New challenges for Indian foreign policy in the new year, distant drums are pleasant but there is conflict with neighbors
For India, the past year was like walking on a tight rope in terms of foreign policy. On one hand, the world was troubled by the war between Russia and Ukraine, which is now in its second year, while the conflict between Hamas and Israel also started in October itself. It would have been costly for India to support any of these groups or countries because on one side was America and its allies, and on the other side was Russia and its few allies. The same balancing act had to be done once again in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, because the entire Middle East had to be seen. As soon as this year started, Iran attacked Pakistan and the war came very close to India. At the same time, from the formation of a new government in Taiwan to the formation of China’s stooge Moizju’s government in Maldives and the uproar over the issue of Lakshadweep, India is facing problems.
Taiwan and Bangladesh elections
The Democratic Progressive Party has returned to power in Taiwan and former Vice President Lai Ching Te will now take power as President in May 2024. His anti-China stand is not hidden from anyone and it is a surprise that India has not yet sent him a congratulatory message. He is a staunch supporter of Taiwan’s independence and that is why China calls him a separatist. Even the Dalai Lama congratulated the Taiwanese President and described him as an example for countries that are fighting for independence and autonomy. It is important to mention here that the Dalai Lama is continuously fighting for the independence of Tibet and has been taking refuge in India since the 1950s. Even Tibet’s government-in-exile is run from India. However, India gave a very subdued response five days later on January 18 and said that India is closely monitoring the recent developments and will follow it closely. If understood in the language of diplomacy, this is a very interesting statement, although India is the only country among the Quad members which has not congratulated Taiwan, the rest Japan, Australia and America congratulated. America even sent a delegation to Taiwan immediately after the elections. China has condemned all these countries and said that Taiwan’s election is its internal matter and it does not allow other countries to enter into it.
India’s tension with China
Actually, there is a reason for India’s silence on this issue. India has been supporting the policy of ‘One China’ for a long time, so that it can get some harmony with China. It is a different matter that from 1962 till Galwan, we have only received betrayal from China. It is not that India has not made new experiments in its foreign policy. Especially the pair of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have taken many such steps, from the Hamas-Israel conflict to the conclusion of the G-20, which were not ‘traditional’ and ‘formal’, but were out of the box. Even if India fears that by supporting Taiwan, China may again raise the issue of Arunachal Pradesh, may commit mischief on the border of Bhutan and Myanmar, may support terrorism along with Pakistan, then it is so even today. We are suffering. Pakistan has already given the area near Balochistan to China in the name of CPEC and has even sold Aksai Chin to it. Therefore, perhaps the first task of the new year is for India to think in a new way about its relations with China.
Neighboring countries with Maldives
India had a very close relationship with Maldives for the last several years, but the new Prime Minister Muizzu has come to power on the slogan of anti-India. China’s influence is continuously increasing there and this will increase India’s concern in the Indo-Pacific region. The President Moizzu has just come to power with the slogan of ‘India Out’ and his first visit was to Turkey. After that he went to China and made dozens of agreements. He has also given a timeline to the Indian soldiers who were there only for maintenance. Moijju’s intentions are very clear and the kind of language used by the three ministers there after Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep is very worrying, even though Moijju has removed all three of them. At present, India’s friendly government has returned to Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina has become the Prime Minister there, but the main opposition party BNP has also raised the slogan of ‘India Out’ there. Like Maldives, Khaleda Zia’s BNP also promotes Islamic fundamentalism and is an opposition party to India.
Pakistan itself is in tatters, but does not desist from opposing India. For the last few days, there was a tension going on with Iran, which has now turned into a war. That is, the matter has now completely come to India’s neighbourhood. That is, India will now have to be absolutely alert and attentive to its foreign policy. Even though the number of fans of India is increasing in Europe and Africa, now India needs to look at its neighborhood and fix it.
