Online published on 10 October, 2016.
India's neighbourhood policy has revolved around national security issues and economic development encouraged by its historical strategic culture and furthered by the desire to become a global power. The country's geopolitical and geostrategic location has also prompted New Delhi to pursue unique relations with neighbours. Important turning points in the history of relations have been India's nuclear tests of 1998, the Kargil War of 1999 and the 2001 terrorist attacks in the US and on the Indian parliament. With the background of Gujarat's development model and inspiration from the Gujral Doctrine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a pragmatic and proactive policy of putting the “neighbourhood ficrst”. Nonetheless, India needs a new approach to deal with its versatile neighbours and become a regional economic and political powerhouse.
