Theme : “The New Normal: Multilateralism in a multipolar world”
Important Outcomes:
- Outlined government’s foreign policy from May 2014 and also referred to differences with China, and India’s close partnerships with the US, Russia and Japan.
- Pakistan and Terrorism: Pakistan must walk away from terror for dialogue with India as India alone cannot walk the path of peace.
- Peaceful South Asia: India remained committed to vision for a “peaceful and harmonious” South Asia, and neighbourhood first.
- Globalisation: Growing sentiment against trade and migration and rising parochial and protectionist attitudes are putting globalisation’s gains at a risk.
- China: It has unprecedented business and commercial opportunities for India. However, rising ambition and festering rivalries (in Asia) are generating visible stress points such as freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
- CPEC: The ambitious $45 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connectivity project cannot override sovereignty as it runs through disputed parts of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
- United States: US administration led by Donald Trump and India will further focus on building bilateral relationship.
Related Notes: