{"id":54442,"date":"2020-02-21T17:37:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T12:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogadmin.forumias.com\/?p=54442"},"modified":"2020-02-26T17:38:46","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T12:08:46","slug":"7-pm-putting-neighbors-first-21st-february-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/7-pm-putting-neighbors-first-21st-february-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"7 PM |Putting neighbors first| 21st February 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Context:\n<\/strong>India\u2019s\nNeighbourhood first policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>More\nin news:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda\nRajapaksa&nbsp;visited India in early Februaury. It was his first foreign trip\nsince his appointment as prime minister in late November 2019.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Neighbourhood\nfirst policy:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is part of India\u2019s foreign policy\nthat actively focuses on improving ties with India&#8217;s immediate neighbours. <\/li><li>The neighbourhood first policy of Modi\ngovernment actively focuses on improving ties with India&#8217;s immediate neighbours.\nIt is one of the major policy initiatives of the Modi government to bring back\nthe focus on its immediate neighbourhood in South Asia.&nbsp; <\/li><li>Modi invited all the SAARC leaders to\nhis swearing-in ceremony and on the subsequent day he held bilateral talk with\nall of them individually.&nbsp; <\/li><li>Also, PM Modi dedicated SAARC satellite\nto share the fruits of the technology like tele-medicine, e-learning etc. with\nthe people across South Asia to complement the currently operating Indian\nTechnical and Economic Cooperation Programme in the region.<\/li><li>In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s\nfirst visit abroad in his second term to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, certifies\nthe traditional diplomatic emphasis on \u201cNeighbourhood first&#8221;<\/li><li>The Neighbourhood First Policy achieves\nvarious goals through a holistic approach to regional foreign policy: <\/li><li><strong>Connectivity:<\/strong>&nbsp;India\nentering into MoU with members of the South Asian Association for Regional\nCooperation (SAARC), these agreements ensures a&nbsp;free flow of resources,\nenergy, goods, labour, and information across borders.<\/li><li><strong>Resource support,<\/strong>&nbsp;financial\naid, equipment, human resource training and diplomatic alliances. For example,\nIndia provided immense assistance, to its neighbour Nepal in the aftermath of\nthe 2016 earthquake.<\/li><li><strong>Regional Institutions:<\/strong>&nbsp;India\nhas participated and invested in SAARC as a vehicle for development in the\nregion. One such example is the&nbsp;Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN)\ngrouping for energy development i.e. motor vehicles, waterpower management and\ninter-grid connectivity.<\/li><li>India\u2019s neighbourhood policy is\npredicated on his \u201csabka saath, sabka vikas\u201d vision for inclusive growth,\ndevelopment and prosperity.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Current\ncourse of India\u2019s Foreign Policy vis a vis neighbourhood:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>After SAARC becoming defunct (due to\nPakistan&#8217;s misadventure) PM Modi turned to the BIMSTEC, India invited BIMSTEC\nleaders in the swearing ceremony of PM Modi\u2019s second term.<\/li><li>Earlier BIMSTEC leaders were invited to\njoin the BRICS summit at Goa during 2016.<\/li><li>Apart from focusing mainly on the\nland-borne neighbourhood, Indian foreign policy has to shift its focus towards\nthe maritime neighbourhood. Though some positive steps in this direction have\ntaken: For example:<\/li><li>PM\nModi first foreign visit in his second term is headed towards Maldives and Sri\nLanka.<\/li><li>Emphasis\non SAGAR (<strong>Security\nand Growth for All in the Region<\/strong>) narrative, an Indian Ocean\nstrategy&nbsp;outlined in 2015 when Indian PM travelled to Seychelles,\nMauritius and Sri Lanka.<\/li><li>But\nIndia needs to engage with its maritime neighbourhood more enthusiastically as\nstrategically important countries like Myanmar, Thailand, or Indonesia with\nwhom India shared land and\/or maritime boundaries were neglected in PM Modi\nfirst term.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>India\u2019s\nNeighbourhood:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sri\nLanka:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>India and Sri Lanka share a 2500 years\nold relationship, built upon a&nbsp;foundation of intellectual, cultural,\nreligious and linguistic interaction.<\/li><li>Several infrastructure projects, direct\nflights between Chennai and Jaffna, resumption of ferry services, India\u2019s new\nlines of credit and construction of houses for the internally displaced,\nhomeless and landless people, are indicative of a new warmth in relations.<\/li><li><strong>Areas\nof Concern: <\/strong><\/li><li>In\nSri Lanka,&nbsp;China holds strategic real estates, which could also be\nfortified militarily in the future. &nbsp;Sri\nLanka handed over the&nbsp;strategic port of Hambantota to China, which is\nexpected to play a key role in China\u2019s BRI.<\/li><li>Another&nbsp;thorny\nissue we have with Sri Lanka is the frequent arrest of Indian fishermen by Sri\nLanka. Joint Working Group on Fisheries is discussing the issue. In the mean\ntime, India has been encouraging fishermen to take to deep sea fishing so that\nthey don\u2019t need to fish in Sri Lankan waters. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Maldives:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The strategic location of Maldives on\nIndian Ocean sea lanes makes this country important to us.<\/li><li>The Diplomatic relations with Maldives\nwere established in 1972.<\/li><li>During Modi\u2019s visit in June 2019, the\ninauguration of two projects worth Rs 180 crore \u2014 the Coastal Surveillance\nRadar System and the Composite Training Center of the Maldivian National\nDefence Forces \u2014 has deep significance for the success of India\u2019s neighbourhood\npolicy.&nbsp;<\/li><li>India\u2019s offer of lines of credit worth\nabout $800 million and other capacity-building projects for water supply and\nsewerage are strong planks in our economic ties.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Areas\nof Concern:<\/strong><\/li><li>Maldives\nand India do not have a Free Trade Agreement. However&nbsp;Maldives and China\nentered into Free Trade Agreement.<\/li><li>There\nare reports on activities of religious extremists in the island. This is of\nconcern to India and the Indian government has flagged this to the attention of\nthe Govt of Maldives.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nepal:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Diplomatic relations between India and\nNepal, established on 1947, encourages&nbsp;democracy, pluralism, stability and\nsocioeconomic progress of both the nation<\/li><li>Modi\u2019s initial outreach to Nepal in 2014\nmanaged to strike the right chord, and captured the imagination of people and\npolicymakers in Nepal.<\/li><li>In September last year, India and Nepal\njointly inaugurated South Asia\u2019s first cross-border petroleum products pipeline\nfrom Motihari in India to Amlekhgunj in Nepal.<\/li><li>India is also prioritising the\nrebuilding of houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts, with \u201cBuild Back Better\u201d\nas the guiding principle in keeping with Modi\u2019s clarion call for a Coalition\nfor Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).<\/li><li><strong>Areas\nof Concern:<\/strong><\/li><li>India\nhas an open border with Nepal. It facilitates free movement of people but also\nof terrorists and smugglers who bring in fake Indian currency.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The\nunsettled domestic political situation in Nepal is a matter of concern to us as\nit has a fallout effect on the bordering states, because of the close\nconnection between people living on either side of the border. There is an\nurgent need for Nepal to address the political unrest in the terai region,\nwhere Madhesis have been voicing their concerns, many of which are\ngenuine.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Kathmandu\nhas already signed on to the BRI&nbsp;, which is likely to cement China\u2019s\ncommunication links with Nepal.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bangladesh:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Bangladesh continues to be bright spot\nfor India\u2019s neighborhood, policy despite attempts by pro-Pakistan radical\ngroups to derail the flourishing bilateral relationship.<\/li><li>Bangladesh has emerged as a&nbsp;key\ngateway for India\u2019s sub-regional initiatives, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for\nMulti-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the\nBangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) initiative.<\/li><li>India\u2019s relations with Bangladesh under\nModi and Sheikh Hasina have evolved into a model partnership, consolidated by\nhigh-level exchanges, mutual trust and enhanced cooperation on security\nmatters.<\/li><li>In July 2014, New Delhi and Dhaka\naccepted the judgment of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea\nand&nbsp;settled a long-standing maritime order dispute.&nbsp;<\/li><li>2015 Land Boundary Agreement,\narrangements for sharing of Teesta waters, ongoing work of hydro-electric\nprojects, revival of inland waterways etc are some of the strengths of\nIndia-Bangladesh relations.<\/li><li><strong>Areas\nof Concern:<\/strong><\/li><li>An\nimmediate challenge for India is increasing efforts by China to rope in\nBangladesh into its scheme of things on BRI initiative.<\/li><li>Rohingya\nissue and the illegal migrants issue across borders is another cause of concern\nbetween two nations.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bhutan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>India \u2013 Bhutan relations are based on\nmutual trust, confidence and respect for each other\u2019s national interests. The\nimportance of this Himalayan Kingdom arises from its strategic location between\nIndia and China.<\/li><li>Hydro power is the most important area of\neconomic cooperation with Bhutan. Three India assisted Projects \u2013 Chukha,\nKurichu and Tala &#8211; with a total generating capacity of 1416 MW are presently\noperational.<\/li><li>The introduction of the RuPay card in\nBhutan and elsewhere in the neighbourhood will further cement economic and\npeople-to-people ties.<\/li><li><strong>Areas\nof Concern: <\/strong>Opposition to Bangladesh,&nbsp;Bhutan, Nepal and\nIndia (BBIN) motor vehicle agreement. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Way\nForward:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>South Asia has 1.8 billion people and a\ncombined GDP of nearly $3.47 trillion, with India\u2019s economy the largest by far.\nAs the largest country,&nbsp;India&nbsp;should be leading the South Asia\nproject:<\/li><li>Establishing\ncross-border transport and communication links.<\/li><li>Opening\nup its markets and its own transport infrastructure to its neighbours.<\/li><li>Becoming\nthe preferred source of capital and technology for their development.<\/li><li>India\u2019s focus on BIMSTEC and its Act\nEast Policy has served to highlight India\u2019s key role in promoting cooperative\ngrowth and development in several parts of South Asia. <\/li><li>In a world increasingly characterised by\na \u201cmy country first\u201d approach, India has endeavoured to harness the impulse for\nregional cooperation in a spirit of generosity, without insisting on\nreciprocity, to realise Modi\u2019s motto of Security and Growth for All in the\nRegion (SAGAR). <\/li><li>India\u2019s security preoccupations are\nlikely to be addressed with greater seriousness if it encourages its neighbours\nto build a stake in India\u2019s own prosperity and capabilities. India\u2019s immediate\nneighbourhood directly impacts it geopolitically, geo-strategically and\ngeo-economically because of its vicinity.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:\n<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/inda-sri-lanka-narendra-modi-mahinda-rajapaksa-neighbourhood-first-6278515\/\">https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/inda-sri-lanka-narendra-modi-mahinda-rajapaksa-neighbourhood-first-6278515\/<\/a><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Context: India\u2019s Neighbourhood first policy. More in news: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa&nbsp;visited India in early Februaury. It was his first foreign trip since his appointment as prime minister in late November 2019. Neighbourhood first policy: It is part of India\u2019s foreign policy that actively focuses on improving ties with India&#8217;s immediate neighbours. The&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/7-pm-putting-neighbors-first-21st-february-2020\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">7 PM |Putting neighbors first| 21st February 2020<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,955],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","category-7-pm-brief-infograph","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704787756},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54442\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}