During the last few years, the relations with the neighbors were critical for India to make a regional influence. In this context discuss the present-day relevance of the Gujral Doctrine.
During the last few years, the relations with the neighbors were critical for India to make a regional influence. In this context discuss the present-day relevance of the Gujral Doctrine.
Approach:
- Discuss about the recent fall in the relation between India and its neighbours.
- Mention the features of the Gujral Doctrine.
- Analyze the relevance of the doctrine to the present day foriegn policy of India.
- Discuss about the general challenges in maintaining good relations with neighbours.
- Provide a befitting conclusion.
Relation between India and its neighbours: Indian relations with its neighbours remains complicated due to its location and historical issues. Barring few nations India’s relation remains critical due to border issues and mutual suspicion in the region. Recently countries like Maldives signed a free trade agreement with China and moved closer to China. It is looked as detrimental to Indian interest as presence of China in the Indian Ocean region poses security threat to India. Similarly others like Nepal and Srilanka are also moving closer to China. Moreover on the north India is bordered by hostile Pakistan and aggressive China. This makes the maintenance of smooth relations with the neighbours critical for the rise of India.
Gujral Doctrine:
It is a foriegn policy propounded by I. K Gujral advocating India to extend unilateral concessions to smaller countries in South Asia. This accommodative nature of the doctrine will help India to have good relations with its neighbours. Some of the main features of the doctrine are
- With the neighbors like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and SriLanka, India should not ask for reciprocity, but give them what it can in good faith.
- No South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against the interest of another country of the region.
- No country should interfere in the internal affairs of another country.
- All South Asian countries should respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
- All South Asian countries should settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations.
Relevance of the doctrine:
India’s aspiration to transform itself from a balancing power to global power needs to increase its zone of influence. The immediate neighbouring countries plays a major role for Indian influence expansion and peaceful rise of India. Today most of the countries in the South Asian region are in need of investments and grants for their economic development. As a regional player India has to enhance its role in the development needs of these countries to gain their confidence. The polarisation of the region due to the activities of the external players like China and the US can be avoided through bilateral dialogue.
Moreover there was increasing Chinese military activity in the Indian Ocean region especially in Srilanka and Maldives. The Gujral holds more relevance today even before due to the geopolitical situation in South Asia and Indian Ocean region.
Challenges in maintaining good relations with neighbours:
A number of challenges exists in maintaining good relations with the neighbours. Some of them are
- Unsolved boundary disputes.
- Crossborder terrorism and smuggling activities.
- Fiscal constraints of India in executing international projects on time.
- Mutual suspicion about each others activities.
- River water sharing disputes.
- Role of external players like China in the region.
Conclusion:
Indian developmental role in the country of Afghanistan has gained immense goodwill among Afghan people. It can be replicated to other neighbours according to their developmental needs. Thus a good relations with the neighbours is inevitable for the peaceful economic growth and geopolitical ambitions of India.
Approach:
- Discuss about the recent fall in the relation between India and its neighbours.
- Mention the features of the Gujral Doctrine.
- Analyze the relevance of the doctrine to the present day foriegn policy of India.
- Discuss about the general challenges in maintaining good relations with neighbours.
- Provide a befitting conclusion.
Relation between India and its neighbours: Indian relations with its neighbours remains complicated due to its location and historical issues. Barring few nations India’s relation remains critical due to border issues and mutual suspicion in the region. Recently countries like Maldives signed a free trade agreement with China and moved closer to China. It is looked as detrimental to Indian interest as presence of China in the Indian Ocean region poses security threat to India. Similarly others like Nepal and Srilanka are also moving closer to China. Moreover on the north India is bordered by hostile Pakistan and aggressive China. This makes the maintenance of smooth relations with the neighbours critical for the rise of India.
Gujral Doctrine:
It is a foriegn policy propounded by I. K Gujral advocating India to extend unilateral concessions to smaller countries in South Asia. This accommodative nature of the doctrine will help India to have good relations with its neighbours. Some of the main features of the doctrine are
- With the neighbors like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and SriLanka, India should not ask for reciprocity, but give them what it can in good faith.
- No South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against the interest of another country of the region.
- No country should interfere in the internal affairs of another country.
- All South Asian countries should respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
- All South Asian countries should settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations.
Relevance of the doctrine:
India’s aspiration to transform itself from a balancing power to global power needs to increase its zone of influence. The immediate neighbouring countries plays a major role for Indian influence expansion and peaceful rise of India. Today most of the countries in the South Asian region are in need of investments and grants for their economic development. As a regional player India has to enhance its role in the development needs of these countries to gain their confidence. The polarisation of the region due to the activities of the external players like China and the US can be avoided through bilateral dialogue.
Moreover there was increasing Chinese military activity in the Indian Ocean region especially in Srilanka and Maldives. The Gujral holds more relevance today even before due to the geopolitical situation in South Asia and Indian Ocean region.
Challenges in maintaining good relations with neighbours:
A number of challenges exists in maintaining good relations with the neighbours. Some of them are
- Unsolved boundary disputes.
- Crossborder terrorism and smuggling activities.
- Fiscal constraints of India in executing international projects on time.
- Mutual suspicion about each others activities.
- River water sharing disputes.
- Role of external players like China in the region.
Conclusion:
Indian developmental role in the country of Afghanistan has gained immense goodwill among Afghan people. It can be replicated to other neighbours according to their developmental needs. Thus a good relations with the neighbours is inevitable for the peaceful economic growth and geopolitical ambitions of India.
