Neighbourhood first policy

Map of the India's immediate neighbourhood

The most significant initiative made by India's Narendra Modi regime is the focus on neighbouring countries and major Asian powers coupled with an emphasis on the two decades old Look East policy. Asia being the major focus area of his foreign policy, Modi and his Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj chose several Asian countries for their initial bilateral visits. He has made state visits to Bhutan and Nepal within the first one-hundred days of his government. Swaraj, too, would keep Thimpu, Bhutan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Kathmandu, Nepal among top of her travel itineraries as foreign minister.

Background

Even before being elected Prime Minister, Narendra Modi hinted that his foreign policy will actively focus on improving ties with India's immediate neighbours, a policy that has since been termed the neighbourhood first policy by the media[1][2] and he started well by inviting all heads of state/heads of government of South Asian countries in his inauguration and on the second day on office he held bilateral talks with all of them individually which was dubbed as a mini SAARC summit by the media.[3] Later during a launch event at ISRO he has asked Indian scientists to take the endeavour to develop a dedicated SAARC satellite[4] to share the fruits of the technology like tele-medicine, e-learning etc. with the people across South Asia to complement the currently operating Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme program in the region.

Strong SAARC

Modi is a strong believer in SAARC and hopeful of its potential in strengthening regional cooperation and developmental activities. SAARC which have so far failed to serve its purpose compared to ASEAN and other regional groupings, and even the bloc has failed to hold summits at regular interval. Now the Indian policy makers started focusing again on its role in building and nourishing institution like SAARC to strengthen regional cooperation.[5][6]

In September 2014 even in New York City at the sidelines of United Nations general assembly pursuing his neighbourhood policy Modi met Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina which was their first meeting besides meeting Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Narendra Modi's push for strong relations with neighbours". The Economic Times. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "India, Modi and the neighbourhood". Gateway House. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "The mini SAARC summit". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 1 June 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "SAARC Satellite to Strengthen Relations with Neighbours". Center for Land and Warfare Studies. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Nepal Enthralled by Visit of India's Prime Minister, Who Hits 'the Right Notes'". The New York Times. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "Nepal think-tank foresees 'average' SAARC summit". bdnews24.com. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Narendra Modi emphasises on "neighbourhood first' policy, talks about 'strong SAARC' with Rajapakse, Hasina and Koirala". Daily News and Analysis. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
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