GD,still relevant ?

Gujral Doctrine(GD) is a milestone in India's foreign policy. It was conceptualised by I.K Gujral in 1996 , when he was at the helm of External Affairs Ministry under Deve gowda's government.

The doctrine proposed that being the biggest country in South Asia , India should extend unilateral concessions to its immediate neighbours without seeking or expecting any reciprocity.The rationale that Gujral gave was ,that since India is surrounded by two hostile neighbours  (China  & Pakistan) thus it becomes imperative on India's part to remain at 'complete peace' with all other immediate neighbours for its own larger interest.

The doctrine basically proposes five-point roadmap to guide India's conduct in South Asia .They are:

1)India should extend to its neighbours ( Bangladesh, Bhutan , Nepal, Maldives , Sri Lanka & Maldives) whatever it can in good faith without expecting reciprocal gesture.

2) No country in South Asia shall allow its territory to be used against the interest of other country in the region.

3)No country should interfere in the internal affairs of other country in the region.

4)Every other country should respect the territorial sovereignty & integrity of each other.

5)All disputes should be resolved through peaceful bilateral negotiations.

It's been several years since the idea was first propounded . Their has been sea of changes in South Asia & the world over & has affected the dynamics in which the world operates, susbstantially. With India & Pakistan even getting into an armed conflict in Kargil , 1999. The repercussions of which resulted in shaping the Indo-Pak ties for generations to  come . On the other hand , there has been an increase in the Chinese incursion along the disputed Macmohan line , thus disrupting the bilateral ties time and again.

Thus, it is evident that the hostility which pressed upon the Doctrine to foreplay hasn't diminished over the years. Hence, the Doctrine's relevance is still in the fray.

Being an emerging economy,it gives India an upper hand in influencing the politics of the region as envisaged in the doctrine. India has been investing heavily in the development of these countries , both state sponsored & private players , thus strategically containing the role of China. The bilateral trade with all these countries has seen an increase in the past few decade. It has helped India in projecting itself as a responsible player & has earned for itself  a 'Big Brother' image.

In exchange of this development ,countries such as Bangladesh has taken seriously India's request to dismantle the terrorist heaven in it's territory. This is nothing but the vision that was projected in the doctrine.


Therefore we see that the GD hasn't , yet, lost it's sheen . With India entering a new decade of reforms on multiple forums , it becomes imminent that there is harmony between India & its neighbour with GD being one of the instrument to achieve that. It is of utmost importance that peaceful co-existence is guaranteed in the region & it is for a responsible player like India to ensure that. It will also help  the country in leveraging the benefit it earns in  the long run.

Pressure or Pressurised Groups ?

The term 'pressure group' originated in USA. A pressure group (interest group or vested group) is basically a group of people who are organised actively for promoting & defending their common interests. It is so called as it attempts to influence the public policy making by exerting pressure on the government. They are concerned with specific programmes & issues & are confined to the promotion & protection of the common interest of their members. Since, their isn't any legitimate instrument to specify the criteria for the membership of such a group , thus many a time different pressure groups end up voicing & highlighting the concerns of their political patriarch.

Pressure groups influence policy-making & policy-implementation through different legal & legitimate methods like lobbying, correspondence, public debating, publicity, propagandising, petitioning etc. Sometimes they take recourse to some illegitimate methods like strikes, violence , corruption which damages public interest and administrative integrity.

Business groups like FICCI & ASSOCHAM representing large industrial & commercial bodies opts for lobbying through their contacts in the government to secure their trading & commercial interests.
The members of these bodies are usually industrialists who have some commercial interests in varied proportions across the country and has also contributed to political parties at different point in time.Thus, it is only obvious to look at them with a ounce of suspicion while they work towards their own interests.

Trade unions works for the rights of industrial workers across the globe but the peculiar feature of trade unions in India is that they all have a political affiliation , either directly or indirectly. Thus they  go hand-in-gloves with their masters up the party line. e,g  INTUC (Congress) , BMS (BJP) , CITU (CPM). The same is true for Agrarian groups as well as Student organisations like ABVP ,NSUI among others.

The religious organisations in India  plays an important part in Indian politics with a majority of decision being decided or getting defeated by  the influence of such organisations . They represent narrow communal interests. Many of them act as source of ideology for established political parties e.g RSS , VHP having a say in the activities and functioning of the BJP.

Tribal organisations active in many economically backward states have from time to time raised demands ranging from reforms to secession from the union and has started indulging in insurgency to achieve so.

The not so well developed pressure groups in India include many Linguistic groups ( which affected the reorganisation of states act), Ideology based groups ( like Chipko movement , Narmada bachao  aandolan) . They,too, have contributed in one way or the other in influencing the activities of the government from time to time. In spite of having achieved some success ,most of the pressure groups active in India have come under scrutiny mainly caused due to their structure  & functioning.

The NCRWC(2002) in its report noted that, communal & inter-group riots in a country like India can't just be attributed to law & order failure on part of the state but it is the manifestation of collective behavioral disorder. Thus, appropriate legal & administrative measures must be taken to contain it. Thus , it becomes imperative for the pressure groups functioning in India to come out of their sectarian interest & desire for short time gain and agree upon common national purposes.Unless they don't shun away from the political influences they carry it will be extremely difficult to strengthen the democratic fabric.