As both the countries are poised for the 15th round of military level talks on Friday to find ways to ease tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India on Wednesday made it clear to China that peace and tranquility in border areas is perquisite for bilateral ties.
Making this assertion two days before the Corps Commander level talks in Ladakh, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla also said the relationship has to be based on the "three mutuals" of respect, sensitivity and interest. He also said India wants a good relationship with Pakistan, but it cannot be at the expense of its security. The Foreign Secretary made these observations in an event at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.
"We have made it clear to China that peace and tranquility in the border areas is essential for the development of our relationship. Development of India-China relationship has to be based on 'three mutuals' -- mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest," Shringla said. On ties with Afghanistan, Shringla said India has continued its "special relationship" with the friendly people of that country.
"In response to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, India has decided to gift 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to the people of Afghanistan. The first convoy carrying wheat was flagged off last month from the Attari border," he said. Shringla also said India remains engaged with Myanmar with which it shares a nearly 1,700 km long border. “In our engagement, we have emphasised India's interest in seeing Myanmar's return to democracy at the earliest," he said.
"We remain committed to a relationship that provides for our cooperation with Myanmar in areas of security, economy and humanitarian assistance," Shringla added.
He underlined that neighbourhood comes "first and foremost" in India's foreign policy priorities. "The neighbourhood first policy, at the instance of prime minister, accords highest priority to our relations with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka," he said. "It is these countries - with exception of Pakistan - that we work most closely with," he said adding the countries in the neighbourhood are of special significance to India.
Shringla pointed out that neighbouring countries have direct relevance to India's border states, adding that India realises that its prosperity and growth are linked to that of its neighbours.
"We cannot develop unless our neighbours develop. It was in this spirit that cabinet secretary wrote to all government ministries and departments asking them to accord priority to India's neighbours in their international activities, programmes and projects," he said.
The foreign secretary said mechanisms have been created to enable greater inter-ministerial coordination and enhanced focus on 'neighbourhood first'.