INDIA'S NEIGHBOURHOOD RELATION :Past,Present and Future (Part-1)

The centrality of neighbours in India’s foreign policy stems from the clear understanding that a peaceful periphery is essential for India to achieve her multifarious developmental goals. However, India’s neighbourhood presents complex dynamics, with many countries suffering from high #inflation, #economic instability and popular #unrest. Regional cooperation becomes critical as geographic imperative binds neighbours i.e., any challenges faced by people beyond the border has huge potential to spill inside the border. India’s 'Neighbourhood First' Policy underlines the renewed primacy that the country seeks to attach to its neighbouring countries and achieve the goal of lasting #peace, #stability and #prosperity in the region.

{Past Time}

Q:-Who are India’s neighbours and what is India’s neighbourhood policy?

Although there isn’t a single, universally accepted official definition of India’s neighbourhood, the concept of neighbourhood is often a matter of geopolitical interpretation and can vary based on historical, political, economic, and security considerations. Largely the term neighbourhood includes:

• Immediate neighbours or countries in the South Asian Region with which India shares its geographical land/maritime boundaries. These include countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. >>With these countries, India enjoys civilizational relations characterized by shared history, culture and people-to-people contacts. >>These immediate neighbours have been India’s “first circle of priority” since Independence provided they remain sensitive to India’s core security concerns.
• Extended neighbours or countries geographically located further away from India (such as in the Indian Ocean Region, South-east Asia region or West Asian region) but still have significant political, economic, cultural and strategic interactions with India.
• The policy of Neighbourhood First has been an integral component of Indian foreign policy since 1947. It aims to foster stronger ties, enhance regional cooperation, and address mutual concerns with immediate neighbouring countries
• The Policy is driven by India’s consultative, non reciprocal and development-oriented approach.

Extended neighbourhood: A gateway to India’s global leadership

Q:-How has India’s Neighbourhood policy evolved?

India has always strived for huge level of humility when it comes to dealing with neighbours. Based on preferences and perceptions towards the South Asian region, the strategies and priorities with regard to neighbouring region has evolved over time. This evolution can be summarised as follows:

1)Colonial phase: Anti-colonialism, anti-imperialism, anti-racism, (Asian Relation Conference of 1948) cemented India’s relations with its neighbours

2)1950s and 1960s (India was driven by Idealism and Focussed on immediate neighbours in order to pursue only India’s security interests

?India chose to deal with its neighbourhood by engaging in bilateral talks and treaties and not in a regional framework.

• Treaty of Friendship was signed with Bhutan (1949) and Nepal (1950).
• Panchsheel Agreement(1954) was signed between India and China.

3)1960s - 1990s (Phase of Regional Assertion and Establishing sub-continental hegemony)

?Foreign policy was based on the ‘Monroe Doctrine’ to position India in its South Asian neighbourhood and not accepting foreign interference in the region.

• Sikkim was included (later merged with India in 1975) under Indian territory.
• Liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971 and signing of Shimla agreement between India and Pakistan in 1972.
• India’s militarily involvement in Sri Lanka in 1987.
• SAARC was established in 1985 to cement the cooperation from neighbours.

4)1990s - 2000s (Being a Responsible Big Brother):-Instead of viewing the security dilemma in South Asia as conflictual in nature, efforts were made to create a social structure in which states trust one another to resolve disputes without war.

• Gujral Doctrine was introduced under which India made an attempt to assure the region of its support through the policy of providing unilateral concession.
• Post-1990s economic reforms, India took initiatives for economic integration of the region.

5)2008 onwards: The Chinese influence in India’s periphery started growing. Therefore, India pursued the ‘Gujral doctrine’ more vigorously.

‘Neighbourhood First Policy (NFP) was conceived in 2008 wherein the principles of engagement under NFP has been outlined in the form of 5Ss:

1.Samman (respect), 2.Samvad (dialogue), 3.Shanti (peace), 4.Samriddhi (prosperity) and 5.Sanskriti (culture).

6)2014 onwards: Revamping NFP to strengthen ties through economic cooperation, development assistance, and addressing shared challenges.

• The NFP received a boost from all neighbours except Pakistan. India's cooperation hinges on Pakistan's creation of a peaceful environment without terror, hostility, and violence.
• Greater emphasis on regional and sub-regional initiatives, through SAARC and BIMSTEC.

Mandala theory: Looking back at the neighbourhood policy in ancient India

• The Mandala theory of statecraft was proposed by Kautilya (Chanakya) in 3rd century BC.
• The theory is guided by the philosophy that "Your neighbour is your natural enemy and the neighbour’s neighbour is your friend."
• The Mandala theory is based on the principle of the balance of power and depicted through concentric circles.

>>In this circle, an immediate neighbour state is most likely to be an enemy (real or potential), and a state next to the immediate neighbour is likely to be one's friend, and so on.

• The litmus test for any state in the centre of the concentric circles is to maintain the balance of power between other nations in the region to safeguard its sovereignty.
• In a system of Mandala, Kautilya advocated a six-fold policy to interact with neighbors: co-existence, neutrality, alliance, double policy, march, and war. >>To achieve this, he advised the king to use following tactics: conciliation, gifts, bribery, dissent, deceit, pretense, and open attack or war.
• On the question of treaties and alliances, he suggests, "a king should not hesitate to break any friendship or alliances that later prove to be disadvantageous.