Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology

Akhand Bharatiya Empire, Imperial Capital Bengaluru, Embassy Street

In normal times, Embassy Street in the Imperial Capital is not quite popular and draws very little attention to itself. Being the street meant for all the embassies of different nations, the atmosphere in Embassy Street is very calm and, in fact, empty in order to cater to the necessities of the diplomats staying there.

The international nature of Embassy Street is further highlighted by its diverse architectural styles, representing various European kingdoms and empires. Similar to embassies in the future, the land and the buildings on it are permanently owned by the leaders of foreign nations, granting diplomats full authority to manage the land and structures as they see fit. This arrangement surprisingly led to intense competition among European nations, especially since their embassies were located in close proximity, resulting in rivalries in the field of architecture.

Due to the news of the naval net operation of the Bharatiya Empire being spread so abruptly, Embassy Street, which was always serene and calm, unsurprisingly became quite chaotic, with diplomats from different nations going around from one embassy building to another as they tried their best to determine what a certain country's reaction would be and to ascertain more data in order to make a solid judgment of what their own move would be.

Most diplomats had an urgent expression on their faces. They all knew that they had to make the decision immediately since they could not wait until a response was given by the Noble Lords, especially considering that the Bharatiya Empire was most likely going to use swift attack tactics to completely obliterate any opposition at the fastest speed possible, leaving not enough time to put up defences or even respond in kind.

The news about the upcoming war through various channels eventually even reached Mauritius, and the Dutch representative stationed in Mauritius was immediately furious and then panicked.

He immediately called for a meeting with all the European representatives present in Mauritius. At the same time, he even relayed the message back to the Dutch East India Company in Indonesia.

---

The Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, was not idle in the meantime either; he personally set off to negotiate with European diplomats.

"Minister Jaishankar, welcome, please come in."

Jaishankar's first visit was to Simeon Brezhnev, the diplomat of the Czarist Russian Empire. As soon as Jaishankar's arrival was mentioned to Simeon, he personally came to the door to welcome him.

"Thank you for your hospitality, kind sir."

Jaishankar smiled as he put on a humble posture. "I would love to talk with you at length, but unfortunately, I am currently pressed for time. So, Your Excellency, I'm sorry if my words are offensive, but let me ask you this: Is the Czarist Russian Empire considering joining the upcoming battle?" His expression was calm as if the answer given by Simeon Brezhnev wouldn't change anything, but in his heart, Jaishankar was filled with anticipation. Because if the Russian Empire joined the battle, even if it was only with a single battleship, it would immensely dissuade other neutral European countries from joining the alliance against the Bharatiya Empire.

No one would want to provoke the polar bear without good reason, especially since the bounty gained from such provocation was not even substantial.

Simeon Brezhnev was impressed by the calmness shown by S. Jaishankar. *"Talents come out of Bharat,"* he couldn't help but lament and envy. The talent pool of the Bharatiya Empire greatly impressed him, remembering the number of extraordinary people he had met during his entire term as a diplomat in the Bharatiya Empire, he had already lost count.

Brezhnev shook his head. "I am extremely sorry, Mr. Minister. The Russian Empire will not participate in this battle."

No matter how much he tried to hide it, Jaishankar ultimately couldn't hide the disappointment that showed on his face.

"Can I know why?" he asked, curious.

Brezhnev shrugged. "The reason is not too complicated, really. Even though the Russian Empire could bear the pressure brought about by supporting your empire, the price is simply not worth it."

Your journey continues on empire

"Most European countries are very sensitive to any military action taken by us, so the current peaceful status and reputation in Europe is hard-won. We can't just throw this away by supporting you," he said. "Moreover, our nation is continuously mobilizing its resources, ready to march into the Ottoman Empire at a moment's notice. Due to this, the Western European countries are already on edge. I do not want to jinx the matter and destroy the current favourable situation."

In fact, what he did not say was that he was also worried about the Bharatiya Empire fully gaining dominance over the Indian Ocean. Although the chances were very slim, what if the Bharatiya Army used its naval security to expand into Central Asia, a sphere of influence that had traditionally and always been under the Tsarist control?

Jaishankar nodded, his expression showing a mix of disappointment and acceptance. "Well, it is a pity, but we respect your decision." Jaishankar did a namaskar and left.

The next diplomat Jaishankar met was the Venetian diplomat Leonardo Bellini. His response was not too different from what Brezhnev had mentioned, but at least he got a guarantee that the Venetian Republic would not join the Anti-Bharat Alliance.

"Sorry, Your Excellency the Minister, but my empire cannot support ideologically or militarily in this battle," Pedro Santos expressed his rejection with an apologetic smile on his face.

Jaishankar had expected this and nodded his head. "That is indeed very disappointing, but how about this: the Portuguese Navy does not have to support our navy, but you guarantee that the Portuguese will not join the Anti-Bharat Alliance headed by the Dutch?"

Pedro Santos stroked his chin. "It is difficult to tell since if your naval net plan succeeds as published in the newspaper, then all the naval trade routes from Europe to Asia except for the Pacific route would be controlled by the Bharatiya Empire. That's not exactly very advantageous to us now, is it?"

His eyes immediately became sharp. "Not to mention, we still have control over Timor Island. How would Your Excellency expect the Portuguese Empire not to resist?"

Jaishankar, feeling the menacing gaze, was not threatened. Instead, he felt very happy. Since the Portuguese ambassador himself was bringing up the subject, it meant there was room for negotiation, and with the cards possessed by Jaishankar, he was very confident about his victory.

"Mr. Pedro, the Bharatiya Empire is willing to buy the Timor colony under your colonial rule. And unlike our trade with the Spanish Empire, the price with the Portuguese Empire could be discussed in a more sincere manner."

Pedro Santos was taken aback as his eyebrows were raised in surprise. "What makes Your Excellency think that we are willing to sell it?" he asked with a stern expression.

"It's purely logical, really. The colony of Timor, except for bringing a lot of burden due to the large voyage time and only a little profit, has no other use for the Portuguese. Before, you had a strategic advantage over other European colonies in the Southeast, but since the colony of the Philippines has become independent, this advantage no longer exists."

Pedro Santos immediately became silent, as what Jaishankar said was indeed true. The current colony of Timor, except for providing steady profits brought about by trade, held no other significance. "Be that as it may, but Timor and its surroundings are a very big market for our Portuguese Empire," as a final struggle, Pedro Santos retorted.

Jaishankar was prepared. "If the market is the only problem, then the Bharatiya Empire is willing to let the products from Portugal enter freely into all the Southeast Asian economies the Bharatiya Empire has influence over, including but not limited to the Philippines."

Pedro Santos was taken aback, and his eyes brightened. But Jaishankar was not done yet; he was about to play his final card.

"Mr. Pedro, we know that the Portuguese Empire holds a lot of interests in the Americas, and you are currently in constant conflict with the French, the Dutch, and the English. How about we ship all the machinery and raw materials necessary to make your colonies productive in South America directly to your doorstep?"

"We are currently in the process of exploration and building trade channels from the Philippines to America. We have reached a trade deal with the Spanish on this issue. If the Portuguese Empire is willing to support us in this war and is willing to sell the Timor Islands, then the Portuguese can enjoy the same benefits."

Pedro Santos' heart was moved. He looked toward Jaishankar with a complicated expression. "I have no right to decide on the matter of the Timor Islands, but at least until I receive a reply from His Majesty, the Portuguese will not ally against the Bharatiya Empire."

Jaishankar was overjoyed. Not only had he convinced the Portuguese to not be an enemy, but he had also successfully put forward the Bharatiya Empire's intention to buy the Timor Islands.

Jaishankar left the embassy of the Portuguese Empire with a happy expression. His next stop was the embassy of the Spanish, and surprisingly, the Spanish ambassador, Pedro Santiago, readily declared that he would not ally with the Bharatiya Empire, nor would he ally against it. Jaishankar would have loved for the Spanish Empire to participate directly in the battle as an ally; however, he was very content with how things had gone so far.

The first part of his diplomatic mission, which was to convince friendly nations not to participate in the war against the Bharatiya Empire, had been successfully completed. Although the second part—recruiting nations to ally with the Bharatiya Empire—was not fulfilled, no damage had been done. However, he would have to work harder to convince the neutral nations to ally with the Bharatiya Empire. The best-case scenario would be to convince them to ally with the Bharatiya empire, while the acceptable scenario would be to keep them neutral.

P.S. Thank you its_a_joke for the IcecolaNôv(el)B\\jnn