India and its neighbourhood relations: Winning back some neighbours

News: India started working on strategies to normalize its relations with neighbouring countries. Now, India has been reclaiming some of the ground, it had lost to China.

What is the major shift from the earlier policies?

1) The government made sincere efforts to win not only the neighbouring governments but also their people, 2) The government ignored unjustified advice from television anchors.

How did India start building its relationship with neighbouring countries?

Nepal: 2015 was the worst year for India- Nepal relations as issues related to the Nepalese constitution, economic blockade strained their relations. China, although initially, got some benefit from it, but its policies of dominance also bring some tensions between China- Nepal relation.

How India is winning back Nepal’s confidence? India- Nepal started working out to build their relations. To ensure no tensions arise over Kalapani, Nepal is considering a methodology of conducting its 12th national census in that region without a trespass of territory. Recently, Baba Ramdev, inaugurated the Patanjali TV station, dedicated to yoga in Nepal.

How India is winning back Sri Lanka’s confidence? Sri Lanka turned to India for help and not China when its foreign exchanges ran low. For the first time in history, the Indian Army has signed an agreement to become a sister battalion of a unit in the Sri Lankan Army’s Gajaba Regiment, which is also the president’s regiment. Also, the project to build West Container Terminal goes to the Adani group

The Chief Guest at the inauguration of Kushinagar airport was Namal Rajapaksa, who was MP and son of the Sri Lankan prime minister.

Source: This post is based on the article “Winning back some neighbours” published in Business Standard on 10th December 2021.