“Neighbourhood first”policy needs big push”
By Ashok B Sharma
Year 2014 was assuring for India’s foreign policy. There was a number of incoming and outgoing visits by the heads of the government and heads of the state. India’s interaction with powers like US, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, South Korea took place in this year. There was a gap in the activity at the top level in April and most of May due to the election process in the country. With the change of the government in May 26 after the polls, some expected a definite change in the country’s foreign policy owing to ideological reasons. But belying their hopes this did not occur as it logically should. What happened was not a shift in the country’s foreign policy, but in the emphasis in certain areas.
The new emphasis in the country’s foreign policy is ‘Neighbourhood First’ Another emphasis is to engage with major political and economic powers for inviting investments. Prime Minister Modi has even personally reached out to Indians settled abroad, particularly during his visits to US and Australia and urged them to be partners in the ‘Make in India’ programme.
The exchange of visits between the prime ministers of Australia and India, between prime ministers of Japan and India in a calendar shows the assuring nature of relationships. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to US is being reciprocated by US President Barack Obama’s visit to India on January 26, 2015. Following South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s visit to India in January, this year, India’s External Affairs Minister planned a visit to that country by the end of year 2014.
The most striking example to show that there is no shift in the country’s foreign policy was India’s position on Israel’s attack on Gaza strip. The minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj assured in the Parliament that there was no change in India’s policy towards Israel and Palestine. India condemned the inhuman attack on civilian population in Gaza and called for restrain on both sides and restoration of peace and start of the dialogue process.
The noticeable change in the emphasis in the foreign policy was marked from day one of the new government on May 26 when Narendra Modi took his oath as the Prime Minister of the country. The leaders of all the SAARC countries were invited at the swearing in ceremony and on the next day, Prime Minister Modi, thereafter, had bilateral engagements with all the SAARC leaders including the Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament who represented the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The message the Prime Minister Modi gave was that India intends to make South Asian countries as partners in its economic development and present the region as a united bloc in the global fora.
But Modi’s ambition hit the roadblock when the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan at Islamabad was called off as the Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit went ahead to talk with the separatist Hurriyat leaders of Kashmir. India maintained that Kashmir issue can be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan without involvement of any third party. This had its impact on the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu. Pakistan refused to give its consent to the signing of three agreements – cooperation in power sector, motor vehicle agreement and regional railways agreement. Finally with the intervention of the Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala the agreement on cooperation in power sector was signed after the SAARC leaders met at the retreat. At the retreat Prime Minister Modi shook hands with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and exchanged pleasantries.
India had long being pleading with Pakistan to take action against terrorists operating on its soil and booking those involved in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. After the recent gunning down of innocent children at an Army school in Peshawar, Pakistan has decided to take firm against the terrorists. Many analysts believe that this may be a turning point in Pakistan’s policy with its declared intention to be firm on terrorists.
India has border dispute with it’s another immediate neighbor, China. But the political differences between India and China has not held the economic cooperation to hostage. Such should be the relations between India and Pakistan. Apart from allowing smooth entry of India goods, Pakistan should also give access to Indian goods to enter Afghanistan by land route. During the visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping as many as agreements were signed, many of which are of economic and cultural cooperation. China assured $ 20 billion investment in India.
Prime Minister Modi has also cherished the idea of integrating South Asia with South East Asia. He has already sounded that if Pakistan is not willing to join the process, he will move forward with others – obviously suggesting the integration of the sub-regional group, BIMSTEC with ASEAN, which is moving towards an ASEAN Community by 2015. Modi has planned to engage with Buddha diplomacy with south and south-east Asian countries to strengthen the bonds of integration. He has garnered support for Nalanda University in East Asia Summit. Giving momentum to his plans, he declared ‘Act East Policy’ and extended it to Pacific Islands by raising India-Pacific Islands’ Forum dialogue to Summit level. India is ready to join the Regional Economic Cooperation Partnership (RECP) agreement in the region that includes 10 ASEAN countries, Australia, New Zealand and east Asian countries. Australia has agreed to supply uranium to India’s nuclear power plants.
Modi has expressed India’s eagerness to join the proposed Eurasian Union during recent visit of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. During Putin’s visit number of agreements were signed, including cooperation on military training, nuclear power, joint exploration of hydrocarbons and joint study on India-Russia hydrocarbon pipeline.
At BRICS Summit in Fortaleza the agreement to set up a development bank under the first chairmanship of India was an achievement. During his Brazilian visit Prime Minister Modi had the opportunity to meet leaders of Latin American countries At G 20 Summit in Brisbane, India’s suggestions for dealing with base erosion and profit shifting by multinational companies, automatic exchange of tax information to curb the menace of black money was taken on board.
Prime Minister has to give more concrete shape to his ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy in 2015. So far the initiative has been good, but much remains to be done to have a vibrant peaceful neighbourhood. (IPA Service)