Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in the Indian Press, 1964–1970

Abstract

This article considers the ways in which three important Indian newspapers reported on Rhodesia during the early years of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) crisis (1965–1970). It investigates how Indian commentators viewed the actions of not only the Rhodesian state, but also key international actors such as Britain, the Commonwealth and the Organisation of African Unity. It offers the chance to see how an important state of the Global South viewed UDI. It argues that, despite India’s limited involvement in events there, Rhodesia was of considerable interest to Indian journalists, and that they formed strong views about how the situation could be resolved.