India and the island states CENJOWS 12 Dec 19

India and the island states CENJOWS 12 Dec 19

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https://cenjows.gov.in/article-detail?id=227
India and the island states CENJOWS 12 Dec 19
Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Seychelles are four island states with whom India should have had excellent relations. India has always in some form been involved with them. During the 1980s, India’s military or intelligence service helped ward off coup attempts in Mauritius (1983), the Maldives (1988), and Seychelles (1986). India also jumped into Sri Lanka’s civil war against Tamil separatists with disastrous consequences. India has also been accused of meddling in the last Sri Lankan elections. Over time, nations began to view India as a big brother, with suspicious interests, rather than friendly relations. This has slowly begun to change.
President Abdullah Yameen, the last president of Maldives, directed India to withdraw its two Dhruva helicopters gifted to the island in 2013. He moved closer to China and permitted China to invest in the country, developing ports and airports. Post his losing the elections, China announced that the country owed USD 3.4 Billion to it. The nation turned to India for support. India has offered an aid of USD 1.4 Billion.
The earlier Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, presently the prime minister, ended his term owing almost USD 13 Billion to China and left the incoming government of Sirisena with little option but to hand over the Hambantota port on lease to China. Sri Lanka also dislikes the fact that India considers itself as a stakeholder in the Tamil issue within the country. He stated, ‘I am confident we will build a strong relationship based on mutual respect and shared values.’
In Seychelles, India overcame opposition resistance and finally signed a deal for jointly developing a port on Assumption Island. This was agreed to, after India gifted a Dornier aircraft and a USD 100 Million defence line of credit. The re-elected Mauritian Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, visited India last week. India has been investing in the development of the country. India has always considered Mauritius as an extension of India, due to its large population of Indian ethnicity, but it is anything but this. The nation is aware of its strategic location and hence would need to be addressed accordingly.
In all these island countries, India is battling Chinese influence. China has funds to offer, India on the other hand is willing to extend support and security alongside economic development. Chinese influence can impact Indian security concerns and hence India seeks to counter it. The fact that heads of state of all these countries choose India as their first port of call, post coming to power, itself indicates that they desire Indian support, failing which they would be compelled to turn to China, the other major player in the region.
Gotabaya made this clear when he hinted that if India hesitates to provide economic support, it would be compelled to join the Belt Road Initiative. There is no doubt that island nations play a major balancing act between India and China, while exploiting both for their benefit.
Indian diplomatic outreach backed by security interests and support, including patrolling their large Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), has won them over. Jaishankar, the Indian foreign minister was the first to arrive in Columbo, post the elections and invite the newly elected President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa to Delhi. In Maldives, PM Modi attended the swearing in ceremony of the current President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
The Modi government also launched ‘Security and growth for all the region’ (SAGAR). This was specifically aimed at the Indian Ocean island states. This increased Indian economic support to these countries. The reason for increased Indian success has been that Indian actions to win back these states has been led by the top leadership. Further, these nations are equally concerned about growing Chinese power, including their fishing boats which transgress into their EEZ. They neither have the naval power nor finances to monitor their own region, hence support from India is always welcome.
India has over the years been offering training courses to these countries. This has helped as the rising echelon in their armed forces are Indian trained. Gotabaya, the current Sri Lankan president, is an alumni of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School and the Defence Services Staff College in India.
A major reason for the nations seeking alternate sources of funding, mainly from China, is to reduce its dependence on one country. India’s big brother approach is always a concern with its smaller neighbours. This fear needs to be set aside, with India indicating that it has no interest in their internal politics and would support whichever government is in power. This would enhance confidence and trust. It should also seek to settle EEZ disputes with Island nations at the earliest.
India has taken the lead in winning back crucial nations in the Indian Ocean Region from Chinese influence. It may not be able to support them to the level they desire alone. While it would continue to provide them with limited funding and meet their security and training concerns, it would need the backing of likeminded nations, which seek to counter growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean. This support should flow from France, India and US combined, nations who together seek to keep China away from the Indian Ocean Region. Unless this trilateral group joins in supporting these Island nations, Chinese power and influence would continue to grow.
Pakistan is also seeking to enhance its engagement with these countries. Its army chief visited Maldives during the earlier regime and sought to enhance security ties with them. Their foreign minister, Qureshi, rushed to Columbo and briefed Gotabaya on Kashmir and discussed measures to enhance trade. India remains ahead of them in its relations. This should continue.
Further, nations like Australia, which face similar Chinese threat in their vicinity need to adopt the Indian model. India changed the outlook of nations in its vicinity, which itself is a success story. More important is to continue with its engagement and keep Chinese influence at bay.

About the Author

Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar

Retired Major General Indian Army