Neighborhood First: Why Nepal and Maldives Are Giving India a Headache

It’s a classic trope: the big brother syndrome. India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy sounds great on paper, but implementing it has been messy. Look at Nepal—we have deep cultural ties, open borders, and hydropower projects. But there’s also a massive trust deficit. The border disputes in Kalapani, the constant political flip-flopping in Kathmandu—it’s exhausting. And then there’s the Maldives. The whole ‘India Out’ campaign was a wake-up call. For years, we assumed the region was our backyard. But China stepped in with infrastructure projects and soft loans that we couldn’t or wouldn’t match. We are now scrambling with the UDAN flights and connectivity projects to win back influence. But it’s a tough lesson: being the biggest doesn’t automatically make you the favorite neighbor. Sometimes, you have to listen more and dictate less.