From Prime Minister Nehru to Narendra Modi, India has been witnessed many changes in its 70 years-long ongoing journey. The country which had started its traverse from consolidating its provinces, rebuilding infrastructure, and combating poverty is now stationing its naval ships in some world’s most strategically important sea routes. So why and how they are doing this despite having many major internal troubles?
Well, It’s all started with war, a war that changed the whole game plan of this region. To grasp the aggression and thirst of this vast country, we have to turn some pages of history back to 1962. This was the time when Nehru led Congress government was in power and the rising Chinese regime had opened its all front war on India for only showing its sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. At that time India was not prepared for this brutal attack and faced a very humiliating loss owing to its pessimistic approach. An approach of its external policy of not to upset China. This war hits India very hard and forced them to rebuild their defensive structure and external policies. Despite substantial advances in military infrastructure still, the Indian leadership had no plans to vie with its rivals until the Indira Gandhi came to power. This was the era when this country had shaped its foreign policy for the first time in its post-independence history for performing their lust for regional hegemony. For the first time, PM Indira Gandhi intervene militarily in eastern Pakistan to free Bangla speaking Muslims and shattered Pakistan’s sovereignty by forming Bangladesh despite the US’ retaliation fears. This shows the great policy shift of India which many dubbed ‘Forward foreign policy’, a key for regional hegemony.
Now, the world has changed, and the economic clout of this country has also changed. The gigantic economy of India is now giving the Indians more space to uplift this dream to the next level. Also, Modi led BJP government had come to power in the name of reestablishing India, again as a world power. As expected the foreign policy got a dramatic boost in the first two years of the Modi government. He has changed it from a defensive perspective to offensive defense to break the stereotype of Indian foreign policy of not upsetting other nations to fulfill India’s interests.
The fear of upsetting other states has been haunted the Indian foreign policy for several decades until the Modi government shattered this fear. As a result, India which was once equivocal on the Israeli relations is now setting milestones in the Indo-Israel relationship. Moreover, not only on external policies, they are likewise dealing with their long-pending internal issues the way they want. India’s bold decision over Kashmir and CAA has sparked much criticism but showing us the prime examples of their tailored policies.
As we have discussed earlier India’s pessimistic approach of not upset China is now goes into vain. So, now the Indian administration is investing billions of dollars in building the infrastructure of the most disputed territory of the region which once triggered the Indo-Sino war. Drawing the trajectory of renowned hegemony near Arunachal Pradesh (which the Chinese claims as to the part of Tibet) Indian government has given a nod to the several strategically important projects. These changes help India make a stern grip over the region and to show the world about its clear stand over the state. This time to deliberately upset China, the Indian PM Modi has visited AP three times since he was elected in 2014. India not only wants to show its expansionist policy by deploying the heavy army on its disputed territories but also by playing smart political moves in the region. Besides this, they have also made it mandatory for every union minister to visit this state at least 4 times a year. This aggressive presence of India is firmly cemented by the major projects announced for the North-East region. The recently inked pact for the development of 44 strategic roads worth 210 billion dollars has raised red brows in China.
Despite the concerns of China, India is pumping billions of dollars in making trans-Arunachal two-lane highway to the Bahlukpong-Tawang railway line. Moreover, the ambitious projects like Varak, Arunank, Brahmank & Udayak has suggested the concrete policy of the government in their disputed lands. Recently in a research paper published by the Institute of Defense Studies & Analysis which is largely funded by the Indian Ministry of Defence has revealed that for a long time, India favored ‘Lack of roads in the state as a defense mechanism to stop Chinese troop movement into mainland India. It changed suddenly with the arrival of PM Modi in power whose ideology is more focused on restoring Indian civilization to its zenith.
Developing the North-East region means a lot to India as it can help to boost its trade with the ASEAN Countries. Whereas, it can also be the sole reason to contain the rise of China in South East Asia. As of writing, India’s trade with ASEAN countries stands at roughly 82 billion dollars which is nearly 3 fold smaller than of China. So, to boost its economic activity with ASEAN it can be fruitful for India to open its doors from the least developed North-East region.
The country’s rising influence can also be seen on many international platforms. While whether it was the Balakot which India did to show the world their military power or Doklam standoff which India confronted for Bhutan to contain the Chinese encroachment in the region. On both matters, the world community supported India and declared these steps as a move to save India’s sovereignty. But here is a catch in these two plots. This was the second time when India had used its military power outside of its soil to challenge its rivals including China for its integrity and interest in the region. This showed the major policy shift from backward to forward.
Apart from military power, India also wants to contain the rise of China in small nations by providing them loans on nearly interest-free terms. According to the Indian version, they have extended lines of credit policy to some 63 countries which also consist of Russia. Due to which they are now staging more challenge to China in Africa, where the soft power of India prevails over the gigantic Chinese investments. However, the separate policy for the African continent is still under the table.
From African desert politics to smartly orchestrate the influence of sea routes has drawn the new picture of India in the Indian ocean. India knows how to cut off the Chinese energy requirements in the time of any conflict as they realized it is not practically possible to compete for head-on with the gigantic Chinese navy. Nevertheless to contain People’s liberation navy’s presence in the Indian ocean India deployed its Navy and Aircraft in the strategically important Andaman and Nicobar islands. This deployment has raised many concerns from the Xi’s regime.
Furthermore, India also inked a deal with Indonesia to access its strategically important port of Sabang near the chokepoint of the Malacca Strait. The figures which this strait shared has more to speak than just reading. According to WTO, last year around 80% of the crude of China was shipped through this chokepoint. So, getting the access to a port near to this strait has given India an edge over China in the Indian ocean. Now, India can cut the supply of the oil and energy of China by deploying its naval ships around the chokepoint. The rising influence of the Indian navy in the Indian ocean has also attracted Vietnam to urge India to make its presence in the highly disputed South China Sea. The offer of Vietnam has more strategic importance than simply the economic one. Vietnam wants the Indian navy presence in the disputed South China Sea to oppress the presence of China in the region. This development can serve as a boost to its foreign policy to expand its interest globally rather than only limited to the Indian ocean.
The Indian perspective of new foreign policy is hedging its footprint deep into the ‘new world order’ to achieve its ambitions. The forward foreign policy is coming with even more aggression as displayed by the PM Modi after Turkey’s tough stance over Kashmir and CAA. PM Modi retaliated by visiting Turkey’s trio-rivals Cyprus, Greece & Armenia. The intensity of the retaliation can be comprehended by the PM Modi’s stern stance over the sovereignty and unity of the Northern and Southern Cyprus. Furthermore, India is also selling its strategically important military equipment to one of Turkey’s main rival Armenia. These developments are new to the middle east and Europe but suggested India’s new foreign policy is growing aggressively.
