Debate: India’s neighbourhood policy: balancing national interest with regional stability?

India’s neighbourhood policy is a complex and dynamic undertaking, constantly navigating the intricate web of its national interests and the imperative of regional stability. Situated in a strategically vital and diverse region, India’s foreign policy towards its neighbours is shaped by historical legacies, economic aspirations, security concerns, and a growing desire for a leadership role. This debate hinges on the inherent tension between prioritizing immediate national gains and fostering a peaceful, prosperous, and stable regional environment, which ultimately serves long-term national interests.

Points to Remember:

• Define “neighbourhood policy” in the Indian context, identifying key neighbours.
• Distinguish between “national interest” and “regional stability.”
• Analyze how specific policy actions benefit national interests.
• Analyze how specific policy actions contribute to (or detract from) regional stability.
• Examine the historical evolution of India’s neighbourhood policy.
• Consider the role of economic, security, and cultural factors.
• Acknowledge the challenges and complexities of implementation.
• Discuss the concept of “non-reciprocity” and “mutual benefit.”
• Reference specific examples of India’s engagement with its neighbours.
• Consider the impact of external powers on India’s neighbourhood policy.
• Critically evaluate the success and failures of the policy in achieving balance.

Major Concepts Involved:

• National Interest: The preservation and promotion of a nation’s security, economic well-being, territorial integrity, and political sovereignty. This can include economic growth, access to resources, defense capabilities, and diplomatic influence.
• Regional Stability: A state of peace, security, and predictable cooperation within a geographical region, characterized by the absence of widespread conflict, political turmoil, and humanitarian crises.
• Neighbourhood Policy: A state’s strategic approach to managing its relationships with immediately adjacent countries, encompassing diplomatic, economic, security, and cultural engagement.
• Soft Power: The ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or payment, often through cultural appeal, political values, and foreign policies.
• Hard Power: The use of military and economic coercion to influence the behavior or interests of other political actors.
• Balance of Power: A state of affairs in which the relative power of states is roughly equal, preventing any single state from dominating others.
• Asymmetric Relationships: Relationships between states where there are significant disparities in power, resources, and influence.
• Connectivity: The development of physical and digital infrastructure to facilitate trade, communication, and movement within a region.
• Concentric Circles Theory: A conceptual framework suggesting that a nation’s foreign policy priorities radiate outwards from its core interests to its immediate neighbours, then to the wider region, and finally to the global stage.

India’s neighbourhood policy, often articulated through principles like “Neighbourhood First” and emphasizing shared prosperity, grapples with the inherent challenge of balancing its own burgeoning national interests with the need to foster stability across a diverse and often volatile South Asian region. On one hand, India’s national interests are multifaceted: securing its borders, promoting economic growth through trade and investment, ensuring energy security, and projecting its influence as a rising global power. These objectives often necessitate a pragmatic approach that can, at times, lead to policies prioritizing immediate gains or addressing perceived threats from neighbours.

For instance, India’s increasing strategic engagements and defense cooperation with countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are driven by concerns over China’s growing footprint in the Indian Ocean region and a desire to counter potential security threats. Similarly, its robust economic ties with Nepal and Bhutan aim to secure markets for Indian goods and ensure favourable water-sharing agreements, which are crucial for India’s energy needs and economic development. The “Neighbourhood First” policy, launched in 2014, aimed to reorient India’s focus towards its immediate neighbours, offering developmental assistance, infrastructure projects, and disaster relief, all of which serve to enhance India’s standing and influence, thereby furthering its national interests.

However, the pursuit of these national interests can sometimes create friction and undermine regional stability. India’s approach to relations with Pakistan, characterized by a complex mix of engagement and confrontation, often oscillates between seeking cooperation on issues like trade and terrorism and maintaining a firm stance on territorial disputes and cross-border terrorism. This tension, while understandable from a national security perspective, has historically contributed to regional instability and hampered broader regional integration efforts.

Moreover, India’s developmental assistance and connectivity projects, while intended to foster goodwill and economic interdependence, can be perceived by some neighbours as attempts to exert undue influence or dominate the region. For example, the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project with Myanmar, while offering economic benefits, also carries strategic implications for India’s access to Southeast Asia and its engagement with the ASEAN bloc, potentially impacting the regional power dynamics. Similarly, India’s stance on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its implications for countries like Bangladesh have strained bilateral ties, highlighting the delicate balance required to ensure that domestic policy decisions do not adversely affect regional harmony.

The challenge lies in adopting a more nuanced and inclusive approach that prioritizes mutual benefit and shared security. Instead of viewing neighbourhood relations solely through the lens of national advantage, India must actively work towards creating an environment of trust and cooperation. This involves addressing the legitimate concerns of its neighbours, respecting their sovereignty, and fostering economic partnerships that are truly equitable. Initiatives like the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), though facing their own challenges, provide platforms for such cooperation. India’s role in these forums is crucial; by actively facilitating dialogue and promoting collaborative projects, India can significantly contribute to regional stability.

Furthermore, India’s economic diplomacy needs to be complemented by a robust soft power strategy that leverages its cultural heritage, democratic values, and developmental expertise. Projects that focus on human capital development, education, and healthcare can build enduring goodwill and strengthen people-to-people ties, which are essential for long-term regional stability.

The balancing act is also complicated by the involvement of external powers, particularly China, whose Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and increasing strategic investments in India’s neighbourhood present both opportunities and challenges. India’s response to these developments needs to be carefully calibrated to protect its national interests without resorting to exclusionary tactics that could exacerbate regional tensions.

In conclusion, India’s neighbourhood policy is a perpetual tightrope walk between safeguarding its vital national interests and cultivating a stable, peaceful, and prosperous regional order. While the pursuit of economic growth, security, and influence is legitimate, a myopic focus on immediate gains risks alienating neighbours and fostering instability, which ultimately harms India’s long-term prospects. The path forward lies in a strategic recalibration that emphasizes genuine partnership, mutual respect, and equitable development. By investing in shared prosperity and addressing the legitimate aspirations and concerns of its neighbours, India can transition from a policy driven solely by national interest to one that actively fosters regional stability, thereby solidifying its position as a responsible and influential stakeholder in its immediate neighbourhood and beyond.