence, lack of concerted and persistent efforts has pushed it back to an abysmal low until the new reforms initiated in 1991. Whereas China vigorously pushed itself by opening up its markets and within three decades emerged as a giant economy. Lee opined that India alone can take on this giant and provide a counter balance in the central Asia. But unfortunately, India failed to harness its potential to the fullest. Though it has showed the initial signs of a promising growth, lack of political will have pushed it back into doldrums. India failed to live up to the standards and it lacked the quality too. Lee desired India to be part of ASEAN, a group founded by him to foster trade relations between the South East Asian nations. But unfortunately, he failed in all his attempts to make India a part of this group. He wanted India to open up the economy so that foreign investments can bring trade giving the needed impetus for the economy to grow at a faster pace. Though India’s economy took off well immediately after the independence, lack of concerted and persistent efforts has pushed it back to an abysmal low until the new reforms initiated in 1991. Whereas China vigorously pushed itself by opening up its markets and within three decades emerged as a giant economy. Lee opined that India alone take on this giant and provide a counter balance in the central Asia. But unfortunately, India failed to harness its potential to the fullest. Though it has showed the initial signs of a promising growth, lack of political will have pushed it back into doldrums. India failed to live up to the standards and it lacked the quality too.

Lee was distraught at Indian politicians who still insist on populist programs with mass appeal. He expounds that India’s government is biggest enemy of the Indian people and businessmen are their best friend. Two great drawbacks for India are its infrastructure and bureaucracy. He minces no words in saying that economy is strangled in the name of social justice and democracy. He strongly believes that opinions should be based on what works and not on dogma and cautioned that growth might taper off under the pressure of electoral compulsions, xenophobia, terrorist threats or inertia. Lee’s contemplations on Indian economy is of utmost relevance as his incisive and strategic thinking alone has changed the face of the tiny country like Singapore.

Finally he propounded that life blood of the country is economics. Hence the economic progress of nation should never be compromised at the cost of politics, a big message to our politicians. He asserts that Singapore is where the concert of Asia is forged out of meeting of east and west. It is India’s gateway to the world and world’s entry into India.

This book is must for people who are interested in the contemporary history of South East Asia with special interest on Indo-Singapore relations and India’s foreign policy. The author did an excellent job of compiling all the events of significance from the Japan’s attack on Singapore till the year 2008. Though the events are not chronicled as per the year, the flow is maintained by putting all the related information together. The book is divided into 12 different chapters and fast narration of the events makes it really hard to put it down once you start reading.

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