{"id":26584,"date":"2025-04-11T14:20:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T08:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/?p=26584"},"modified":"2025-04-11T14:20:05","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T08:50:05","slug":"new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Perspective on India Neighbourhood Policy | Sociology Optional Coaching | Vikash Ranjan Classes | Triumph IAS | UPSC Sociology Optional"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_New_Perspective_on_India_Neighbourhood_Policy\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>A New Perspective on India Neighbourhood Policy<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Relevant_for_GS_paper-2India_and_its_neighbourhood_relations\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>(Relevant for GS paper-2,India and its neighbourhood relations)<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >What's Inside this Blog!<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#A_New_Perspective_on_India_Neighbourhood_Policy\" title=\"A New Perspective on India Neighbourhood Policy\">A New Perspective on India Neighbourhood Policy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Relevant_for_GS_paper-2India_and_its_neighbourhood_relations\" title=\"(Relevant for GS paper-2,India and its neighbourhood relations)\">(Relevant for GS paper-2,India and its neighbourhood relations)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Background_India_Neighbourhood_Policy\" title=\"Background: India Neighbourhood Policy\">Background: India Neighbourhood Policy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Current_Regional_Landscape_Key_Challenges\" title=\"Current Regional Landscape: Key Challenges\">Current Regional Landscape: Key Challenges<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Recent_Developments_in_2025\" title=\"Recent Developments in 2025\">Recent Developments in 2025<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Opportunities_and_Strategic_Shifts_Needed\" title=\"Opportunities and Strategic Shifts Needed\">Opportunities and Strategic Shifts Needed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Conclusion_A_Recalibrated_Policy_for_a_Resilient_Region\" title=\"Conclusion: A Recalibrated Policy for a Resilient Region\">Conclusion: A Recalibrated Policy for a Resilient Region<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/new-perspective-on-india-neighbourhood-policy\/#Read_more_Blogs\" title=\"Read more Blogs:\">Read more Blogs:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s geographical location at the heart of South Asia gives it a natural leadership role in the region. To consolidate its position and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in its immediate surroundings, India has long pursued the <\/span><b>\u201cNeighbourhood First\u201d policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a strategic pillar of its foreign affairs. However, in light of emerging global realignments, regional uncertainties, and expanding Chinese influence, there is a pressing need to <\/span><b>reimaging and recalibrate India\u2019s neighbourhood policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2025 to make it more robust, inclusive, and interest-driven.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Background_India_Neighbourhood_Policy\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Background: India Neighbourhood Policy<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Launched in 2014, the <\/span><b>Neighbourhood First policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aimed at giving priority to India\u2019s relationships with its immediate neighbours \u2014 including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Myanmar. It emphasized <\/span><b>greater connectivity, security cooperation, economic integration, and people-to-people contacts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notable successes include the <\/span><b>India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (2015)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, improved <\/span><b>India-Nepal cross-border connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where India supplied vaccines to several neighbours under \u201cVaccine Maitri.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Current_Regional_Landscape_Key_Challenges\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Current Regional Landscape: Key Challenges<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26586 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges.png\" alt=\"Current Regional Landscape_ Key Challenges\" width=\"2680\" height=\"1419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges.png 2680w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges-1024x542.png 1024w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges-150x79.png 150w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges-1536x813.png 1536w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Current-Regional-Landscape_-Key-Challenges-2048x1084.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2680px) 100vw, 2680px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Despite past progress, several internal and external factors have complicated India\u2019s neighbourhood engagement:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Geopolitical Competition with China<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China&#8217;s increasing footprint in South Asia through its <\/span><b>Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, port development (Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Gwadar in Pakistan), and infrastructure investments has led to a <\/span><b>strategic encirclement of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Sri Lanka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, despite India&#8217;s cultural and financial aid during the 2022 economic crisis, <\/span><b>China remains a dominant creditor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, influencing policy decisions.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Nepal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Chinese-funded projects and political outreach have reduced India&#8217;s traditional leverage.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Political Instability and Democratic Setbacks<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Internal political transitions and instability in neighbouring countries affect bilateral relations:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Bangladesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, recent elections saw strained ties as India navigates a post-Sheikh Hasina scenario with rising anti-India sentiments.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Myanmar\u2019s military regime<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, following the 2021 coup, has led to refugee inflows into India\u2019s Northeast and created challenges for border security and diplomacy.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Border Disputes and Trust Deficit<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>India-Nepal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ties were strained after the <\/span><b>Kalapani border dispute<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> flared up in 2020.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>India-China tensions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) continue to shape New Delhi\u2019s cautious approach in the wider region.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Economic Asymmetry and Connectivity Gaps<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s neighbours often view its size and economic dominance with suspicion. Additionally, <\/span><b>infrastructure and trade linkages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remain weak, preventing deeper regional integration:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Intra-SAARC trade<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remains below <\/span><b>5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of total trade, compared to <\/span><b>25% in ASEAN<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recent_Developments_in_2025\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Recent Developments in 2025<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26587 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025.png\" alt=\"Recent Developments in 2025\" width=\"2302\" height=\"1480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025.png 2302w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-1024x658.png 1024w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-150x96.png 150w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-768x494.png 768w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-1536x988.png 1536w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-2048x1317.png 2048w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Recent-Developments-in-2025-360x230.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2302px) 100vw, 2302px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>April 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India, the UAE, and Sri Lanka jointly launched an <\/span><b>energy hub in Trincomalee<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, marking a new chapter in trilateral cooperation to counterbalance Chinese influence.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is collaborating with <\/span><b>Bhutan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on digital connectivity and hydropower, highlighting new-age cooperation.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Migrant and refugee challenges<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from Myanmar and Afghanistan have intensified, requiring India to address humanitarian concerns alongside security imperatives.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Opportunities_and_Strategic_Shifts_Needed\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Opportunities and Strategic Shifts Needed<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reclaim its leadership in South Asia, India must move from a <\/span><b>&#8220;Neighbourhood First&#8221; to a &#8220;Neighbourhood Smart&#8221;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> strategy, ensuring mutual trust and shared prosperity.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Suggestions for Reimagining the Policy<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Institutionalise Regional Cooperation Beyond SAARC<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the <\/span><b>dysfunctionality of SAARC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India should invest more in forums like:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>BIMSTEC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Bay of Bengal Initiative) for economic and security cooperation.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>IORA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Indian Ocean Rim Association) for maritime collaboration.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">This diversification reduces reliance on any one multilateral body and allows issue-based coalitions.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Prioritise Sub-Regional Connectivity Projects<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">India must fast-track connectivity under initiatives like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> motor vehicle agreement.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which remains incomplete due to security concerns in Myanmar.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">This will enhance trade, tourism, and people-to-people contact in border regions.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Redefine Development Partnerships<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">India should:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offer <\/span><b>transparent financing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, unlike China&#8217;s debt-laden investments.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on <\/span><b>capacity building<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, climate resilience, and technology sharing.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, India\u2019s <\/span><b>solar grid initiatives under ISA (International Solar Alliance)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can extend to its neighbourhood.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Deepen Defence and Maritime Cooperation<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">India should:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Expand joint military drills, intelligence sharing, and counter-terrorism cooperation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offer <\/span><b>military equipment support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (as done with Mauritius and Maldives).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen <\/span><b>coast guard coordination<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the Indian Ocean, countering piracy and illegal fishing.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\" start=\"5\">\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b> Address Humanitarian and Climate Challenges<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">India can lead by:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offering <\/span><b>disaster relief training and early warning systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaborating on <\/span><b>glacier melt studies and transboundary water management<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (especially with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_A_Recalibrated_Policy_for_a_Resilient_Region\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><b>Conclusion: A Recalibrated Policy for a Resilient Region<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s neighbourhood is in flux \u2014 politically, economically, and strategically. As the regional order evolves, <\/span><b>India must reimagine its policy with pragmatism, inclusivity, and strategic foresight<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. By deepening engagement beyond aid, prioritizing regional connectivity, and projecting itself as a responsible and responsive power, India can truly emerge as the <\/span><b>net security and prosperity provider in South Asia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The future of India\u2019s foreign policy begins at its borders. A stable, prosperous, and cooperative neighbourhood is not only desirable \u2014 it is indispensable for <\/span><b>India\u2019s global ambitions in the 21st century<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26535 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-24-at-13.19.23_66f1ab41.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-24-at-13.19.23_66f1ab41.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-24-at-13.19.23_66f1ab41-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-24-at-13.19.23_66f1ab41-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-24-at-13.19.23_66f1ab41-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-24-at-13.19.23_66f1ab41-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span class=\"amp-wp-303d451\" data-amp-original-style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">To Read more topics like <b>A New Perspective on India\u2019s Neighbourhood Policy<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"amp-wp-303d451\" data-amp-original-style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">in Public Posts,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"amp-wp-303d451\" data-amp-original-style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">visit:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/?amp=1\">www.triumphias.com\/blogs<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Read_more_Blogs\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span id=\"Read_more_Blogs\" class=\"ez-toc-section\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Read more Blogs:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Yu0YorL9yu\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/integrity-as-a-governing-moral-value\/\">Integrity As A Governing Moral Value | Ethics for UPSC Civil Services Examination | Triumph IAS<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; 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&#8212; TriumphIAS\" src=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/industrial-class-structure-in-india\/embed\/#?secret=4dJ1r65AA7#?secret=GTsnAK8aY7\" data-secret=\"GTsnAK8aY7\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A New Perspective on India Neighbourhood Policy (Relevant for GS paper-2,India and its neighbourhood relations) India\u2019s geographical location at the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[11451,11617,11618,11616,11619,11614,11620,11615],"class_list":["post-26584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-studies-ii","tag-india-foreign-policy","tag-india-foreign-relations","tag-india-neighbors","tag-india-regional-strategy","tag-indian-diplomacy-2025","tag-neighbourhood-first","tag-neighbourhood-policy-analysis","tag-south-asia-diplomacy"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26584"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26591,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26584\/revisions\/26591"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}