2. Self-Reliance
EVEN BEFORE 1947 it was widely realised that political independence should lead to economic independence which would provide the minimum needs of the vast masses of our country to enable to live a fuller life. Soon after we achieved political independence, the Congress Party got down to the task of realising economic independence for the common man through planned economic development. During the First Plan and the early years of the Second Plan, our dependence on foreign credits was very small. But from about 1958 onwards, we began to borrow heavily from a number of countries and international institutions. We also had to import substantial quantities of foodgrains and other agricultural commodities on credit or on rupee payment terms. As the grant element in foreign assistance was rather small and the burden of foreign debt began to rise, it was realised that in order to achieve economic independence for the present generation, we cannot afford to jeopardise the future of succeeding generations or the independence of the nation itself. If the threat to our national independence, inherent in excessive reliance on "concessional" borrowings from abroad, became apparent during 1965 when, despite our being a victim of Pakistani aggression, aid from most quarters was suspended, events in 1971 brought out even more forcefully that for some countries at any rate aid is still an instrument of interference in the policies of others rather than a means of promoting worldwide development.
The Congress Party can legitimately claim credit for launching on the largest experiment in planned economic development in a truly democratic set up. The path has not been an easy one, but without being immodest we can certainly claim a substantial measure of success in our experiment. While our goal is clear and our resolve firm, we can look forward with confidence to a more rapid strengthening of the various forces of economic growth. We have made undoubted progress not only in the field of economic development but also in the technique of moving towards self-reliance without sacrificing any of our major objectives of growth. This long-standing commitment of the Congress Party to self-reliance found a prominent place in the recent Election Manifesto of the Party for the 1972 elections. The massive mandate given by the people of India to our Party is therefore not only for `garibi hatao' and other objectives but also for achieving speedy self-reliance. Much, however, remains to be done if we have to continue this progress towards greater self-reliance. Recent events on the political and economic fronts have only underscored the misgiving that economic aid more often than not is sought to be tied with political strings of one kind or another. Consistent with our stand all these years, we have set our face firmly against any attempt to use economic assistance as a lever of political influence.
