India's Strategic Budget: Pakistan on Edge, China Uneasy, Bangladesh's Pride Curtailed
National
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News18•01-02-2026, 22:11
India's Strategic Budget: Pakistan on Edge, China Uneasy, Bangladesh's Pride Curtailed
- •India increases MEA budget by ₹1,600 crore to ₹22,119 crore, signaling a clear foreign policy direction.
- •Funds reduced for Bangladesh (₹60 crore) and Maldives (₹550 crore) due to strained relations and underutilization.
- •Increased aid for Afghanistan (₹150 crore), Nepal (₹800 crore), Bhutan (₹2,288 crore), and Sri Lanka (₹400 crore) strengthens strategic ties.
- •Increased funding to Afghanistan is seen as a move to counter Pakistan's regional influence and provide humanitarian aid.
- •Significant aid to Nepal and Bhutan aims to counter China's growing presence and investments in these Himalayan nations.
Why It Matters: India's MEA budget reflects a strategic foreign policy, rewarding allies and signaling shifts to others.
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