Then, they will not hesitate to take a position on ‘merit’, as they saw it fit-even if it were to go against Indian concerns and interests. They will be with India if it did not concern them, but will drift away if they thought that they too had a stake. But for the Indian strategic community to assume that they would then pledge their permanent loyalty to India-as different from considered support on issues-is not just on. Sovereignty, core asset: The Indian initiative now, apart from being warmly reciprocated, will be remembered for long, both by governments and the people of these countries. ![]() However, truth be told, for many of them, Covid may have come as a blessing, to cover their national sin of unrestricted borrowing-more especially from that global lender of the first and last resort, China. Yes, they did not provide for the pandemic to upset their calculations. ![]() They are now caught in the soup of the second kind, having passed the first one long ago-often without thinking. So would they be damned if they borrowed heavily from wherever big money could flow, if only to ensure development, growth and peace in their nation. They would be damned if they do not ensure human security to Western standards. It could not have been avoided under contemporary circumstances, in which growth and development have become the yardstick for measuring democratic dividends and ensuring peace and political stability at the national level. Most of them were anyway living beyond their means. Yet, it can be misleading for any Indian to jump to the avoidable conclusion that playing Good Samaritan would bring in the richest of strategic dividends for the nation in political and geo-strategic terms, especially vis a vis China with its cheque book on the one hand and bounced cheques from these nations on the other. Not only did India respond to neighbourhood requests for help and assistance, starting with face masks, testing kits and ventilators in the early stages of the outbreak, it also volunteered such assistance, with Modi calling each one of his counterparts to reiterate the Indian commitment of help but also to know from them what exactly each nation needed at a given point in time. In a sense, the Covid-19 pandemic, the 21st century curse of mankind, provided an occasion for India to stand by Prime Minister Modi’s call and commitment. ![]() To that extent, after certain hiccups and seeming forgetfulness on occasions, New Delhi has been consistent in extending a helping hand to individual neighbourhood nations on a variety of issues on various occasions. India has been at it for long, but the post-Cold War, post-globalisation phase set the pace for incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commence his reign in 2014 with his Neighbourhood First policy, in word, deed and thought. Though the two adages are independent of each other, emanating from the two ends of India that is Bharat and in two of the world’s ancient languages, yet they say the very same thing: All men are brothers. From an Indian perspective, it is a moment for living by the old national ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in Sanskrit and Yaadhum Oore, Yavarum Kelir in Tamil.
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