Modi’s invitation to leaders of SAARC countries to attend the swearing-in ceremony was warmly received and signals that good relations with neighbouring countries will be the basis of India’s economic thrust in the near future. Looking ahead, bilaterals with other key countries such as U.S, China, Japan and Israel will also need to be strategically conducted. Neelam Deo, director at Gateway House and former diplomat, comments on next steps with these countries.
Statement:
U.S.
“India’s relations with the U.S have suffered some setbacks recently. There are a number of pending proposals in areas such as defence, trade and investment, high technology and energy, among others. Although Obama has invited Modi to visit, it would help if a gracious way is found to countermand the unprecedented cancellation of his earlier visa. A high-level presidential envoy could iron out some of these folds in the bilateral as it currently stands.”
China
“China is a valued economic partner for India. However, the commercial exchanges will invariably hit a ceiling unless attention is paid to the differences on the India-China border. Resolution efforts have been diluted due to repeated meetings which yielded little. China must take the initiative to reassure the Indian public and move the resolution process forward.”
Japan
“Abe and Modi have often been compared and the similarities between them have been widely discussed – it is therefore expected that they will have productive interactions. Japan has been generous in their assistance to India with projects such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Hopefully, more investment and high-technology from Japan will be forthcoming. India needs to have close and frequent consultations on strategic issues with Japan, and take advantage of its willingness to share its high-technology capacity and weapons such as the US-2 amphibian aircraft.”
Israel
“The India-Israel relationship has benefitted from the improved U.S-India relationship. There is much to gain for India in areas of high-technology, agriculture, and biomed, among others. However, the situation in the Arab world has become more complex – India must remain sensitive to the crisis of the Palestinians, and consult closely with partners in the Arab world.”
For more information or interview requests, please contact Reetika Joshi at joshi.reetika@gatewayhouse.in.