In a significant diplomatic push, India recently hosted high-level delegations from Myanmar and Nepal in New Delhi, signaling a renewed and vigorous re-engagement with its immediate neighbors. These strategic visits underscore India's unwavering commitment to its 'Neighborhood First' policy, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties, foster regional stability, and navigate evolving geopolitical dynamics in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The engagements represent a concerted effort to deepen cooperation across various sectors, from connectivity and trade to security and development assistance.
Background: Context and Timeline of India’s Neighborhood First Policy
India's 'Neighborhood First' policy, articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, forms the bedrock of its foreign policy, prioritizing relations with its immediate geographical periphery. This strategic doctrine is not merely a diplomatic platitude but a pragmatic framework designed to ensure regional stability, foster economic growth, and safeguard India's security interests in an increasingly complex global environment.
The Genesis of ‘Neighborhood First’
The policy was unveiled with a powerful symbolic gesture in May 2014, when Prime Minister Modi invited all leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, including then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, to his inauguration ceremony. This unprecedented move immediately signaled a new era of proactive engagement with India's neighbors. The core tenet of 'Neighborhood First' is simple yet profound: a stable, prosperous, and secure neighborhood is indispensable for India's own growth and national security.
The policy marked a strategic shift, extending beyond the earlier 'Look East' policy (now 'Act East') by emphasizing the immediate periphery. Its four key pillars are connectivity, commerce, culture, and capacity building. Through these pillars, India aims to enhance regional integration, foster mutual trust, provide development assistance without imposing conditions, and collectively address shared security challenges such as terrorism, drug trafficking, and natural disasters.
A critical underlying objective of 'Neighborhood First' is to counter the growing influence of other global powers, particularly China, in India's traditional sphere of influence. By being a reliable and generous partner, India seeks to maintain its pre-eminence and ensure that its neighbors do not become conduits for adversarial actions. Over time, as SAARC faced stagnation due to regional rivalries, India increasingly leveraged other regional groupings like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which includes both Myanmar and Nepal, to advance its regional integration agenda.
Historical Trajectories: India-Myanmar Relations
India and Myanmar share a long and intertwined history, rooted in ancient cultural exchanges and a substantial shared border of over 1,600 kilometers.
Ancient and Colonial Ties
The relationship traces back to shared Buddhist heritage, with significant cultural and religious exchanges occurring over millennia. During the British colonial era, both nations were part of the British Indian Empire, leading to significant migration of Indians to Burma (as Myanmar was then known) for administrative and economic purposes. This historical link, however, also created complexities post-independence.
Post-Independence Evolution and 'Look East'
After gaining independence, India initially enjoyed close ties with Myanmar under the Nehruvian era. However, Myanmar's subsequent shift to military rule in 1962 led to a period of relative isolation, during which bilateral engagement was limited. India's foreign policy towards Myanmar underwent a pragmatic reorientation in the 1990s with the advent of the 'Look East' policy. Recognizing Myanmar's critical strategic importance as a land bridge to Southeast Asia and the ASEAN bloc, India shifted from primarily supporting pro-democracy movements to engaging more directly with the military junta. This was a calculated move to prevent a vacuum that China could exploit and to secure India's strategic interests.
Strategic Rationale for Engagement
Myanmar is indispensable for India's Act East Policy. The country provides the most viable land route for India to connect with Southeast Asian markets. Key connectivity projects such as the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which aims to connect Kolkata to Sittwe port in Myanmar and then via river and road to Mizoram, and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, are central to this vision. These projects are not just about trade; they are about integrating India's northeastern states into the broader regional economy, fostering development, and enhancing regional connectivity.
Security concerns form another crucial dimension. The porous, often rugged border between India and Myanmar has historically been exploited by insurgent groups from India's northeastern states seeking sanctuary and operating bases in Myanmar territory. Cooperation on border management, counter-insurgency operations, and intelligence sharing is vital for India's internal security. Additionally, the border is a known route for narcotics trafficking and arms smuggling, necessitating robust bilateral security mechanisms.
Energy security is another driver. India has explored opportunities for oil and gas resources in Myanmar, viewing it as a potential source to diversify its energy imports. Growing trade and Indian investments in Myanmar's infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing sectors further cement economic ties.
From a geopolitical perspective, India seeks to balance China's significant and rapidly expanding presence in Myanmar. China has invested heavily in Myanmar's infrastructure, including the Kyauk