INTERVIEW: India relations developing well: expertBy Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporterSentiment between Taiwan and India has warmed considerably during the five years of the New Southbound Policy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is a need for deeper engagement in mid-level political and academic circles, a visiting expert on Taiwan-India relations said on Friday. Since Taipei for the first time made India a key facet of its foreign relations under the New Southbound Policy, the most significant advancement has been in external outreach, Hashmi said. “If you look at the leadership of Taiwan, you would realize that there is this warmth toward the New Southbound Policy countries, and specifically India,” she said. However, while outreach and some basic exchanges have increased, there is still a lot that could be done under the framework of the New Southbound Policy, she said. While some criticize the New Southbound Policy as being aimed against China, one of its strengths is its ability to minimize China’s specter over Taiwan’s foreign relations.

Source: Taipei Times August 29, 2021 15:56 UTC