India's 'neighbourhood first' policy gets a boost amid diplomatic push

India has stepped up its ‘neighbourhood first’ outreach in recent weeks.

 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar concluded a two-day visit to Bhutan on Thursday that focused on strengthening connectivity and energy cooperation between the two neighbours, while Rajnath Singh visited Sri Lanka from September 8-10, the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to the island nation in 38 years.

 

Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle is currently visiting India. On Friday, he met Jaishankar and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. India conveyed its continued support for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts in Nepal after the recent flash floods, which have claimed over 1,400 lives as of September 18. 

 

 

Meanwhile, New Delhi and Dhaka are discussing dates for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s visit to India later this year as they strive to repair ties. Rahman skipped India’s invitation to attend the recently-concluded Brics Summit in New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said it had seen media reports about the Bangladesh government’s intent to review bilateral agreements signed during the tenure of former PM Sheikh Hasina. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, however, pointed out that Dhaka has not officially conveyed anything to New Delhi on this, and that India will take actions necessary to protect its interests. He said that the joint rivers mechanism is continuing to hold technical level meetings on all water-sharing issues, including the 30-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty that ends in December.

 

New Delhi on Friday said that Maldives successfully settled the final tranche of $50 million in treasury bills on September 17. This was part of a total of $150 million subscribed by the State Bank of India (SBI), with India absorbing the entire $45 million in interest settlement. Jaiswal said the SBI had subscribed to the treasury bills since 2019, extending them six times, each for a year, until now. He said that while the principal amount was paid by the Maldivian government, the interest payment of all the $150 million treasury bills over the past five years was borne by the India. “The total amount paid by India in interest settlement was close to $45 million,” Jaiswal said. India has also extended a ₹30 billion currency-swap facility to Maldives to support the Maldivian financial system. In addition, India has subscribed to $350 million worth of T-Bonds which are valid till 2029 and 2030, Jaiswal said.

 

He added that Jaishankar and his Bhutanese counterpart inaugurated and launched five development projects, including the Jaganathan Bridge in eastern Bhutan, and groundbreaking and foundation stone laying of the 500 kilowatt Lunana Hydropower Project. India-Bhutan energy cooperation in the last couple of years has included the inauguration of the 1,020 megawatt (Mw) Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (HEP) and signing of its tariff Protocol, and the resumption of dam construction of 1,200 Mw Punatsangchhu-I HEP. India and Bhutan have also signed the agreement on a concessional line of credit of ₹4,000 crore for energy projects in Bhutan.

 

                                  MEA rejects Pak’s ship collision allegations 

 

India on Friday strongly rejected Pakistan’s allegations regarding a collision between a Pakistani vessel and an Indian Navy warship in the Arabian Sea. New Delhi on Wednesday had summoned the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires and lodged a strong protest over the “unacceptable conduct” by the Pakistan Navy vessel that led to the collision. “We have seen Pakistan's response to the protest we had lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his regular media briefing. The Indian ship INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian sea when Pakistani naval ship Hunain conducted itself in an “unacceptable and unprofessional manner” at sea that resulted in the collision, he added.                                                                                                                                                                                           PTI