India offers ‘lifting tide’ to neighbours against China’s deep pocket
Photo credit Twitter S Jaishankar
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, March 29: With China setting out to push its ‘Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)’ after Xi Jinping began his third term presidency this month, India is seeking to shield the immediate neighbours with the offer of the ‘lifting tide of prosperity’. While the Indian neighbours are mired in economic crisis and looking at China for short-term support, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is calling for “collective neighbourhood”.
“A lot of our neighbours are struggling with issues, some of which are not of their making, and this is the time for us as a region to stand together,” said Jaishankar at his brief remarks at the India International Centre (IIC) on Wednesday. He was clearly referring to the deep economic crisis in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, while Bangladesh also is holding parleys with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package.
Besides, Nepal is also emerging as a playground for two powers – the US and China. Bhutan has also been a victim of China’s ‘salami slicing (by which Beijing usurps neighbours’ territories). Myanmar is mired in a civil war, with China-backed military Junta tightening the grip over the country. India has been partially able to steel Maldives away from the Chinese influence.
“Neighbourhood first is not just a slogan. It’s a practical manifestation of standing by each other, helping out other, and building a larger neighbourhood. India’s prosperity can serve as a lifting tide for the neighbours. We are generous with neighbours in non-reciprocal manner for a collective neighbourhood,” Jaishankar stated.
The minister didn’t mention any neighbouring country by name in his brief speech at the social gathering of the IIC. But Pakistan is well known to be left out of India’s neighbourhood first policy. Pakistan is stated to be on the brink of economic collapse with the IMF dragging its feet in bailing out the Islamic nation once more.
“It underlines the true spirit of Neighborhood First, which for us is not a slogan but practical manifestation of always standing together,” added Jaishankar, while expounding India’s foreign policy pivot in the South Asian region.
While India promises ‘lifting tide of prosperity”, China is heavily invested in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Pakistan with the BRI. China is also pushing Nepal to accept a key rail link. China is also pushing Bangladesh for deeper economic ties. For some of the South Asian countries, experts note that China’s deep pocket is too titillating.
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