The Parliamentary Committee on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has urged the Centre to set up a common platform for countering terrorism under the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. The panel has also urged the central government to continue to engage with global bodies to sensitise them to the role played by Pakistan in fostering terrorism.
The parliamentary committee on the MEA made these recommendations in its twenty-second report on India’s Neighbourhood First Policy. The report was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. Under this policy, the Government focuses on developing friendly and mutually beneficial relations with all its neighbours, based on a consultative and non-reciprocal approach. “In view of the belligerent attitude of Pakistan, the Committee desire that the Government should continue to proactively engage with the regional and multilateral bodies/organisations extensively so as to sensitise them of the role played by Pakistan in fostering terrorism and win their support in the fight against terrorism on its soil,” the Committee says. “Efforts may also be made to establish a common platform for countering terrorism under the Neighbourhood First Policy,” the report adds.
The committee on foreign affairs also urged the government to consider establishing economic ties with Pakistan, despite the diplomatic deep-freeze in bilateral relations.
“Despite the lack of progress on the diplomatic front, the Committee urges the government to consider the establishment of economic ties with Pakistan if they come forward and work towards broader people-to-people contacts in view of the cultural commonalities and civilizational linkages between our two countries and no feeling of enmity amongst citizens of both the countries,” the standing committee said in its report, tabled on Tuesday, on India’s “Neighbourhood First” Policy. It was in 2019 that Pakistan suspended bilateral trade with India after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 and revoked special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Despite this, bilateral trade has continued with an estimated $ 1.35 billion volume in April-December 2022. This figure stood at $ 516 in 2021. In the report presented to the 17th Lok Sabha, the Committee notes that the dividends of the Neighbourhood First Policy have translated into strong support for India in various multilateral fora such as the UN, NAM, Commonwealth, SAARC and BIMSTEC.
“India works in close cooperation with its neighbouring partners in these groupings towards ensuring the security and growth for all in the region,” the report says. Since 2014, India has been successful in securing the release and repatriation of more than 2,700 Indian prisoners including 40 Indian fishermen and 5 Indian civilian prisoners.