Now we come to the question of Diego Garcia. If the U.S.A. is a true friend of any one of the littoral countries, then it should volunteer to dismantle its naval base in the Indian Ocean. It is stated that the Russians made a declaration that they are prepared to discuss the Indian Ocean with other countries. We are not against the general movement of their navy in the ocean. Every power can move about in the world. Indian Ocean is an open road. But the United States has a military base, and this is what India objects to. It is not only a threat to independent India but to the whole area. It has created a crescent of crisis. I look at it as some sort of an arc which includes Africa, the Gulf countries, India, Pakistan and South Asia. Diego Garcia is at the centre of this arc. It is a threat to African countries as well, a threat to countries on both sides of the Suez Canal, the Gulf countries. It is a threat to India which is the most important country in this region.
When one raises this question, some people on the treasury benches in the House smile and say they have taken formal note of it. If they want to talk about genuine non-alignment the position they take on Diego Garcia will be the test of their genuineness. Let them make the United States sit around with them and discuss the issue. One will have to be careful in dealing with the big powers, particularly with the United States which has got a base at our backdoor. Someone has said that Russia has also got its presence in the ocean. Russia certainly has its presence. These big powers have their presence all over the world, not only in the Indian Ocean.
But the main point is this: who has got a base? The Soviet Union has not got a base there. It is the United States which has a base. This will have to be kept in mind and taken note of, and all the calculations about India's relationship should be only on this basis. I have not criticised the government for the sake of criticism but have only espoused the cause of national interest in regard to some aspects of India's foreign policy.
