Legacy of Sardar Patel The Excelsior 30 Oct 2025
Legacy of Sardar Patel The Excelsior 30 Oct 2025
The nation will celebrate Ekta Diwas on 31st Oct to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first deputy PM and Home Minister. He is credited for unifying India and integrating over 565 princely states through a combination of diplomacy, persuasion and military action. While most states acceded to his demands including an offer of a privy purse, there were some which resisted. Military power was employed against Hyderabad while forced plebiscite brought Junagadh into the country.
His actions resulted in the creation of a unified India from smaller unstable states. He was also credited for establishing the all-India services which was the forerunner to the current bureaucracy. He laid the foundation for the creation of a modern and united India and has rightly been termed as the ‘iron man of India.’
However, what is largely ignored are his views on the armed forces and correct assessment of China as a perpetual adversary. While he never termed China as an enemy state, he warned Nehru, in an official communication on 07 Nov 1950, that China cannot be trusted. He was the first leader to highlight a possible combined threat from both, Pakistan and China, implying a two-front conflict. This has remained a reality since then, though largely ignored by most governments.
He had written in a letter to Nehru on 07 Nov 1950 mentioning, ‘even though we regard ourselves as friends of China, the Chinese do not regard us as their friends.’ Comparing Chinese actions in Tibet to Western imperialism, he added, ‘Chinese irredentism and communist imperialism are different from the expansionism or imperialism of the western powers. The former has a cloak of ideology which makes it ten times more dangerous.’
In his opinion a communist ideology would never be at peace with a democracy. Patel was also opposed to Nehru championing the entry of China into the UNSC, a warning which was ignored and which India regrets even to date as China remains a stumbling block to India’s entry into the UNSC.
Aware that a strong military was essential to deter China, Patel warned Nehru in writing that the government must consider, ‘An appraisement of strength of our forces and, if necessary, reconsideration of our retrenchment plans to the Army in the light of the new threat. A long-term consideration of our defence needs. My own feeling is that, unless we assure our supplies of arms, ammunition and armour, we should be making a defence position perpetually weak and we would not be able to stand up to the double threat of difficulties both from the west and north and north-east.’
Patel’s correct assessment was in contrast to Nehru’s ideological perception of ‘Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai.’ His concerns, raised in 1950 were proved true with the 1962 war. The Indian army was ill-prepared and ill-equipped to ensure security of the borders. The soldiers fought, in many cases, to the last man and last round until they were finally overrun. Had the national leadership adhered to Patel’s advice and suggestions, there may have a different scenario. In summary, Patel was a realist, while Nehru an idealist.
After the employment of the army in Operation Polo, which led to the amalgamation of Hyderabad into the Indian state, Patel advocated that the army is crucial for national security and unity of the nation. He openly criticized military resource limitations imposed by Nehru. There are contradictory reports on his opinion on article 370. Many believe that he was opposed to it but was compelled to accept it under pressure and to keep his working relations with Nehru continuing.
When Pakistan launched its attack on Kashmir, the Governor General, Lord Mountbatten suggested that PM Nehru visit Lahore to discuss the subject with Jinnah, hoping to end the conflict with dialogue. Patel refused to accept the advice. He mentioned, ‘For the Prime Minister to go crawling to Jinnah when we are on the stronger side and in the right would never be forgiven by the people of India.’
Patel was also against the ceasefire pushed by Nehru during the 1948 war against Pakistan on Kashmir. He believed and rightly so that the Indian army had the upper hand and show continue pushing till the complete state was liberated. He also disagreed with Nehru on internationalizing Kashmir by approaching the UN. In his opinion the UN was unlikely to take any effective action on it. In every case he was right.
Patel was the preferred choice of many in the Congress as also had the backing of Pradesh Congress Committees to become the PM. However, Gandhi, fearing Nehru may cause problems, if overlooked, advocated for him, compelling Patel to back down. Had that not happened, Kashmir would never have become an international issue, POK would never have been created, India would have been in the UNSC as also the Chinese would possibly not have been so adventurous in 1962. The right man was overlooked for an idealist and India continues to pay for this error. However, history can never be changed.
Sardar Patel was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1991, becoming the first recipient to receive it posthumously. The Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, completed in 2018, at a height of 182 meters, is a tribute to his role in unifying the nation. Ekta Diwas is a tribute to a thinker and practical leader who, had he been appointed PM, changed the course of history.