The Present government proclaimed its policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and carried out a masterstroke in inviting SAARC leaders, as well as the President of Mauritius, to attend PM’s swearing-in ceremony (in 2014). Similarly in 2019 swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister of India, leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) have been invited. Special attention has been given in terms of development assistance and the efforts to address contentious issues. Concomitantly, effort has also been to strengthen existing regional multilateral organisations.
