In a new initiative whose aim it said was to “mainstream” India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, the Modi government convened an inter-ministerial meeting to coordinate "a whole-of-government approach to promote better connectivity, stronger interlinkages and greater people-to-people connect with our neighbours.” 

“The meeting deliberated upon and took important decisions on various aspects of India’s bilateral relationship with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the areas of trade and investment, connectivity, border infrastructure, immigration, development cooperation, border security, etcetera,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, making it clear that all countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as well as Myanmar are included in the initiative.

Significantly, Pakistan has been included in India's neighbourhood thrust for the first time. 

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla convened the first meeting of an Inter-Ministerial Coordination Group (IMCG) involving secretaries of about 10 ministries as well as senior officials from the Cabinet Secretariat and National Security Council Secretariat.

The inclusion of ministries like Commerce, Finance, Fisheries and Security structures would mean quicker decision-making in the face of sudden economic crises, and flashpoints over border firing, fishing and prisoners in each other’s countries in the neighbourhood, officials said.

“The IMCG provided a comprehensive direction with a whole-of-government approach to promote better connectivity, stronger interlinkages and greater people-to-people connect with our neighbours,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

The IMCG would have many purposes giving examples of the construction of border infrastructure to help trade with Nepal, sudden requirements of essential commodities for Bhutan and Maldives, as were required during the Covid lockdown, rail connectivity with Bangladesh, humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and Myanmar as well as the fisheries issue with Sri Lanka, which has led to tensions in the past. In addition, the inclusion of security and border officials indicates the IMCG could also be convened to help avoid tensions at the land borders with Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, The Hindu said. 

While officials say the IMCG had been planned for some time, the timing of the initiative is significant as it comes within days of the massive protests over the economic situation in Sri Lanka, the change of government in Pakistan, and simmering anti-India protests in the Maldives, and China's looming presence in all these countries with its security, economic and political implications. 

In addition to the IMCG mechanism, government ministries and departments have been requested to accord priority to India’s neighbours in their international activities, programmes and projects,” sources told The Hindu, adding that the MEA had also organised a “training module” on India’s neighbourhood for civil service trainees this year.

(SAM)