With reference to Premvir Das' article, "Timidity does not a great nation make" (September 22), Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) said, "Given the same amount of intelligence, timidity will do a thousand times more damage than audacity."
India should shed its image of timidity and assert itself as the big nation it is. India is an emerging economic powerhouse and should be what it is endowed with. Das' several suggestions, including scaling down of diplomatic and economic links with Pakistan, should be looked into.
We need to take a leaf out of China's book: learn how it behaves and acts, like a big power demanding its share in the world order and rightfully so. China utilises its economic and demographic clout to contain access to its market. Multinationals abide by its demands.
China spares no effort to ensure its demands are met. India should, too.
H N Ramakrishna Bengaluru
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