prasad1
Active member
India’s Look/ Act East policy is growing a new gateway. Conventional wisdom had Myanmar as India’s lean-in platform for Asia. Bangladesh may be hijacking that role.
While India remains locked in a 1947 relationship with Pakistan and a 1950s one with Nepal, Bangladesh seems to have broken out and India and Bangladesh are taking simple but significant steps towards a new neighbourhood paradigm. The relationship is not problem-free by any stretch of the imagination, neither will it probably ever be. But dawn is breaking.
A big reason for this is a settled land and maritime boundary. The virtually seamless implementation of the land boundary agreement (LBA) on both sides, including movement of people, resettlement, rehabilitation, etc was an enormous confidence booster. India in 2014 accepted the verdict of the international tribunal on the maritime boundary, giving Bangladesh a big chunk of the sea.
Sheikh Hasina has invested in India as well – rolling up many extremist networks that worked with Pakistan’s ISI to target India, returning Ulfa leader Anup Chetia (Paresh Barua remains at large but for that we have to thank China), and driving many other groups out of Bangladesh to other countries. India will fence the border with electronics, lasers and keep a drone-eye open. This may keep illegal migration in check, but is a political vote of confidence.
India is now investing big in Bangladesh. For the first time, three Indian companies have bid for the new port in Payra near Chittagong, four companies are building power plants, LPG, CNG, diesel will be offloaded for Dhaka’s needs as it flows through Bangladesh for India’s northeast, two SEZs will be populated by Indian companies. Train lines are being opened, roads being built, a bridge will be built on Feni river.
If connectivity is the name of the game in Asia, India and Bangladesh are putting stakes in the ground. With a nuclear agreement in place, India will be Dhaka’s consultant as they go for the first nuclear power plant from Russia. By 2020, Bangladesh has a good chance of being power ready.Just as Bangladesh is becoming more comfortable with India, India too is learning to be a better neighbour. For much of India’s history, let’s face it, we have been a rotten one. It’s important that India shows its neighbours that it pays to be friends with us. We won’t solve everything, but at least we won’t be yelling at each other.Don’t expect this evolving dynamic to be an inspiration to either Nepal or Pakistan. If Pakistan is the rogue of the region, Nepal is the spoilt brat. There is a limit to what can be done with both.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatime...&utm_campaign=TOInewHP&utm_medium=Widget_Stry
While India remains locked in a 1947 relationship with Pakistan and a 1950s one with Nepal, Bangladesh seems to have broken out and India and Bangladesh are taking simple but significant steps towards a new neighbourhood paradigm. The relationship is not problem-free by any stretch of the imagination, neither will it probably ever be. But dawn is breaking.
A big reason for this is a settled land and maritime boundary. The virtually seamless implementation of the land boundary agreement (LBA) on both sides, including movement of people, resettlement, rehabilitation, etc was an enormous confidence booster. India in 2014 accepted the verdict of the international tribunal on the maritime boundary, giving Bangladesh a big chunk of the sea.
Sheikh Hasina has invested in India as well – rolling up many extremist networks that worked with Pakistan’s ISI to target India, returning Ulfa leader Anup Chetia (Paresh Barua remains at large but for that we have to thank China), and driving many other groups out of Bangladesh to other countries. India will fence the border with electronics, lasers and keep a drone-eye open. This may keep illegal migration in check, but is a political vote of confidence.
India is now investing big in Bangladesh. For the first time, three Indian companies have bid for the new port in Payra near Chittagong, four companies are building power plants, LPG, CNG, diesel will be offloaded for Dhaka’s needs as it flows through Bangladesh for India’s northeast, two SEZs will be populated by Indian companies. Train lines are being opened, roads being built, a bridge will be built on Feni river.
If connectivity is the name of the game in Asia, India and Bangladesh are putting stakes in the ground. With a nuclear agreement in place, India will be Dhaka’s consultant as they go for the first nuclear power plant from Russia. By 2020, Bangladesh has a good chance of being power ready.Just as Bangladesh is becoming more comfortable with India, India too is learning to be a better neighbour. For much of India’s history, let’s face it, we have been a rotten one. It’s important that India shows its neighbours that it pays to be friends with us. We won’t solve everything, but at least we won’t be yelling at each other.Don’t expect this evolving dynamic to be an inspiration to either Nepal or Pakistan. If Pakistan is the rogue of the region, Nepal is the spoilt brat. There is a limit to what can be done with both.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatime...&utm_campaign=TOInewHP&utm_medium=Widget_Stry
