IMCG meeting.

 ~Preet

The Foreign Secretary of India recently conducted the inaugural meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Group (IMCG) at the Secretary level.  The IMCG was established as a high-level vehicle to mainstream India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy objective, which intended to improve ties with the country's neighbours. Inter-ministerial Joint Task Forces (JTFs) constituted by joint secretaries in the Ministry of External Affairs provide support to IMCG.

The IMCG offered a comprehensive direction with a whole-of-government strategy to encourage improved connectivity, stronger interconnections, and more people-to-people connections with neighbours. The meeting focused on the construction of border infrastructure to facilitate greater trade with neighbours such as Nepal, the special needs of countries such as Bhutan and the Maldives in terms of supply of essential commodities, the opening of rail connectivity with Bangladesh, humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the Fisheries issue with Sri Lanka. The IMCG would strengthen institutional coordination across government and offer comprehensive guidance to this whole-of-government approach to India's ties with its neighbours.

India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). These treaties enable the free flow of resources, energy, commerce, labour, and information across international frontiers. Priority is given to improving ties with neighbouring neighbours, as peace and serenity in South Asia are required for the development plan to be realised. It focuses on robust regional diplomacy by interacting with neighbouring countries and fostering political connectedness through discussion. The Policy is centred on reaching mutual agreements to resolve bilateral difficulties. It focuses on strengthening connections with neighbours. India has engaged in and invested in SAARC as a platform for regional development. One such example is the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) energy development grouping, which includes motor vehicles, waterpower management, and inter-grid connection.

The strategy also emphasises disaster response, resource management, weather forecasting, and communication, as well as disaster management capacities and knowledge for all South Asian populations. India is also concentrating on enhancing regional security through military cooperation by conducting and participating in different defence exercises. It has failed to adopt a clear direction, and increasing Chinese pressure has stopped the government from gaining regional friends. China is expanding its maritime influence throughout the Indo-Pacific area. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) also allows China to develop in India's neighbourhood, as shown with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has pushed the Chinese presence near to the Indian border, whether in Pakistan-administered Kashmir or in the Sir Creek area.  The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed by China in 2013. India is interfering in the domestic affairs of neighbouring countries especially in Nepal in the violation of their sovereignty. India is also putting obstacles in the way of free transportation and free commerce inside and outside Nepal, and it continues to oppress its people and government.

The fact that India is emphasising on military measures rather than social components has also contributed to increased tensions in the area, fueling anti-India sentiment. India's internal policies are causing issues in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country, demonstrating that India's strategy of putting its neighbours first confronts substantial obstacles even in friendly areas like Bangladesh. Many average Bangladeshis regard India's present political leadership as Islamophobic or anti-Islam. India is gaining a stronger relationship with the West, mostly through the Quad and other multilateral and mini-lateral projects. However, Sri Lanka's relations with the West are deteriorating as the country's present leadership receives increased criticism from Western capitals on human rights and freedoms. As a result, Sri Lanka has begun to shift toward China, raising the prospect of a deterioration in Indo-Sri Lankan relations at some time. The ideals of the Gujral Doctrine should guide India's foreign policy. This will ensure that India's size and power are not divorced from the quality of its interactions with its neighbours, and that regional prosperity may occur.  Integrating India's regional economic and foreign policies remains a significant problem. As a result, India should avoid jeopardising bilateral relationships with neighbours for the sake of short-term economic gain. Regional connection must be sought more aggressively, while security issues must be handled using cost-effective, efficient, and dependable technical methods that are already in use in other regions of the world.