The distance between a bipolar world and a unipolar world is not measurable in terms of ideology. In terms of chronology, the distance is no more than a few decades. When the first Afro-Asian Conference met in Bandung fifty years ago, it was seen as an attempt to form an institution which would be able to counteract the ravages of the Cold War in Asia. It came in the wake of the Korean War and the emergence of the People?s Republic of China, which was aligned to the Soviet Union. The path to the first conference was strewn with difficulties and even Jawaharlal Nehru was sceptical and foresaw problems before arriving at any kind of consensus. But the spirit of Bandung, dominated by issues like race and colonialism, soon degenerated into partisanship. The shadow of the Cold War hung over it and, given the overall context, made the Afro-Asian conference a forum for criticizing the policies of the United States of America. But the Afro-Asian conference which has just concluded ? call it Bandung II ? is located in a completely different chessboard of international relations. The issues sans race and colonialism are much the same: social and economic problems facing the countries of Asia and Africa. But not only has the global context changed but also many of the Afro-Asian countries which in 1955 had been poor have emerged now as major economic players. Development rather than poverty is the burning issue facing the leaders of Asia and Africa. While relationship with Washington is a driving concern for Bandung II, there is also the problem of the growing economic divergence ? and therefore different priorities ? between the countries of Asia and Africa.

Within the politics of Asia, there is the looming presence of China. Looming in physical size and in economic strength. Ironically, it is this presence of China that provides India with an opportunity to play a new role in Asian affairs. If the world is unipolar, Asia can be bipolar, with India as a counteracting force against China. India?s presence and role in Bandung II thus had wider ramifications. The spirit of Bandung I has gone and so has the non-aligned movement which grew out of it. But a new spirit is aboard. Nehru?s vision of India as the leader of Asia is still a challenge. But to achieve it, India will have to be less patronizing and moralizing than it was in 1955.