TITO AND NEHRU CALL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A “THIRD FORCE” BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

THE CONVERSATIONS OF THE YUGOSLAV LEADER IN INDIA

NEW YORK, 16 [December 1954] (By our correspondent) – Diplomatic observers note tonight that Greece is absent from the vital diplomatic developments in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, while Marshal Tito has arrived in Bombay.

Mr. Raymond reports from Belgrade to tomorrow’s New York Times that diplomatic and Western circles in the Yugoslav capital attribute “utmost importance” to Marshal Tito’s talks with Indian Prime Minister Mr. Nehru and the Prime Minister of Burma.

Marshal Tito will remain in India for eighteen days as an official guest of the Indian government.

In Belgrade, it is emphasized that Marshal Tito’s talks aim to shape the policies of Yugoslavia on one hand, and of India and Burma on the other, toward the development of an “active neutrality” in relation to the ongoing struggle between the Soviet bloc and the Western democracies.

It is further noted that, despite official denials, in reality a “third force” is being formed between the two opposing blocs of the West and the Soviet alliance.

In essence, however, the neutrality of this group of states, such as India, Burma, and Yugoslavia, will be completely different from the traditional concept of neutrality, since the new coalition of neutral states will have decisive involvement in the political and military affairs of the modern world.

P. Karavias
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BOMBAY, 16 [December 1954] (French Press Agency) – This morning, the President of the Yugoslav Republic, Marshal Tito, arrived here, accompanied by the Vice President of Yugoslavia, five ministers, and senior officers of the army, navy, and air force. As soon as Marshal Tito disembarked, he proceeded to the “Gateway of India,” a symbolic monument marking the entrance to India, located at the port of Bombay. The Indian naval band played the national anthems of Yugoslavia and India while Marshal Tito inspected the honor guard of the navy.

At 9:45 a.m. local time, Marshal Tito, accompanied by the head of the Indian President’s yacht, watched a naval demonstration organized in his honor, involving eleven warships of the Indian navy. After this naval inspection, the Marshal visited the famous Elephant Caves. In the afternoon, he visited the Indian flagship Delhi. At 4:00 p.m. local time, he departed by special train to New Delhi.

An immense crowd had gathered despite the prevailing heat and enthusiastically cheered the Yugoslav president, while saluting artillery fired ceremonial shots. Marshal Tito wore his official uniform.
 

1. Several Greek newspapers published a series of reports on Tito’s state visit to India and translated articles, analyses, and opinion pieces from prominent foreign media. 
2. The clipping we selected for translation comes from a Greek opposition newspaper and contains two articles. The first provides an account of the visit and criticizes Greek officials for failing to develop relations with Southeast Asian countries. The second is a Greek translation of a relevant report by the French News Agency. Both articles were published together on the front page of the newspaper.

Batzeli, A. (2024). Aspects of Yugoslavian-Indian relations: Josip Broz Tito State visit to India in December 1954. The Digital Orientalist (ISSN: 2772-8374). URL.: https://digitalorientalist.com/2024/02/16/aspects-of-yugoslavian-indian-relations-josip-broz-tito-state-visit-to-india-in-december-1954/