We are living in what has been called an Asian century. This title was used by some academicians in the international arena, but today it is used mostly by Asians. Over the last few decades, Asian nations, including India, launched themselves along high-growth trajectories leading to a discernible eastward shift of global political and economic centres of gravity. This has increased their weight and profile in international relations and enhanced their capacity to influence global events. Hence, the new slogan.
But this has also created unprecedented challenges for policy makers and strategic establishments that have to grapple with difficult and often unfamiliar problems. One is the need to put in place policies and measures that make the trajectory of high growth sustainable over time. Historical experience suggests caution in accepting projections of continuous growth. The second is the need to deal with an inevitable backlash. Shifts in the global balance are not necessarily welcome to those at the losing end, even if they only lose in relative terms...
These are challenges that cannot be overcome by any one organisation. Multiple strands of thought, multiple perspectives and multiple courses of action have to be taken into account and woven together into composite solutions. “India’s Neighbourhood: Challenges in the Next Two Decades” — the document that is being launched today — needs to be viewed in this perspective.
The promotion of a politically stable and economically secure periphery is a paramount foreign policy objective for India. This is essential to deal with the challenges of fostering sustainable growth and to ensure that regional differences cannot be exploited by those who would keep us absorbed in disputes... We are also conscious of the currents of globalisation and the need to take advantage of global trends in political economy. We believe that common South Asian interests must factor in the policy-making process of South Asian nations. A South Asian Economic Union is a distant dream, but even an expanded set of economic connections will not only transform the economies of South Asia, but will be a force for political stability.
I would be stating the obvious in reiterating that there are very few areas of the world where the benefits or logic of regional cooperation are as obvious as in South Asia. But it is also a fact that there are very few regions where the challenges in creating the structures for regional cooperation are so daunting.
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This places South Asian problems in a peculiarly difficult position. Even as we attempt to surmount the challenges that history has imposed upon us, we are being called upon to confront a new generation of problems, the problems of the 21st century. For example, the difficulties in demarcating borders are now accompanied by a completely different set of issues that arise from the growing irrelevance of borders in a globalised world.
Demographic trends are producing a South Asia that is young and has high expectations. The so-called demographic dividend, if not managed properly, can turn into a demographic nightmare. Governments unable to cope with these expectations will turn their nations into fragile or weak states, which will create challenges of the kind the international community is already struggling to cope with. The dividing line between terrorists and trans-national criminals is disappearing and access to technology is increasing the dangers that they pose...
One of the major issues identified by the report is the rapidity with which change is taking place in South Asia. Policy makers and practitioners operate in an environment where the unexpected is the norm. Policy and responses have to be constantly updated to ensure that we do not apply 20th century solutions and mindsets to 21st century problems. The democratic upsurge mentioned by the director general is one of them. We can best influence this by being an example — rather than trying any policy presumption.
We also have to be mindful that South Asia does not exist in isolation. This year marks two decades of India’s engagement with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and a commemorative summit will be held in New Delhi in December this year. It also marks 20 years of India’s policy of connecting with Central Asia. Our exceptionally close ties to the Gulf region need no elaboration. We are also building an Indian Ocean Littoral community. Our engagement with all these regions is progressing rapidly and it is apparent that many problems and opportunities presented in this report need not just a South Asian perspective, but have to be seen from a trans-regional angle...
The document ends by declaring that South Asia is at a crossroads. We are presented with threats and opportunities, strengths and weaknesses. It is identifying them and suggesting a policy framework to address them that this report has added value to the ongoing discourse on improving linkages within South Asia...
I would like to conclude by noting that the ministry of external affairs has not been entirely reactive. Nor have we let the acute shortage of resources stop us from taking some proactive steps. We have created bureaus within our ministry that deal with emerging issues. We have stepped up recruitment of personnel into the Indian Foreign Service. We have also increased the intake from other services and backgrounds to build in-house expertise on non-traditional areas. We are funding an increasing amount of academic research across India on foreign policy issues. We understand that domestic factors will influence policy towards our neighbours and have created a presence in state capitals through branch secretariats. We have created a development partnership administration that will look into optimising the programmes that are being devised for development cooperation with our partners in the developing world, particularly with our neighbours. Visa regimes and consular issues remain a challenge, but receive our constant attention.
Excerpts from a speech by Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai during the launch of the book, India’s Neighbourhood: Challenges in the Next Two Decades, at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, in New Delhi on July 13
