India to rise to economic power is happening at the head of the peripherals of the world. India’s rise to economic superpower is taking place at the foot of the peripherals of the world. It has already affected Pakistan and the northeast. The rise of India is in the shadow of Chinas and more often than not, China’s assertive, sometimes aggressive, behavior is being seen as a big challenge for India since it opens up the chances of China dominating India’s immediate neighborhood in its periphery.
Recently, there was a declaration by External Affairs Minister of India that the government of India will support India’s aspiration to become a major player in the Indo-Pacific area. In fact, External Affairs Minister of India has met the foreign secretaries from United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, India, China and Pakistan to chalk out a game plan for this. According to the foreign policy objectives of India, the current global scenario requires the international community to be more closely involved in resolving disputes and ensuring security in the region.
As per Indian foreign policy objectives, “A strong and assertive India ready to rely on external help to keep its neighbors in check serves India’s interests better than trying to contain its neighbors.” India s desire to keep the peace in Asia, at the same time it also seeks to promote economic growth in the neighborhood first. India wants to develop a strong relationship with its neighbors, which means it will seek to enhance its trade links. With the rising specter of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and the increasing challenges posed by China in its neighbor states, India believes that maintaining an enhanced military presence in its neighborhood is essential to deter or defeat any attempt by either Pakistan or China to acquire nuclear weapons.
India supports its neighboring countries in the struggle against terror and takes up issues where it is directly involved accordingly. It has successfully hosted several foreign heads of state including American, Chinese and Indian. It shares its borders with Pakistan and China. India has a large population, which represents a significant demographic influence in its overall national strength and development. With the support of the United States and other world powers, India is pursuing a comprehensive strategy of bilateral diplomacy, multi-party diplomacy, multilateral trade and dialogue on nuclear proliferation, regional stability and combating trans-boundary terrorism.
As a leading economic and political power, India has consistently supported Pakistan in its dispute with China over the disputed Kashmir valley. India sees itself as the biggest supporter of Pakistan. However, the recent strained relations between India and China due to the disputed Kashmir valley has caused a serious rift in bilateral diplomatic ties. While India supports the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, it neither supports the Chinese occupation of the Tibet, nor does it offer any support to the Pakistani invasion of its neighbors. India perceives China as a rival and an equal nation while China perceives India as a strategic partner and a rising economic power. To maintain a healthy and balanced relationship with both neighbors, the Indian government has opted for a multifaceted approach to promote the special ties between both its nations.
Over the past decade, China has emerged as the fastest growing economic power in the world. The recent Bangladesh development accord with India has strengthened the bonds between the two countries. China is one of India’s largest trading partners and provides cheap goods and consumer products to its millions of customers. India is in need of these commodities more than anything and welcomes the ditching of the cumbersome international trade. This has helped India emerge as a strong and influential economy while China has continued to remain a key player in global trade.
India is also looking to promote its domestic political growth at the regional and national levels. The Indian prime minister Mani Muloy has repeatedly conveyed his wish to improve ties with Pakistan and is hopeful of reviving the long-standing bilateral relationship. However, the recent spat between Indian and Chinese citizens over the contested territory of Kashmir has once again put the foreign policy on the boil. A strong and durable India-Pakistan relationship is in all probability going to be shelved due to the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir. Indian officials state that they would welcome a calm environment and an atmosphere of trust as well as respect for the Indian citizens living in Pakistan.
The ongoing energy equations between India and Pakistan have been a major headache for the Pakistani government. India is a major user of energy from Pakistan and supplies about 17% of the gas consumed in Pakistan. The export of gas to India has become a major issue in bilateral relations with Pakistan. The external trade can be a major issue for India with Pakistan as energy deals have been discussed and finalized, but the implementation needs to be smooth. The security situation in Afghanistan is also a significant problem for both the countries. The foreign policy of both the countries is based on a commitment to stabilizing the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.