Mending Fences with Neighbours

Context: There is a need to explore innovative ways to mend our relationships with the neighbours and provide them with comfort to look beyond the sphere of Chinese influence. 

Deteriorating India’s Neighbourhood Relationship: Even though due to an accident of geography, India shares her border with all South Asian nations, the relationship is not much inspiring.

• Frayed spiritual link with Nepal: over a territorial dispute related to Kala Pani and other recent incidents For E.g. -
• Nepal border guards firing upon Indian residents.
• Nepal staying away from the multilateral BIMSTEC counterterrorism exercise
• Rejection of the Millenium Challenge Cooperation Grant that connects Nepal’s electricity transmission system with the Indian power grid.
• Democratically elected government finding appeal in the authoritarian regime of China.
• Stressed relations with Bangladesh: 
• The new citizenship law, NRC and NPR pose an existential risk to Bangladesh based Muslim population.
• The negative tone of Indian domestic politics about Bangladeshi Muslims has set off deep disquiet in Bangladesh.
• The foreign minister of Bangladesh cancelled his visit.
• China’s expansionism in the region is directly proportional to the deterioration of India’s relationship with its neighbours.
• India’s China diplomacy is caught in “Thucydides Trap”, which is a condition that war is likely if a new power feels threatened by the rise of another. 
• This has led to a situation where whichever nations sides with China, automatically becomes an enemy of India.

Way Forward

• Explore innovative long-term efficacious and durable initiatives: to mend fences in the neighbourhood.
• Provide them with the comfort to look beyond the sphere of Chinese influence.
• The entire thrust of soft power: can be used to generate and renew connections between the aspirational youth of all the countries.
• Speedy implementation of bilateral and multilateral projects and initiatives like BBIN-motor vehicles agreement, India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway.
• Take lessons from history to forge a more peaceful future: 
• Indira Gandhi stressed on a framework based on respect, equality and trust in which there is sympathy for each other’s difficulties.
• I K Gujral’s doctrine of extending unilateral concessions without expecting reciprocal treatment. 

Conclusion: The more stable and cordial, India’s relationship with its neighbours, the more sustained will be its progress. 

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