Modi’s Successful Diplomacy : Neighbourhood First

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis charismatic personality and determined push for Indias economic development have made him immensely popular at home. Modis foreign policy initiatives are driven as much by his governments domestic political strength as by Indias rising concern over rapid expansion of Chinas economic clout and military might in Asia. Three years since then though a lot has happened. Indo-Pak relations have seen a roller coaster ride. From inviting Nawaz Sharif to PM Modis oath taking ceremony to Modi paying an impromptu visit to Pakistan on Nawaz Sharifs birthday from the Pathankot attack to Uri Attack from Pakistan backed terrorism in Kashmir valley to the LoC surgical strikes the list goes on. Meanwhile China is making headway in wooing Indias neighbours. Clearly Neighbourhood First is turning into Neighbourhood Lost. The neighborhood first policy is the striking feature of Modi governments diplomatic approach. In his governments strategic imagination Indias relations with neighboring countries must receive topmost priority. If India does not resolve its differences with its small neighbors it will only pave the way for China to exert growing influence in the region. Indias relations with China have not shown much improvement in the last three years. Chinas Silk Road diplomacy has successfully wooed Indias neighbours most of whom are participants in Chinas One Belt One Road Project. India decided not to be a part of this project as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passes through PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) which is claimed by India as its own territory. CPEC is definitely a headache to Indias policymakers as this gives both Pakistan and China a strategic advantage over the sensitive region of Kashmir. This book highlights that in the past three decades due to the constraints of coalition politics there has been little insight into Indias foreign policy.