What is Neighborhood First Policy of India? Explain its success and failures

India’s Neighborhood First Policy is a strategic approach in Indian foreign policy aimed at strengthening its ties with neighboring countries in South Asia.

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It reflects India’s commitment to fostering peace, stability, and economic development in the region through enhanced cooperation with its neighbors. This policy emphasizes prioritizing relations with India’s immediate neighbors, enhancing bilateral ties, and addressing regional security concerns collectively.

Objectives of Neighborhood First Policy

1. Enhance Diplomatic Engagement: Strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties with neighboring countries.
2. Regional Cooperation: Promote regional integration and cooperation on issues like trade, connectivity, security, and development.
3. Security and Stability: Address security challenges in the region, including cross-border terrorism, border disputes, and organized crime.
4. Economic Growth: Promote economic connectivity and facilitate infrastructure development, such as transport and energy links.
5. People-to-People Connect: Enhance social, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges to build mutual trust and understanding.

Key Components of the Neighborhood First Policy

1. Strengthening Bilateral Relations: India focused on improving bilateral ties with countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, and Afghanistan.
2. Infrastructure Connectivity: India has worked on enhancing cross-border infrastructure, such as transport and energy links, including roads, railways, and electricity grids, to promote regional connectivity.
3. Multilateral Engagement: India emphasized its role in regional forums such as SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), SASEC (South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation), and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
4. Humanitarian Support: India provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to its neighbors in times of crisis, such as providing aid after natural disasters in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
5. Security Cooperation: India has worked on enhancing security cooperation with its neighbors through intelligence sharing, joint exercises, and counterterrorism initiatives.

Successes of the Neighborhood First Policy

1. Improved Relations with Nepal: India has been an important partner in Nepal’s economic and infrastructure development, including support for hydropower projects and roads. India played a key role in Nepal’s post-earthquake reconstruction efforts. Additionally, the India-Nepal open border policy has fostered strong people-to-people ties.
2. Stronger Ties with Bangladesh: India has worked closely with Bangladesh on issues of trade, connectivity, and regional security. The two countries signed a Land Boundary Agreement in 2015 to resolve long-standing border disputes. Cooperation on combating terrorism, organized crime, and sharing water resources in rivers like the Teesta has improved relations.
3. Maldives: After a period of strained ties, India successfully re-engaged with the Maldives after the election of President Ibrahim Solih in 2018. India helped the Maldives in overcoming political instability and also provided COVID-19 aid, including vaccines.
4. Sri Lanka: India has maintained close ties with Sri Lanka, supporting its post-civil war recovery and providing developmental assistance in areas like infrastructure, health, and education. India also played a key role in helping Sri Lanka with its energy needs.
5. Afghanistan: India has been a significant contributor to Afghanistan’s reconstruction efforts, providing financial aid, infrastructure development, and capacity-building projects. India has also supported Afghanistan’s integration into regional and global institutions.
6. Boost to Trade and Connectivity: The India-Bangladesh and India-Myanmar borders have seen increased trade flows and infrastructure development, with improved connectivity through roads, railways, and ports. These efforts have contributed to greater regional economic integration.

Failures and Challenges of the Neighborhood First Policy

1. Tensions with Nepal: Despite strong people-to-people ties, relations with Nepal have been strained due to border disputes, particularly over the Kalapani region. Nepal’s alignment with China in recent years, including agreements related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has raised concerns in India.
2. Pakistan: Relations with Pakistan have remained tense and often confrontational, with cross-border terrorism being a major challenge. India’s diplomatic outreach to Pakistan has largely been unsuccessful due to Pakistan’s support for anti-India militants and the unresolved Kashmir issue. The situation further worsened after the Pulwama attack in 2019 and the subsequent Balakot airstrike.
3. China’s Influence in the Region: India’s influence in its neighborhood has been challenged by China’s growing presence and economic influence, particularly through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China’s involvement in countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal has been seen as undermining India’s strategic interests in the region.
4. Sri Lanka’s Alignment with China: Despite India’s close ties with Sri Lanka, the country’s growing relationship with China, especially in terms of infrastructure projects like the Hambantota Port, has raised concerns in India. Sri Lanka’s debt trap with China has also posed a diplomatic challenge for India in maintaining strong ties.
5. Myanmar: India’s relationship with Myanmar has been strained by the military coup in 2021, which led to the suspension of democratic processes. India has maintained a delicate balance, engaging with the military junta to ensure its strategic interests are safeguarded, but this has drawn criticism from international human rights organizations.
6. Internal Challenges in Bangladesh and Maldives: While India’s relationship with Bangladesh has largely been positive, internal political instability and concerns over illegal migration have sometimes caused friction. In the Maldives, India’s relationship with the former government under President Abdulla Yameen soured due to his pro-China stance, although the situation improved after his ouster.

Key Challenges to the Policy

1. Balancing Competing Interests: India has to balance the strategic interests of its neighbors, some of which align with China, against its own regional ambitions. This has proven difficult, as countries in the region often have competing economic or security interests.
2. Political Instability in the Region: Political instability, particularly in countries like Afghanistan, Nepal, and the Maldives, has complicated India’s ability to maintain a consistent foreign policy approach. Changing governments in these countries can shift alliances and affect India’s diplomatic outreach.
3. Security Threats: Cross-border terrorism, insurgency movements, and security challenges in countries like Afghanistan and Myanmar create an environment of instability that hampers the success of India’s Neighborhood First Policy.
4. Economic Concerns: While India has made strides in economic cooperation with its neighbors, the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, regional trade imbalances, and competition from China’s investments and infrastructure projects have affected the policy’s full potential.

Conclusion

India’s Neighborhood First Policy has had notable successes in strengthening bilateral ties, enhancing regional cooperation, and promoting security and economic stability in South Asia. However, its implementation has also faced significant challenges, particularly due to geopolitical rivalries, border disputes, and competition from China. While India has made concerted efforts to position itself as a leader in regional stability and development, achieving lasting success requires navigating the complexities of its neighbors’ domestic politics and strategic alignments. The policy’s success will depend on India’s ability to balance economic growth, security concerns, and diplomatic engagement in the region.