The Reputational Imperative: Nehruas India in Territorial Conflict, Shankar Mahesh

Indias first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, left behind a legacy of both great achievements and surprising defeats. Most notably, he failed to resolve the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan and the territorial conflict with China. In the fifty years since Nehrus death, much ink has been spilled trying to understand the decisions behind these puzzling foreign policy missteps. Mahesh Shankar cuts through the surrounding debates about nationalism, idealism, power, and security with a compelling and novel answer: reputation. Indias investment in its international image powerfully shaped the states negotiation and bargaining tactics during this period.

The Reputational Imperative proves that reputation is not only a significant driver in these conflicts but also that its about more than simply looking good on the global stage. Considerations such as Indias relative position of strength or weakness and the value of demonstrating resolve or generosity also influenced strategy and foreign policy. Shankar answers longstanding questions about Nehrus territorial negotiations while also providing a deeper understanding of how a states global image works. The Reputational Imperative highlights the pivotal--yet often overlooked--role reputation can play in a broad global security context.