Relation of India with neighboring countries

TCS/TPS Mains; PAPER III: Section D (i)

   Relation of India with neighboring countries

India's neighbour had been a part of a homogenous culture prevailing in the Indian subcontinent for last five thousand years. India, along with its neighbours as have been organized in SAARC. However, in spite of the close proximity in culture, region, aspirations and values India's relationship with its neighbours have been far from satisfactory.

India's neighbours include Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Maldives, which are bounded by SAARC barring Myanmar. India defines its extended neighborhood as China, Mongolia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Mauritius, Iran, Gulf countries and so on. It is a member of various groups having regular interactions with its neighbours as in BIMSTEC(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), Mekong Ganga Cooperation, East Asia Summit, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, IOR(Indian Ocean Region) and so on.

Apart from the economy and trade cooperation, India also aspires to have warm relation with its neighbours and extended neighbours in the field of education, health, fighting terrorism, disaster management, employment for its citizens, curbing organized crimes, technology development and so on. Though, India has not had massive success vis-a-vis the cooperation with its neighbours, but still it is gradually coping up the pace to enahnce affinities with its neighbours with increasing engagement and proactiveness. India has picked up the pace to reflect the maxim - "The closer geographically, economically and culturally relations you have, the greater is the need for closer interaction and reconfiguration of foreign policy and strategic interests.

Regional leadership

Owing to its huge population, massive and fast emerging economies, enormous military strength and relatively better position to influence other states on international forum, India has naturally emerged as an inherent leader in South Asia. 

India has been giving massive aid to Bhutan and has been acting as a guardian for this small Himalayan neighbour. It has also been giving training to the police and bureaucrats of Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives. From time to time, India has shown exemplary leadership in helping its neighbour come out of the crisis situation as evident in the form of liberation of Bangladesh from the autocracy of Pakistan, saving Maldives from LTTE attack, helping its neighbours in natural disasters and so on.

However, the biggest impediment in the regional leadership of India has been Pakistan. It has not only watered down India's ambition of showing leadership in its own backyard but has also posed as a challenge to India's assertions on various matters. SAARC has failed miserably due to Pakistan's regular objection and obstruction in India's genuine leadership. Moreover, China too has countered India's leadership effort by luring smaller countries with its heavy economic muscle. In the form of 'String of Pearls', 'One Belt One Road', 'Maritime Silk Road', 'China Pakistan Economic Corridor' etc. China has hugely diluted India's aspirations of regional leaderships

South Asian Countries

Barring few incidents, India has had very cordial and warm relation with all its South Asian neighbours except Pakistan. 

India enjoys the warmest relation with Bhutan, who it supports financially, militarily and strategically. Inturn Bhutan always tries to act as its protectorate and has helped India drive out its insurgents in the North East.

India shares close proximity with Nepal in terms of culture and relationship. So much so that, there are no visa requirements for these two countries.  India supports Nepal financially and strategically. Both these countries have several hydroelectric projects cooperation, there are marriage alliances between the citizens of India and Nepal.
Bangladesh owes its very existence to India. Barring few instances, Bangladesh has had Pro-India government at the center. Bangladesh has helped India in passage to North East, curbing the menace of insurgency in the north-east and amicable sharing of river water. Both these countries have been thriving on trade relations, diplomacy and curbing of terrorism.

Sri Lanka was a part of British India and hence its proximity to India has been well known. India, however had to face jolts on some of the occasions because of LTTE. Trade cooperation, cultural and religion ties etc. Have been very cordial between these two countries.

India has always supported the peaceful and prosperous existence of Maldives. On innumerable occasion, India has bailed out Maldives from various crisis it had faced in the past. However, due to Islamic fundamentalism, China card and adverse government at the center India has been disappointed on many occasions. However, Maldives has huge stake in retaining the cordial relation with India.

Afghanistan was the frontier province of British India and had acted as the bulwark against Russian Empire. Therefore, its proximity and connection with India is well known. However, due to its internal skirmishes for the last three decades, India has constantly been helping Afghanistan cope up with the menace of terrorism and come on the path of development.

India has had persistently thorny relation with Pakistan since the time of independence, Kashmir issues. Sir Creek problem, Terrorism, Organized Crimes etc. Have been the prominent issues for the two countries to remain at loggerhead.

Super Powers

India has been balancing the Super Powers with great care and had been trying to reap the maximum benefit for its domestic development. India has mostly been close to the USSR in the past, which in turn has stood firmly to all its needs. US had never been in the good books of India till last two decades. However, owing to China factor, India is fast moving to have strategic partnership with US. With all the rest superpowers of yesteryears like UK and France, India has persistently warm relation in almost all fields. With the emergence of BRICS, India is carefully negotiating with world powers, projecting itself as the Super Power of the future.

Source : Internet materials