Operation Sindoor: A Wake-Up Call for India’s Neighborhood Strategy
On the morning of May 7, 2025, India woke up to the news of “Operation Sindoor”, a series of missile strikes targeting nine sites connected to the terror network inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were in reply to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre in Kashmir, where Hindu tourists were targeted specifically. The Pahalgam attack is attributed to The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Thus, the missile strikes focused on terror camps like Bahawalpur, Mehmoona, Muridke, etc, deep inside the Pakistani territory.
For the past 16 days, India waited with abated breath, seething in anger, seeking to avenge the loss of innocent lives. So, it isn’t like Indians weren’t hoping for this day to come. But, at the same time, May 7 also brings back focus on the Indian sub-continent and the immense security challenges that India faces in its neighbourhood.
Let’s take a look -
China – A Strategic and Military Rival – India has had an unresolved border conflict with China, particularly in the regions like Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. The most recent clash between the militaries on both sides happened in 2020 in the Galwan Valley, which resulted in several casualties on both sides. India views China’s growing influence in South Asia, with projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Although CPEC stares at an uncertain future, owing to the security challenges within the Balochistan region of Pakistan, the upcoming JCC meeting in July 2025 will be critical in deciding the future direction of this project. However, despite border disputes, China is India’s second-largest trading partner, with the trade volume between the two nations being $136 billion in 2023.
Pakistan – A Historic Adversary – India has borne the brunt of Pakistan’s unholy nexus with terrorists and its obsession with Kashmir. Both countries have fought three full-scale wards since India’s partition and birth of Pakistan. Besides, there have been several skirmishes between the two neighbours in the last 7 decades. However, the biggest strain on the bilateral ties has been Pakistan’s clandestine cross-border terrorism policy, which it propagates through Pakistan-based terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The conflict acquires dangerous proportions since both nations are nuclear-armed.
Nepal – Close Ally or Diplomatic Challenge? – Growing Chinese influence in this Hindu Kingdom has given rise to border disputes like Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh. Traditionally and historically, India and Nepal have shared deep, people-to-people, religious, cultural and economic connections. Since 2014, this relationship has been tested on a few occasions. But owing to the fact that Nepal is a very small kingdom amidst two giant nations, it continues to get swayed in one or the other direction.
Bangladesh – From Cooperative to Complex – The irony is that Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 with India’s support. The Islamic groups in the country have remained highly anti-India but the successive Bangladeshi govts have tried to normalize relations with India. In the past 15 years, especially, bilateral relation between India and Bangladesh had improved significantly, with consensus emerging on issues related to Counterterrorism and trade. The two nations had even started working towards a viable solution to the open border in between and the illegal immigrant issue. Unfortunately, in 2024, Bangladesh experienced large-scale political upheaval masked as a students’ movement. Since then, with blatant persecution of Hindus there, and exit of former PM Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh, bilateral relations have continued to deteriorate.
Sri Lanka – Back from the Brink – Again, China played truant in Sri Lanka, and forced it to ignore ancient historical, cultural and economic links with India, to go down that way. The Hambantota Port lease rang alarm bells in India. However, India remained patient and played a stabilizing role for Sri Lanka during the crisis moment. Today, Sri Lanka looks at India as a stable ally and a friend indeed.
Though it would be wrong to say that India is completely surrounded by enemies, the country does face significant security risks with some of its neighbours. The situation in the sub-continent is nuanced, to say the least, and it displays a mix of hostility, cooperation, and competition. As India continues to operate in a hostile and competitive neighbourhood, its foreign policy needs to focus on managing these threats while enhancing regional cooperation.
