Title: Make The Neighbourhood First Again
(India is sliding towards a situation where it is
neither feared nor loved by other South Asian countries)
Almost four years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi
began his term with a “Neighbourhood First” moment, by inviting leaders of all
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to his
swearing-in ceremony, India’s neighbourhood policy is clearly adrift. New
Delhi’s connect with its South Asian neighbours is weaker than it has been for
a very long time.
A perfect storm?
ü In
the Maldives, President Yameen Abdul Gayoom has gone out of his way to
challenge the Modi government, whether it is on his crackdown on the
opposition, invitations to China, or even breaking with New Delhi’s effort to
isolate Pakistan at SAARC.
ü In
Nepal, the K.P. Sharma Oli government is certainly not India’s first choice,
and Kathmandu’s invitation to the Pakistani Prime Minister this week confirms
the chill.
ü And
no matter which party is in power in Pakistan, it is difficult to see Delhi
pushing for official dialogue, especially with the military on the ascendant
once again.
ü In
other parts of the neighbourhood, where relations have been comparatively
better for the past few years, upcoming elections could turn the tables on
India.
ü The
next problem is the impact of China’s unprecedented forays into each of these
countries.
ü In
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Pakistan, China holds strategic real
estate, which could also be fortified militarily in the future. At present, it
means China has a stake in the internal politics of those countries.
ü Beijing
is now taking on a role New Delhi should have been in a better position to
play, and by refusing to play it Delhi is being shown up as unfeeling, partisan
or, worse, ineffective in the bargain.
ü Mr.
Modi’s decision to abruptly cancel his visit to Male in 2015 did not yield the
required changes in the government’s treatment of the opposition, and New
Delhi’s dire warnings about Mr. Yameen’s emergency in the past month have led
to the Maldives cancelling its participation in the Indian Navy’s “Milan”
exercises.
ü While
many of these factors are hard to reverse, the fundamental facts of geography
and shared cultures in South Asia are also undeniable, and India must focus its
efforts to return to a more comfortable peace, and to “Making the Neighbourhood
First Again”.
ü Next,
instead of opposing every project by China in the region, the government must
attempt a three-pronged approach.
ü First,
where possible, India should collaborate with China in the manner it has over
the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic corridor.
ü Second,
when it feels a project is a threat to its interests, India should make a
counter-offer to the project, if necessary in collaboration with its
Quadrilateral partners, Japan, the U.S. and Australia.
ü Third,
India should coexist with projects that do not necessitate intervention, while
formulating a set of South Asian principles for sustainable development
assistance that can be used across the region.
Learning from ASEAN
ü Leaders
of SAARC countries meet more often informally, that they interfere less in the
internal workings of each other’s governments, and that there be more
interaction at every level of government.
Vocabulary:
- Swearing (noun) = Oath (शपथ - ग्रहण)
- Adrift (adj) = Without purpose (भटकते हुए)
- Ascendant (adj) = Rising in power or influence (प्रबल)
- Portent (noun) = Warning, alert (चेतावनी)
- Pose (verb) = Present a problem
- Unprecedented (adj) = Never done or known before (अभूतपूर्व)
- Foray (noun) = Attack or assault (आक्रमण)
- Array (noun) = An ordered series or arrangement
- Mediate (verb) = Intervene in a dispute in order to
- bring about an agreement (मध्यस्थता करना)
- Unfeeling (adj) = Lacking physical sensation or sensitivity (उदासीन)
- Partisan (adj) = Biased (पक्षपातपूर्ण)
- Tactic (noun) = An action or strategy (कार्यनीति)
- Sway (noun) = Rule, control (बोलबाला)
- Infiltration (noun) = Illegal entry (घुसपैठ)
- Ire (noun) = Anger (क्रोध)
- Collaboration (noun) = Alliance, partnership (सहभागिता)
- Chill (noun) = An unpleasant feeling
