Modi and the World

The following sections are included:

• Contents
• About the Editor
• About the Contributors
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Overview of the Sino–Indian Rivalry
• The Military Dimension
• Foreign Policy
• Conclusion

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• The Trajectory of the India–Australia Relationship over the Last Decade
• Developments in the Political and Security Relationship Under the Modi Government
• A New Economic Partnership?
• The India–Australia Relationship Under Modi: Continuity and Change

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• A Bold New Approach of Engaging the United States
• Promoting Asian Security
• Expanding Defence Diplomacy
• Enduring Constraints
• More Continuity, Less Change?

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Historical Background
• Modi and Abe’s Cooperation Initiatives: Common and Complementary Interests
• Conclusion

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Milestones and Prisms
• The Genesis of a Dispute
• Riding Two Horses
• Brinkmanship and Prudence
• New Realities and a New Leader
• Economic, Political and Strategic Avenues

Prime Minister Modi launched his foreign policy with ‘neighbourhood first’ initiative. Under this initiative, he invited all the executive heads of the neighbouring countries to his swearing-in ceremony on 26 May, 2014. An atmosphere of regional cooperation and harmony was created with Modi’s one-on-one talks with other South Asian leaders amid mutual promises to build regional synergies and cooperation.

Before we look into the progress of Modi's “neighbourhood first” initiative closely, it will be useful to briefly outline India's neighbourhood policy.

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Modi’s External Engagement: Flavour and Patterns
• External Engagement: Objectives and Economic Drivers
• Challenges Ahead

We are witnessing a remarkable transformation of India’s foreign policy in recent years. Rising India’s economic clout and recent changes in India’s external environment have uplifted India’s status globally. India now stands at a critical juncture, preparing herself to become a responsible stakeholder in the emerging global and regional economic and security architecture. Realising the virtue of India’s geographical location at the heart of the Indian Ocean, the Indian government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, has laid out a comprehensive framework for India’s engagement in its maritime neighbourhood. India is preparing to take a larger responsibility for securing the Indian Ocean and promoting regional mechanisms for collective security and economic integration. This chapter focusses on the Modi government’s approach towards the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The following section gives a brief background to set the context, and then highlights India’s maritime interests. Finally, it discusses current government’s policy and plans toward the Indian Ocean and its maritime neighbours. The Modi government has adopted a new policy thrust in India’s maritime neighbourhood and if PM Modi succeeds to plug the gap between good ideas and its implementation, India could restore its sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean.