India and her neighbors- Part 2

Relation with Neighbors

India has land border with China, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. Southern neighbors are Sri Lanka and Maldives. The relationship between India and its neighboring countries is not good as expected. As India and Pakistan was created out of big British India due to the religion, Hindu dominated India and Muslim dominated Pakistan, both do not have cordial relationship since their independence. With the case of Jammu and Kashmir both have fought 2 wars (1948 and 1965) and regarding the East Pakistan movement  in 1971 (that divided Pakistan into 2 states: Bangladesh and Pakistan). During the Kargil event next large scale confrontation was avoided through international pressure. Though India won all three wars, there is still tension between these countries. Each county points out each other when some terror activities happen.

China occupied Tibet after communist rule in 1949 and Dalai Lama departure in 1959 to India created some misunderstanding between these counties and had a war in 1962 in which China got victorious. Though in recent years there are signs of greater bilateral trade there are still unresolved problems in border demarcation. With the increased economic power both India and China are reflexing muscles to increase influence to neighboring small countries. 

Sikkim was a tiny Himalayan Kingdom (about 5000 square kilometer in area and current population about 200,000  population) bordering Nepal and Tibet. It is to be noted that Sikkim was part of Nepal which was taken by British India after Britain won the war. Since then it was protectorate kingdom. After India gained independence in 1947 India wished to annex it with her but King was main hurdle.With secret manipulation and subversion  using RAW (Research and Analysis, an intelligent agency) India created fissures and political upheavals through Kaji Lendup Dorje. It became republic and subsequently annexed in India in 1975. Many people rebuke person with name Lendup Dorje   if s/he is (or suspected of being) traitor of nation.

Fig.   Srilankan LTTE cadres getting training in India 1984
(Source: Wikipedia)

Srilanka in the Southern corner is state where Ashoka has sent missionary to preach Buddhism 2000years ago. Country is still predominantly Buddhist and temple tooth in Kandy which house relics of Buddha is world heritage sites. During the two decade long armed Tamil conflict in Srilanka, India covertly and overtly trained the members of LTTE (reported to be 20,000) including its head Prabhakaran in Tamilnadu and Chakrata base station. On the other hand with crocodile tear it sent Indian armed force  (IPKF) to contain rebels. This dubious  role also angered LTTE and they took revenge on Indian establishments by killing previous prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. As you sow as you reap. Only after this reprisal, India banned LTTE but  it enjoys support from Tamilnadu state in south. The two decade long civil war  took lives of about 100,000 people, and assassination of president, prime minister and many others. Several round of peace talks were held but were all vain. Finally, LTTE was crushed in 2009 and now Srilankan people can live peace of life. Because of this exposure, India is seen as villian of peace in Lanka.

Bhutan is one county that enjoys good relation with India. This is because of submissal policy of  Bhutan as  both defense and external policy  of Bhutan is governed by India. It borders China in the north but till date it has no formal diplomatic relationship with China. So, some observers regard Bhutan as indopendent not independent. Because of this, many Bhutanese of Nepali origin when  driven away from Bhutan during ethnic cleansing came to Nepal through India.But when they tried to go back Bhutan, India forces stopped them. Please note that Nepal and Bhutan have no direct land mass connection. Bhutanese people wanted multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy same as in Nepal in 1990s but they were labelled terrorist and driven away. About 100,000 people lived in different camps in Eastern Nepal. There were several round of talks between Nepal and India for their safe return in Bhutan. All were vain as Bhutan with the Indian blessings always cheated Nepal. After 17 years in camps, finally third country resettlement program was launched. Now many Bhutanese refugees are settled in USA, Canada, and other countries. They were forced to choose new place as India did not help Nepal to pressure Bhutan for their repatriation. The world so called biggest democracy was showing the crocodile tears again.

Bangladesh and India relationship is also with ups and down. Many Bangladeshi remembered India for its help  in gaining independence from Pakistan. However, the hegemony of India towards Bangladesh is uninvited subject to Bangladeshi people. There are disputes of Farakka Barrage where upper country India controls the Ganges river and also illegal immigration of Bengali people to India.  

Next blog will talk specifically about Indo-Nepal relationship.