India has not always been nimble in responding to crises brewing in its neighbourhood. For once, it has given itself the opportunity to flip that narrative through proactive diplomacy. The external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, visited the Maldives over the weekend and is currently in Sri Lanka, two Indian Ocean neighbours where the governments are under pressure. In the Maldives, the former president, Abdulla Yameen, is leading a growing movement under the banner of ‘India Out’, criticizing the administration of the current president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, for its close relations with New Delhi. Mr Yameen and his supporters allege that Mr Solih’s government has allowed India to deepen its military presence on the islands of the Maldives — a charge that both Malé and New Delhi have denied. Ahead of the presidential election next year, the anti-India campaign could emerge as a divisive battle cry. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is grappling with its worst economic crisis since independence, with a desperate shortage of foreign exchange reserves leaving it on the brink of major loan defaults later this year. Colombo, which until recently refused to take help from the International Monetary Fund, is insisting that it will find ways to pay back what it owes foreign lenders. Mr Jaishankar has promised Indian help to senior leaders in Sri Lanka.

In the past, New Delhi has, at times, failed to deliver on its promises. This time, it has already committed a $1.5 billion trade credit to Sri Lanka, and another $1.5 billion in similar assistance is under discussion. This, even as China — usually much quicker than India to grab such opportunities — is still negotiating a $1.5 billion credit facility. In the Maldives too, New Delhi has been quick to help: the small nation was among the first to receive Indian vaccines in January 2021. At the height of the pandemic in September 2020, India issued a $250 million soft loan to help the tourism-dependent Maldivian economy survive. Officially, these are marketed as moves rooted in goodwill. In reality, they are cold and calculated strategic investments in a neighbourhood where China and India are vying for influence. There is nothing wrong with that. But India must remember that governments come and go. Where China has often failed and India must not is in genuinely convincing the people of the Maldives and Sri Lanka that New Delhi is the friend they want.