LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5130
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2019
RELATION WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES
5130. SHRI MANISH TEWARI:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of India’s proposed approach towards its neighbouring countries in the next five years;
(b) the details of Government’s policy underlying the phrase ‘generous policy’ and ‘incentivise cooperation’ by often stepping out and not emphasizing too much on reciprocity in the context of the neighbourhood used by the Minister in his address to a recent
event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry;
(c) whether this policy would be applied across the board to all countries in India’s neighbourhood or would there be some exceptions; and
(d) if so, the details in this regard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) to (d) The Government of India attaches high priority to our relationships with our neighboring countries. India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ focuses on creating mutually beneficial, people-oriented, regional frameworks for stability and prosperity.
India is an active economic partner of its neighbours and is involved in a large number of development projects in these countries. Our engagement with these countries will continue to be based on a consultative, non-reciprocal and outcome-oriented approach,
while focussing on delivering benefits like greater connectivity, improved infrastructure, stronger development cooperation in various sectors area, security and broader people-to-people contacts.
India’s engagement with our neighbouring countries also takes into consideration the prevailing situation in our bilateral relations.
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