India and the United Kingdom

At independence (1947), India and Britain were remarkably close, despite 200 years of colonialism. Gradually, however, the divergent interests of the two countries began to pull them apart until bilateral relations reached an all-time low by the beginning of the 1980s. Yet, the economic, political, cultural, and interpersonal links that the two countries had in common helped them to overcome their respective misgivings by the end of the decade. K. N. Malik provides a balanced and sophisticated analysis of this crucial period in Indo-British relations and explores in depth the reasons for the decline and subsequent improvement in bilateral ties. In the process, he weaves together strategic and geopolitical considerations, political and economic compulsions, and cultural and historical factors in an insightful manner. The book also discusses two other important aspects. The first concerns the considerable impact that the Indian community settled in Britain has made, and will continue to make, in all walks of life and the effect this has had on relations between the two nations. The second is the role played by the media in representing the two societies to each other, which, in the authorÆs opinion, leaves much to be desired.