• Latest
  • Trending

Debacle in Doklam reveals serious flaws in India’s “Neighborhood First” policy

July 25, 2017
India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

May 31, 2023
Flight

Sri Lanka plans to start Colombo-Istanbul direct flights

May 31, 2023
Exchange Rate

Foreign Currency Official Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka

May 31, 2023
Flight

World’s best airline for 2023 named by AirlineRatings.com

May 31, 2023
Source - Bloomberg

Sri Lanka rupee’s recent rise may face challenges as experts foresee a potential 16% drop ahead

May 31, 2023
Sri Lanka passports

Sri Lanka to revise penalty for overstaying foreigners

May 31, 2023
Lankan economists call for revival of road, rail bridge across Palk Strait

Lankan economists call for revival of road, rail bridge across Palk Strait

May 31, 2023
Sri Lanka seeks ’Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

Sri Lanka seeks ’Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

May 30, 2023
Sri Lanka passports

Sri Lanka to initiate new online passport application system

May 30, 2023
India makes available to Lanka credit facility of US$ 1 billion till March 2024

India makes available to Lanka credit facility of US$ 1 billion till March 2024

May 30, 2023
National Fuel Pass

Fuel quota for National Fuel Pass system increased

May 30, 2023
Cabinet nod to revive suspended Colombo LRT project

Cabinet nod to revive suspended Colombo LRT project

May 30, 2023
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Thursday, June 1, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

    India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

    Flight

    Sri Lanka plans to start Colombo-Istanbul direct flights

    Exchange Rate

    Foreign Currency Official Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka

    Source - Bloomberg

    Sri Lanka rupee’s recent rise may face challenges as experts foresee a potential 16% drop ahead

    Sri Lanka passports

    Sri Lanka to revise penalty for overstaying foreigners

    Lankan economists call for revival of road, rail bridge across Palk Strait

    Lankan economists call for revival of road, rail bridge across Palk Strait

    Sri Lanka seeks ’Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

    Sri Lanka seeks ’Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

    Sri Lanka passports

    Sri Lanka to initiate new online passport application system

    India makes available to Lanka credit facility of US$ 1 billion till March 2024

    India makes available to Lanka credit facility of US$ 1 billion till March 2024

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    Flight

    World’s best airline for 2023 named by AirlineRatings.com

    Mars

    Mars bar plastic wrapper swapped for paper

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan

    Erdogan wins Turkish election, extending rule to third decade

    Lankan President’s Japan visit will have a salutary effect on relationship

    Lankan President’s Japan visit will have a salutary effect on relationship

    Joe Biden’s advisers say he doesn’t want to drag Pacific allies into ‘headlong clash’ between US and China

    Joe Biden’s advisers say he doesn’t want to drag Pacific allies into ‘headlong clash’ between US and China

    Cristiano Ronaldo

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Sajdah’ goal celebration goes viral

    US dollar notes

    ‘The mother of all crises.’ A US debt default would ricochet around the world

    Tsunami

    Scientists warn climate crisis could trigger giant tsunamis from Antarctica

    Emirates

    All Emirates passengers can now avail of free Wi-Fi connectivity onboard

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Books
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    Samahan

    Amitabh Bachchan expresses confidence for Sri Lankan herbal drink Samahan

    ‘Money Back Guarantee’ to mark cinematic debut of cricketing legend Wasim Akram and wife Shaniera

    ‘Money Back Guarantee’ to mark cinematic debut of cricketing legend Wasim Akram and wife Shaniera

    The gran who couldn’t: Indu Balachandran’s latest book is for readers of all ages

    The gran who couldn’t: Indu Balachandran’s latest book is for readers of all ages

    The Weeknd

    The Weeknd is the world’s most popular artist, Guinness World Records says

    Naatu Naatu has millions of views on YouTube and is a viral sensation over social media

    Watch: Oscar winning song Naatu Naatu

    Naatu Naatu has millions of views on YouTube and is a viral sensation over social media

    Indian song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’ wins Oscar award for best song

    Naatu Naatu has millions of views on YouTube and is a viral sensation over social media

    Naatu Naatu: The RRR song primed for Oscar history

    Keanu Reeves

    11 of the best films to watch in March

    Netflix. Image credits - Souvik Banerjee @rswebsols / Unsplash

    Netflix cuts prices for subscribers in more than 30 countries

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Mars

    Mars bar plastic wrapper swapped for paper

    Emirates

    All Emirates passengers can now avail of free Wi-Fi connectivity onboard

    Exercise. Image credits - Victor Freitas @victorfreitas / Unsplash

    5 healthy habits that are easy to add to your day

    Global concern over babies born too soon

    Global concern over babies born too soon

    Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey

    Nigerian chef cooks for 100 hours in world record attempt

    Batik Air

    Batik Air reinstates daily services between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur

    Confucius tells us how to set ourselves free with ritual

    Confucius tells us how to set ourselves free with ritual

    Sri Lankans enjoy a walk in the beach

    My trip to Sri Lanka restored faith in fellow humans: Australian tourist

    The flavours of Sri Lanka

    The flavours of Sri Lanka

    The Issue of same-sex marriage reaches a critical juncture in India

    The Issue of same-sex marriage reaches a critical juncture in India

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Whatsapp

    WhatsApp introduces new feature to edit sent messages

    WhatsApp

    WhatsApp will allow users to lock and hide conversations

    Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

    WhatsApp announces multi-device feature to support more than one phone

    Apple store in Mumbai

    Apple says ‘Hello Mumbai’ at first India store launch

    WhatsApp

    WhatsApp to introduce five new features in 2023 

    OpenAI has created ChatGPT, a start-up focused on artificial intelligence and its potential use cases. (Image source: OpenAI)

    ChatGPT banned in Italy over privacy concerns

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Videos
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

    India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

    Flight

    Sri Lanka plans to start Colombo-Istanbul direct flights

    Exchange Rate

    Foreign Currency Official Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka

    Source - Bloomberg

    Sri Lanka rupee’s recent rise may face challenges as experts foresee a potential 16% drop ahead

    Sri Lanka passports

    Sri Lanka to revise penalty for overstaying foreigners

    Lankan economists call for revival of road, rail bridge across Palk Strait

    Lankan economists call for revival of road, rail bridge across Palk Strait

    Sri Lanka seeks ’Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

    Sri Lanka seeks ’Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

    Sri Lanka passports

    Sri Lanka to initiate new online passport application system

    India makes available to Lanka credit facility of US$ 1 billion till March 2024

    India makes available to Lanka credit facility of US$ 1 billion till March 2024

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    Flight

    World’s best airline for 2023 named by AirlineRatings.com

    Mars

    Mars bar plastic wrapper swapped for paper

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan

    Erdogan wins Turkish election, extending rule to third decade

    Lankan President’s Japan visit will have a salutary effect on relationship

    Lankan President’s Japan visit will have a salutary effect on relationship

    Joe Biden’s advisers say he doesn’t want to drag Pacific allies into ‘headlong clash’ between US and China

    Joe Biden’s advisers say he doesn’t want to drag Pacific allies into ‘headlong clash’ between US and China

    Cristiano Ronaldo

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Sajdah’ goal celebration goes viral

    US dollar notes

    ‘The mother of all crises.’ A US debt default would ricochet around the world

    Tsunami

    Scientists warn climate crisis could trigger giant tsunamis from Antarctica

    Emirates

    All Emirates passengers can now avail of free Wi-Fi connectivity onboard

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Books
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    Samahan

    Amitabh Bachchan expresses confidence for Sri Lankan herbal drink Samahan

    ‘Money Back Guarantee’ to mark cinematic debut of cricketing legend Wasim Akram and wife Shaniera

    ‘Money Back Guarantee’ to mark cinematic debut of cricketing legend Wasim Akram and wife Shaniera

    The gran who couldn’t: Indu Balachandran’s latest book is for readers of all ages

    The gran who couldn’t: Indu Balachandran’s latest book is for readers of all ages

    The Weeknd

    The Weeknd is the world’s most popular artist, Guinness World Records says

    Naatu Naatu has millions of views on YouTube and is a viral sensation over social media

    Watch: Oscar winning song Naatu Naatu

    Naatu Naatu has millions of views on YouTube and is a viral sensation over social media

    Indian song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’ wins Oscar award for best song

    Naatu Naatu has millions of views on YouTube and is a viral sensation over social media

    Naatu Naatu: The RRR song primed for Oscar history

    Keanu Reeves

    11 of the best films to watch in March

    Netflix. Image credits - Souvik Banerjee @rswebsols / Unsplash

    Netflix cuts prices for subscribers in more than 30 countries

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Mars

    Mars bar plastic wrapper swapped for paper

    Emirates

    All Emirates passengers can now avail of free Wi-Fi connectivity onboard

    Exercise. Image credits - Victor Freitas @victorfreitas / Unsplash

    5 healthy habits that are easy to add to your day

    Global concern over babies born too soon

    Global concern over babies born too soon

    Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey

    Nigerian chef cooks for 100 hours in world record attempt

    Batik Air

    Batik Air reinstates daily services between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur

    Confucius tells us how to set ourselves free with ritual

    Confucius tells us how to set ourselves free with ritual

    Sri Lankans enjoy a walk in the beach

    My trip to Sri Lanka restored faith in fellow humans: Australian tourist

    The flavours of Sri Lanka

    The flavours of Sri Lanka

    The Issue of same-sex marriage reaches a critical juncture in India

    The Issue of same-sex marriage reaches a critical juncture in India

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Whatsapp

    WhatsApp introduces new feature to edit sent messages

    WhatsApp

    WhatsApp will allow users to lock and hide conversations

    Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

    WhatsApp announces multi-device feature to support more than one phone

    Apple store in Mumbai

    Apple says ‘Hello Mumbai’ at first India store launch

    WhatsApp

    WhatsApp to introduce five new features in 2023 

    OpenAI has created ChatGPT, a start-up focused on artificial intelligence and its potential use cases. (Image source: OpenAI)

    ChatGPT banned in Italy over privacy concerns

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Videos
NewsIn.Asia
No Result
View All Result
Home Around South Asia

Debacle in Doklam reveals serious flaws in India’s “Neighborhood First” policy

Editor by Editor
July 25, 2017
in Around South Asia, Around The World, Bhutan, China, India, Top Story
Reading Time: 6 mins read
6 0
A A
27
SHARES
Share on WhatsApp

The unfolding realities underlying the Sino-Indian standoff over the border in Doklam are clearly bringing out serious flaws in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Neighborhood First” policy, writes P.K.Balachandran in www.southasianmonitor.com

The “Neighborhood First’ policy enunciated in 2014 as India’s new foreign policy “mantra” has not achieved what it was meant to achieve. Instead of generating friendly feelings towards India, with the small neighbors looking up to it for motherly affection, it has created apprehensions, if not fea,r of domination by a boastful and chest thumping hegemonic Big Brother.

Offers of billions of dollars of aid and lobbying for big ticket project contracts are  either rejected or reluctantly consented to out of an ingrained fear of domination.

ADVERTISEMENT

With a tradition of thinly veiled meddling in the politics of its neighbors, any push by India for greater economic ties is suspected to be a political Trojan Horse. One of the techniques resorted to by the weaker neighbors is delaying the implementation of projects or putting spokes in the wheel to bring them to  a grinding halt.

India has conflicts with its powerful neighbors too. The conflict with Pakistan is endemic. The one with China is also endemic but the difference is that Sino-India flare ups have occurred only once in a while.

But the on-going Sino-Indian conflict over the border in Doklam seems to be as serious as the one in 1962. It could lead to a destructive war, which will leave India’s economy badly bruised.

As a result of the Doklam standoff, Bhutan may want to hive off from India’s orbit and get into China’s, or it could try to be equidistant, which will be disadvantageous to India rather than China.

Old Policy Under New Name

Although the reference here is to “Modi’s Neighborhood First policy” it will be unfair to single Modi out for blame. India’s policy towards its smaller neighbors (other than Pakistan) has been patronizing and domineering right from the time of independence in 1947. Narendra Modi only articulated it clearly, and gave it a name.

However, Modi  promises to take the policy to the farthest extent as he is the fountainhead of a resurgent, fired up, and jingoistic India. As predicted by some commentators when he took office in 2014, the Modi-led government has exacerbated tension with Pakistan and China, regardless of the fact that these are the only countries  in the neighborhood which could stand up to India.

Pakistan has had a huge share in creating trouble with India by unleashing cross border terrorism. But New Delhi has been showing its wrath against Islamabad by unleashing unbridled violence against its own Muslim citizens in Kashmir on the charge that Kashmiri youth are throwing stones at Indian Security Forces at the behest of Pakistan. Deaths and blinding of hundreds of Kashmiri youth have alienated Kashmiris from India. Tension in Kashmir is also manifested in Indo-Pak cross border firing on a daily basis.

Map of the trouble spot showing Doklam.

Conflict with China

As regards, China, Modi has been challenging the emerging Asian and world power abandoning the previous governments’ policy of managing the relationship, especially the sensitive and unsettled border dispute.

In contrast to the approach of Rajiv Gandhi, P.V.Narasimha Rao, A.B.Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, Modi began challenging China over issues which do not directly impinge on India’s immediate interest.

He opposed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s prestigious flagship project, the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, merely because one of the roads in the project traverses an area which has been in Pakistan’s “illegal occupation” since 1948. It makes no sense to rake up this issue when there is no earthly chance of India’s ever getting back the said area from Pakistan.

In 1966 China had built the Karakoram highway in the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan-held Kashmir. But at that time India wisely chose not to waste its breath over that.

The Modi regime opposed the OBOR project on political grounds disregarding China’s plea that the OBOR is an economic project to benefit the area and region as a whole, and is completely unrelated to the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir, which, it said, should be settled by India and Pakistan bilaterally.

New Delhi went further and badmouthed the OBOR, propagated its alleged ill effects and boycotted the OBOR summit in Beijing, knowing full well that President Xi was using it to boost his image ahead of the up-coming and all-important Communist Party Congress.

Earlier, Modi allowed the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, and American Ambassador Richard Verma to make high profile visits to  Arunachal Pradesh which China claims as being part of Tibet. And most recently, India held the Malabar naval exercise with China’s arch rivals, US and Japan.

Doklam Standoff

However, what irked China and made it extremely belligerent, was the Indian incursion into Doklam on the border between Bhutan and Tibet/China, to thwart the construction of a road by China.

India said that Doklam is disputed territory and that it had deployed troops as per the 2007 agreement with Bhutan which requires collaboration to protect each others’ national interests.

But China said that the area belongs to it as per the 1890 treaty between British India on the one hand, and Tibet/China on the other. At any rate, the area adjoins Bhutan and not India, and therefore, India has no locus standi there, China argued.

China charged that India had forced itself upon Bhutan which had been in the process of settling the border dispute with it through talks since 1985. China also pointed out that Bhutan had only recently claimed Doklam and that this was done on India’s prodding. India has made Doklam an issue to safeguard its security and not Bhutan’s, China pointed out.

While the two Asian giants are involved in a tense standoff, with India refusing to withdraw its troops from Doklam, and China threatening to wage war to eject them, Bhutan finds itself in a cleft stick.

Bhutan has problems with China as well as India. But its immediate problem is with India. It is economically extremely dependent on India. India can annex it, as it annexed neighboring Sikkim in 1975. Bhutan cannot antagonize China either, because China can annex it, as it annexed Tibet in 1951.

Need for Independent Foreign Policy 

The Sino-Indian standoff over Doklam has put Bhutan at the cross roads. Given the likelihood of tension in Sino-Indian relations increasing, Bhutan will soon have to take charge of its foreign policy fully.

Given the alienation of the Bhutanese people from India because of its economic domination and its continued bid to control its foreign policy, Bhutan is likely to move closer to China, if only to keep India under check.

As a first step Bhutan  may establish diplomatic relations with China, which  it has not done so far in deference to India, although by the revised 2007 treaty, it can pursue an independent foreign policy.

But the most difficult part for Bhutan will be disentangling itself from India’s  economical stranglehold. According to the Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses of New Delhi, 95% of Bhutan’s exports go to India, and India accounts for 75% of its imports. Heavy investments in India-funded hydel projects further tie Bhutan to India. Indian traders indulge in malpractices.

It is said that most of the money India pumps into Bhutan flows back to India. Imports from India have virtually killed Bhutan’s agriculture not to speak of industries.

Bhutan has shown its wish to have friends beyond India by establishing 53 missions abroad. It has defied India on the Bangladesh- Bhutan-India-Nepal motor vehicle agreement and on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It has already established unofficial contacts with China and might agree to China’s “package deal” on the border dispute.

China has said that it will give up claims in certain sections of the border if Bhutan gives up the Doklam plateau, which gives it a strategic advantage over India. One sign of the possibility of a deal over Doklam is that Bhutan has yielded to China’s demands at several places in past negotiations.

Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington, suggests an honorable exit for India from the mess it is in.

In an article in South China Morning Post on Sunday, Gupta says: “New Delhi must push Thimpu to take the lead in engaging Beijing and devise a mutually acceptable boundary protocol that acknowledges China’s effective jurisdiction of the area, pending final settlement, in exchange of the restoration of the status quo ante as of June 16, 2017.”

“In parallel, New Delhi must commit to unilaterally vacating the Doklam area while privately holding out for Beijing’s reiteration of the 2012 understanding that the tri-junction boundary points will be finalized in consultation with all three parties concerned.”

Will Modi listen and save India from a military and economic disaster?

(Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi bows to Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Topgay) 

 

 

Related Posts

India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi
Culture

India’s New Parliament House dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi

May 31, 2023
Flight
Around South Asia

Sri Lanka plans to start Colombo-Istanbul direct flights

May 31, 2023
Exchange Rate
Around South Asia

Foreign Currency Official Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka

May 31, 2023
Flight
Around The World

World’s best airline for 2023 named by AirlineRatings.com

May 31, 2023
Source - Bloomberg
Around South Asia

Sri Lanka rupee’s recent rise may face challenges as experts foresee a potential 16% drop ahead

May 31, 2023
Sri Lanka passports
Around South Asia

Sri Lanka to revise penalty for overstaying foreigners

May 31, 2023
  • Electricity

    Power cut schedule for today in Sri Lanka: Uninterrupted power supply

    60241 shares
    Share 24119 Tweet 15051
  • Registration open for National Fuel Pass

    6641 shares
    Share 2694 Tweet 1645
  • Foreign Currency Official Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka

    1855 shares
    Share 749 Tweet 461
  • WATCH : Yohani’s first live performance in India

    790 shares
    Share 329 Tweet 192
  • Power interruption schedule released: Check your area power cut time

    742 shares
    Share 320 Tweet 176
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2022 All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
  • Around The World
  • Breaking News
  • Business
    • Exchange
  • Climate Change
  • Governance
    • Crime
    • Diplomacy
    • Defense
    • Human Rights
    • Politics
    • Strategic Affairs
  • Lifestyle
    • Books
    • Entertainment
      • Arts
      • Cinema
      • Gaming
      • Music
      • Movie
      • Series
      • TV
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
  • Culture
    • Ethnicity
    • Gender
  • Development news
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Coronavirus
  • History
  • National
  • Offbeat
    • Media
    • Music and arts across South Asia
  • Recommended
    • Headlines
    • Highlights
    • Top Picture
    • Top Story
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Cricket
      • LPL
      • IPL
    • Tennis
    • Formula 1
    • NBA
  • Tech
    • Instagram
  • United Nations
  • Weather
  • World
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
  • Videos

© 2022 All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

eskisehir escort -

https://www.vudols.com/

- Sağlık Personeli - mersin escort - Antalya korsan taksi -
ip booter