A Friend Indeed!

Diplomatic visits vitalise bilateral relations but India must show greater commitment in addressing concerns vis-à-vis neighbours, discusses Shubha Singh.

- Shubha Singh

Regular interaction with neighbors helps to keep relations harmonious. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Bangladesh and Nepal last week completed the round of visits to South Asian neighbors for the NDA government in its new term.

The minister’s visit came immediately after PM Modi’s successful visit to Bhutan. Modi had earlier visited the Maldives and Sri Lanka to attend the inaugural of Maldives President Ibrahim Solih. India is keeping up its regular interaction with neighbors even as China has increased its influence in the region. China has tried to woo the South Asian countries with large infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the past few years. Jaishankar’s low-key visit had an added significance following the abrogation of Article 370 and scrapping of special status to Kashmir. It provided the opportunity for the Indian government to convey its position to its friends and neighbors.

While Bangladesh had supported the Indian government action, Nepal made no official comment and its initial response was that it was watching the situation. Later, Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said that Nepal favored dialogue and peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes including the Kashmir issue.