Former Prime Minister of India Dr. Gujral gave one famous principle called the Gujral Doctrine about our foreign policy while dealing with our neighbourhood. This principle (Gujral Doctrine) states that we should help our neighbours in all circumstances without any expectation in return.
This principle looks holy, liberal and almost ideal. In the intellectual Arena, this will be celebrated as a mature approach while dealing with smaller countries, especially neighbours because they have nothing significant to offer in return.
Eventually, this principle proved a disaster when we look at the relationship with our neighbouring countries. These countries have taken India for granted as they know that whatever the situation will be India will always be there to rescue, so they have become careless when comes to reciprocity.
Bad Experience With Our Neighbour
For example, Sri Lanka and Nepal are the best case studies. Sri Lanka took loans from China mindlessly keeping aside India’s security concerns but now after getting trapped in a Chinese debt trap. Now they are again approaching India for help. In the previous government, India was the second choice for the Sri Lankan project.
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Nepal’s case is also not different with unviable project white hell elephants hurting India’s security sentiments. Nepal’s Oli government constantly ignored India’s security concerns and joined the Chinese vagabond. Now those projects have become unviable almost white elephants so they are approaching India to help and open an air corridor for the aircraft to use Chinese airports.
In Maldives, the previous Abdullah Yamini government gave many islands to the Chinese. And also took massive loans but the governments are temporary whereas loans are permanent. Now it’s India’s holy responsibility for no reason to bail out this country from the Chinese claw of debt. Now the recent government of Mohamed Muizzu in the Maldives is again the ultra pro china so India should be ready to help in the form of add or line of credit in future.
The major reason for this betrayal is no demand for reciprocity. India is so much available for these countries that it has been taken for granted. Whether it is vaccine matri or other disaster reliefs, India has fulfilled its role as a responsible neighbouring country.
Smaller countries have mastered one skill in foreign policy that they know how to play between India and China. Blackmailing has become a tool for their foreign policy and India is more vulnerable to this blackmailing because these things are happening in India’s neighbourhood.
Why Gujral Doctrine Needs To Be Revisited
This is a natural law that if we are too approachable, we will lose our importance. There should be some sense of fear of missing out on our neighbour’s part when it comes to mutual engagement. This message should be loud and clear that there are no free lunches.
Foreign policy is not different from the individual relationship. Unless India does not turn its policy into transactional and forces others to bring something to the table, India’s concerns will not be taken seriously.
China is doing the same, there are no free lunches from China. Relationship with China is like a party on a credit card. You have to pay back the amount with an interest. Smaller countries have mastered one skill in foreign policy that they know how to play between India and China. Blackmailing has become a tool for their foreign policy and India is more vulnerable to this blackmailing because these things are happening in India’s neighbourhood.