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Aga Khan III wrote an influential Review - 1905

Date: 
Sunday, 1905, January 1
Location: 

Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah, Aga Khan III wrote an influential Review which was published in the September issue of the journal 'The Nineteenth Century and After' in London.
In this article Mowlana Sultan Mohamed Shah talked about his reasons for his interest in the defence of India; the Russian threat; the boundaries between India and Russia and other interesting and important issues at hand such as the need for buffer States, The influence of Russia that could exploit the disaffection among the Indians who resent the British rule; the British should refrain from acquiring predominance in the neutral zones.

He said, '....To my mind the right policy is to insist that the territories constituting the neutral zone should remain inviolate, and free from aggression by any Power, and that they should be independent in fact and in name. The policy that I advocate is precisely the same as that pursued by the United States towards the South American Republics. If we consistently follow this policy, if the Conservative party will dissociate itself from the extreme, 'forward school' that wants to turn Afghanistan into a 'native State' and southern Persia into a 'Malay State,' if the Liberal party will sever its policy from the ultra-altruists who invite Russia to the doors of India - then the would-be invader of India would be, in the first place, have to subjugate portions of the neutral zone before advancing upon India, and their populations would naturally fight for their own freedom, and to that extent would be our allies and fight our battles. Then our assistance would be received with gratitude, and without any suspicion of our good faith.' ( Aziz; 224)

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