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\u003cp\u003eAlthough the year 2018 was not marked by any major foreign policy developments \u0026ndash; unlike previous signature events including India\u0026rsquo;s sponsorship of the UN\u0026rsquo;s International Yoga Day (2015), the surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir (2016) and the first Indian prime ministerial visit to\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://indiaincgroup.com/india-israel-past-tense-future-perfect-2/\u0022\u003eIsrael\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;(2017) \u0026ndash; India\u0026rsquo;s ability to effectively navigate through the uncertainties and disruptions of the year were notable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIronically, the significant achievement for India\u0026rsquo;s security leadership in 2018 was the ability to retain and renew India\u0026rsquo;s influence in key parts of its immediate neighbourhood, despite a difficult regional security environment and stiff challenges emanating from the expansion of Chinese influence. I deliberately use the term ironic, as for most of the year it appeared that the opposite was true and that India was fast losing out in terms of influence vis-\u0026agrave;-vis China first in the Maldives, then\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://indiaincgroup.com/india-nepal-relations-a-fresh-start-india-global-business/\u0022\u003eNepal\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;and Sri Lanka, and finally in Bangladesh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, India\u0026rsquo;s cautious approach and the leverage of long-standing diplomatic and high-level political contacts with these countries, alongside outreach to key members of the international community, paid off. This finally ensured that free and fair elections were held in the Maldives and the first foreign visit of new\u0026nbsp;president Ibrahim Solih took place to India; that Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s \u0026lsquo;ousted\u0026rsquo; prime minister Ranil Wickremsinghe returned to power despite the opposition of president Sirisena; Bangladesh\u0026rsquo;s elections took place as scheduled and prime minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected as prime minister for the third time; and the first foreign visit of Bhutan\u0026rsquo;s new prime minister Lotay Tshering was to India. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn effect, India\u0026rsquo;s security leadership managed to take a \u0026lsquo;strategic\u0026rsquo; view of neighbourhood developments with a \u0026lsquo;cool head and warm heart\u0026rsquo;. But, what if the reverse were true and India\u0026rsquo;s security leadership was guided instead by a \u0026lsquo;hot head and cold heart\u0026rsquo; and driven only by short-term \u0026lsquo;tactical\u0026rsquo; considerations? Would the outcomes have been the same?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRead the full article in \u003ca href=\u0022/-/media/images/comment/analysis/2019/february/india-renews-influence-in-its-neighbourhood.pdf?la=en\u0026amp;hash=7E86E0115FBBEE8BDC611252EEEBEEEFEDA23F25\u0022\u003eIndia Global Business\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","className":"richtext reading--content font-secondary"}), document.getElementById("react_ChdyGJuV0kirpzh777BFiA"))});
An analysis of India\u0027s key foreign policy developments in 2018, and a look ahead to 2019.
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