Making a Difference in Myanmar
May 19, 2012 by Team SAISA
Filed under foreign policy, geopolitics
India stood behind Myanmar since its resumption of ties in 1991 in an era of sanctions discarding global concerns. However, it has failed to generate enough interest in the hermit state to bolster its geo strategic needs, trade and transit. Despite 20 years of bilateral relations in an era where China, Thailand and Singapore were the only major trading partners with a closeted Myanmar, India’s trade with Myanmar stands at a measly $1.3 Billion with a promise to raise it to $3 Billion by 2015. The border trade turnover between India and Myanmar has ranged from US$ 10 to US$ 22 million, which would be higher if informal trade is taken into account.
India’s cultural ties with Burma (now Myanmar) go back a long way. However India and Myanmar failed to put these cultural ties in the right orbit ceding space to China. India’s “soft power” must now be deployed to win over the people of Myanmar who are hopeful now that change is coming. Majority of the population of Myanmar are Buddhists with deep linkages to Indian Buddhist centres. India can bolster its image in Myanmar through cultural exchange programmes between the two countries and promoting tourism. Innovative diplomacy will go a long way in winning the respect of the people of Myanmar.
Now that European Union and Australia have lifted sanctions and the US has eased investment ban the investment and political climate in Myanmar is bound to improve. It is in this backdrop that forthcoming visit of Dr Man Mohan Singh to Myanmar needs to take the right proactive initiatives to bolster the ties to mutual advantage.
India’s laundry list of a failing delivery model in Myanmar is long. There are huge challenges that the two need to surmount. Prominent among these are inability to trade in major international currencies, lack of Indian banks in Myanmar to promote trade, volatility of Myanmar currency Kyat by official exchange rates rather than being governed by market forces, lack of overland trade flow in absence of suitable infrastructure (Moreh is a shame), weak port and shipping links between the two countries and the tardy progress on government projects such as the Kaladan multi modal project to connect Sittwe to North East. Border trade, despite sharing a 1600 KM border, is known more for the illegal trade than the mechanism put in place. Trans border trade has failed to provide any benefit to local people and there are procedural hiccups for obtaining licenses as well. This optimistic government report highlights the extent of cooperation thus far. As per an Asia Times commentary of 2011, “India it seems is its worst enemy in Myanmar. Conditions for an expansion in its role there are ripe. But it will have to pull up its socks if it wants to play a larger role in that country.”
However, considering the slow pace of government projects it is strongly recommended that Dr Man Mohan Singh present a case for enhanced private sector entry in Myanmar in a big way. Dawei SEZ, though under a cloud, is another critical area where India needs to partner with Thailand, Italy and Myanmar to make a significant difference to the strategic and trade concerns of India. China is already eyeing this project to connect it to Kunming apart from the Kyauk Phyu – Kunming route to overcome the Malacca dilemma.
Myanmar has reportedly world’s tenth biggest gas reserves estimated to be more than 90 trillion cubic feet. Myanmar’s oil and gas sector has attracted the largest foreign investment with over 21 companies from 13 countries involved in the sector. The leaders of India and Myanmar agreed in 2011, during President Thein Sein’s India visit, to expand cooperation in oil and gas exploration, open up border trade and speed up the construction of natural gas pipelines. India however remained a mute witness to the construction of $2.5 billion pipeline by China, which will transport Myanmar’s offshore gas and Middle Eastern oil from Kyauk Phyu port in Rakhine state to Kunming in China’s Yunnan province, due for completion in 2013. This report tells the story of India Bangladesh Myanmar gas pipe line. Clearly Myanmar-Chinese relations which have resulted in a Myanmar-China pipeline project have reduced the amount of gas reserves available for export to Bangladesh and India. This should top the charts for talks with Myanmar.
Dr Arvind Gupta of IDSA laments that Indo–Myanmar cooperation in the past has been marred by delays and uncertainty. These delays have cost India productive cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector, where China has been the gainer.
Strategically and economically, Myanmar is the gateway to South East Asia. A six lane highway from Moreh to Singapore would be an ideal arrangement. Development of ports such as Sittwe remains a key component of India’s quest for better trade with Myanmar as it would connect India’s North East. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which provides for a road and inland waterway link from Myanmar’s Sittwe port to India’s Mizoram state, remains tardy on Indian side. India has been slow in reopening the famous Stilwell Road, previously known as the Ledo Road, to connect India’s Assam state with China’s Yunnan province through Myanmar’s Kachin state.
India should invest in capacity building, strengthening of democratic institutions and engagement with civil society. The potential of cooperation in health, education and tourism also need to be utilised. Our limited air connectivity to Myanmar and visa restrictions reflect our disdain in these areas.
Military to military contact and the pursuance of military diplomacy is another area for mutual cooperation. This cooperation is key to stabilising situation along the insurgency infested borders, ensure military hardware transfers and maritime security. The key to developing these relations remains active participation by India in training and equipping the Myanmar military, especially in the field of counter insurgency and maritime cooperation. Despite India’s worst China fears in Myanmar strategically, Myanmar has not allowed itself to be another Pakistan on our East. This needs to be factored in the security scenario.
A new security dynamic is developing in the Bay of Bengal with increased role of China in the security, hydro carbon and trade sectors in its quest to overcome the Malacca dilemma. Ms Clinton’s Dhaka visit has drawn Bangladesh into this great game. India thus needs to see Bangladesh and Myanmar together while playing this game.
India supported Myanmar’s military Junta since 1991, much against the wishes of Suu Kyi, to meet its strategic interests. It would thus be imperative for the Prime Minister to explain these compulsions and willingness of India to leverage the relations to the next level in talks with the NLD leader. India offers the best example of a democratic federal structure duly overseen by the judiciary to Myanmar which is also torn due to a series of insurgencies. The Indian entourage therefore must include chief ministers of the North Eastern States, where insurgencies have been managed by India – a step which would also help combat insurgencies in North East. Myanmar’s rulers could also turn to India for experience in building democratic institutions and processes.
India will be more acceptable to provide technical assistance to Myanmar’s institutions of democracy including the judiciary than any Western country or the United Nations.
The Prime Ministers visit needs to focus on building democracy in Myanmar. Other routes will automatically open up.
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It is wonderful to see such faith in our PM. The fact is this faith is wholly misplaced as he is just a stooge for the Gandhi family and is no longer able or willing to do anything other than what he is told to do. It goes without saying that the Gandhi family has neither the wisdom nor the ability to do anything for this country, even if they wanted to. Their sole aim, iny case, is to protect their power and pelf.
Myanmar was part of British India and has connections with India that go back to the times of early Buddhism. It isnt part of India’s Look East Policy but should be. The MEA has a very poor understanding of India’s global interests and does not realise that “containing China” is better done with a friendly Myanmar. The MEA needs a Military Section to advise it on Geo strategy.
Burmese seek quality and cheap education and India has it. We have made no offer. We need oil and messed up. We need Burma as our Garland; not Burma as part of a Chinese “garland”. Burma needs Indian FMCG goods and we seek markets. Our North East can become main stream only if we open the North East up to SE Asia with a 12 NOT 6 lane highway followed by rail and superior air links.
Wake up India.
I entirely agree with Gen. Raj Mehta’s views. I wonder why India delayed in reaching out to such an important neighbour. Myanmar has a huge Oil & Gas reserves, India (ONGC & GAIL) had to buy from KOGAS (South Korean Gas Co.) The people are very helpful & look at India for future development.
I agree with the previous comments. Problem is much larger than Burma policy. India does not have a geopolitical tradition although British India had a well defined policy based on geopolitics. Nehru was peace talk, was anti-military and anti-power politics while China, Pakistan, USA etc followed the logic of geopolitics. Indian universities have few courses dealing with the subject and Indian ministers and officials are more interested in attending international meetings rather than making a five year plan for strategic affairs. Dr. Manmohan Singh as UPA-2 has taken no initiative either in economic or military affairs. He thinks giving up Saichin will build peace with Pakistan. Kayani and the Chinese leaders are enjoying the Indian confusion.
MEA’s Press note on India-Myanmar Cooperation
Prime Minister’s visit to Myanmar is taking place after a period of 25 years (the last such visit was undertaken by PM Rajiv Gandhi in December 1987) and represents a major landmark in bilateral relations.
2.The visit comes at a time when Myanmar is undergoing rapid transformation towards a constitutional democracy after nearly five decades of military rule. India has built a multi-faceted relationship that has gained further strength under the newly elected government over the last one year. The visit of the Prime Minister will enable us to build on our existing ties and leverage this to secure a stronger and mutually beneficial relationship with a neighbouring country that is integral to India’s ‘Look East’ policy.
3.The visit provides an opportunity to enrich the substance of our relations, both qualitatively and in scope, and lay down a long term vision and roadmap for a mutually reinforcing bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas. In this context, several decisions and announcements on new initiatives in the areas of economic cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, trade and investment promotion, capacity building and human resource development, culture & people to people contacts, and academic exchanges, have been made by the two sides.
4.The projects, inter alia, seek to fill vital gaps in our connectivity and physical infrastructural linkage with Myanmar in the area of highways, railways and civil aviation.
5.During the visit, twelve MoUs were signed. Details of these and other announcements/ decisions during the visit are listed below:
I.Infrastructure and Cooperation Developments
A package of assistance was announced was announced by the Prime Minister during the visit. This includes:
(a)Financial assistance for Border Area Development: The Prime Minister announced India’s support extending financial assistance of US$ 5 million per year for five years for undertaking small developmental projects such as schools, health centres & dispensaries, small roads & bridges, agriculture and agro-processing projects and related training programmes in the Naga Self Administered Zone (in Sagaing Division bordering Manipur) and the Chin State (bordering Mizoram) in Myanmar.
(b)Supply of Bailey Bridges for use in border areas, including in Naga Self Administered Zones to gain access to hitherto accessible areas that would facilitate development of the area.
(c)Construction of Kalewa-Yargyi road sector of the Trilateral Highway:Myanmar side has requested for Indian assistance in the construction/upgradation of the 120 kms of Kalewa-Yargyi road segment as a part of the Trilateral Highway, which also constitutes part of the proposed Asian Highway network. On its part, Myanmar would take up the construction of Yargyi-Monywa road segment. It is estimated that the road would take three years to complete and would allow the proposed Imphal-Mandalay bus service to be operational throughout the year (the road is currently unusable during the rainy season)
(d)Construction/upgradation of 71 bridges along Tamu-Kalewa sector of the Trilateral Highway; The road between Tamu- Kalewa- Kalemyo (TKK), about 160 kms long, in Myanmar has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under the grant assistance of the Government of India. 132 kms have already been completed and handed over to Myanmar in 2009. The remaining 28 Kms is expected to be completed later this year. The Myanmar has requested India for upgradation/ reconstruction of 71 bridges on the TKK Road which are in poor condition and impede the flow of traffic. This would also improve connectivity and facilitate early operationalisation of the proposed Imphal-Mandalay bus service. The project is expected to take three years for completion.
II.CONNECTIVITY
(a)Imphal-Mandalay Bus Service: India and Myanmar have held discussions at the technical level on issues related to introduction of the bus service including the route, frequency, possibility of switching of buses at the border, security, etc. The Prime Minister of India and the President of Myanmar have agreed to introduce a bus service and necessary agreements and infrastructure would be put in place by both sides for operationalising the same at the earliest.
(b)Air: India and Myanmar signed a new Air Services Agreement during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Myanmar. The agreement provides for expansion of air connectivity between the two countries to cover more carriers, flights and destinations. It provides for 5th freedom rights that would enable our carriers to combine their flights to Myanmar with other destinations in South East Asia and elsewhere. The agreement is expected to lead to enhancement of direct flights, including by private carriers, between India and Myanmar.
(c)Railways: Recognising the need and importance of working towards rail connectivity, both sides agreed to the setting up of a Joint Working Group on Cooperation in the Railway Sector to examine the issues involved in enhancing rail connectivity, the feasibility of movement of freight from India to the South East Asian Region and cooperation in the railway sector between India and Myanmar.
III.DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
Building upon the extensive developmental cooperation projects that have been taken up under grant assistance to Myanmar, the following initiatives were agreed to and MOUs signed during the Prime Minister’s visit:
(a)MOU on Setting up of an Information Technology Institute: It has been agreed to establish an IT Institute to be named ‘Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT)’ with India’s assistance. While the physical infrastructure, including building, faculty and technical staff would be provided by the Government of Myanmar, India would supply the equipment, identify a suitable partner institute in India for exchange programs and knowledge sharing, help in formulation of syllabi, course structure, training modules and conduct training programs for the faculty and technical staff through train-the trainer programmes. Indian support in the areas specified would extend for a period of 5 years to enable the Institute to become self-sustaining. Shri S. Ramadorai, PM’s advisor on Skills Development is associated with the Project as advisor for the establishment of the Institute. An MoU on the establishment of the MIIT was signed during PM’s visit. External Affairs Minister of India and the Minister for Science and Technology from the Myanmar side signed the MoU.
(b)MoU on Establishment of Advanced Centre for Agriculture Research and Education (ACARE): Realising the acute need to strengthen agricultural research, education and extension in Myanmar for the overall improvement of agricultural production and productivity, it has been agreed to establish an Advance Centre for Agricultural Research and Education (ACARE) at the Yezin Agriculture University in Myanmar to be implemented by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). The ACARE will have the vision of becoming a 21st century institution using cutting edge science along with traditional knowledge and ecological conservation and will primarily focus on three areas, namely breeding of better quality and high yielding crop varieties, facilitating access to advanced technology and awareness of better farming practices; and capacity building programmes for training faculty, technicians and entrepreneurs in modern methods of research, latest techniques and technology adoption & application. An MoU on the same was signed during the visit. The signatories were the Foreign Secretary from India and the Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation from Myanmar.
(c)MoU on Setting up a Rice Bio: In the context of the centrality of rice in the Myanmar agricultural economy and the importance of producing value-added and market-driven rice and rice-related products that would lead to improving food and income security of small farm families, project has been initiated for setting up a Rice Bio Park demonstrating the various techniques in rice biomass utilisation in the Integrated Demonstration Farm at Nay Pyi Taw. The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), from the Indian side and the Department of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Agriculture of Myanmar (DAR) would be the nodal agencies. The Project is expected to be implemented over a period of four years, involving procurement, supply and installation of all necessary equipment; training of Myanmar personnel in India; deputation of Indian experts for commissioning and for on-the-job training of Myanmar faculty and experts in Myanmar. A MoU on the same was signed during Prime Minister’s visit. Foreign Secretary from India and the Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation from Myanmar side signed the MoU.
IV.TRADE AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION
(a)MoU on Establishment of Border Haats: During the 4th Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting held in New Delhi in September 2011, both sides agreed on the utility of setting up Border Haats at various locations along the India-Myanmar border. The establishment of Border Haats would benefit people living in the area and would function on the lines of Border Haats already in operation on the India-Bangladesh border. The MoU provides for the setting up of a Border Haat on a pilot basis at Pangsau Pass, Arunachal Pradesh and for the establishment of other Border Haats as mutually agreed upon. Foreign Secretary from India and the Deputy Minister for Commerce from Myanmar side signed the MoU.
(b)Cooperation in the Banking Sector: Both sides have agreed to enhance banking arrangements for the promotion of trade. It was agreed that Indian banks such as the United Bank of India and other interested Banks would be allowed to open representative branches in Myanmar; India would extend assistance to Myanmar in training and capacity building in the financial sector; RBI and the Central Bank of Myanmar would enter into an MoU for currency arrangements and for enhancing cooperation between the Central banks of the two countries. It was also agreed that the State Bank of India or other banks as mutually agreed would provide technical knowhow to Myanmar Banks.
(c)MoU on establishment of Joint Trade and Investment Forum: A MOU on the establishment of a Joint Trade and Investment Forum involving representatives from industry and Government to enhance bilateral trade and investments was signed during the Prime Minister’s visit. The MoU provides for the forum to hold meetings annually, alternately in India and Myanmar, and be co-chaired by one senior business leader of each side. The Forum would monitor and review the existing mechanisms for enhancing bilateral trade and recommend specific measures to achieve the bilateral trade target of doubling trade volume, encourage private sector investments; and provide trade facilitation. The MoU was signed by the Foreign Secretary from India and the Deputy Minister of Commerce from the Myanmar side.
V.Economic Cooperation
(a)A MoU on the EXIM Bank’s US$ 500 million Line of Credit to Myanmar: A new concessional facility of US$500 million Line of Credit (LoC) to Myanmar was announced during the visit of Myanmar President in October 2011. A MoU for operationalisation of the Line of Credit was signed between the EXIM Bank of India and the Myanma Foreign Trade Bank. The Myanmar side identified various areas, like agriculture and irrigation, railways, power, etc. to be covered under the Line of Credit.
VI.CAPACITY BUILDING AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
India already has a undertaken a number of projects related to training and capacity building. This has been appreciated by the Myanmar side. During the visit, the Prime Minister announced the following:
(i)Increase in ITEC Slots to 500: Prime Minister announced the doubling of training slots under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme to Myanmar from the current 250 to 500.
(ii)Training Programmes for Myanmar Parliamentarians and staff: A programme for training of Myanmar parliamentarians and staff by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training. The programme is expected to start form June 2012.
(iii)Upgradation of the India-Myanmar Center For Enhancement of IT Skills (IMCEITS) in Yangon: IMCEITS was set up in 2008 with financial assistance from Government of India by C-DAC. Since its establishment, IMCEITS has become a premier institution for advanced ICT training in Myanmar, providing specialised training in disciplines identified by the Government of Myanmar. The Centre is also connected to seven Communication Information Centres through VSAT and has since trained nearly 1300 IT professionals in five ICT courses. It has been agreed that India would assist Myanmar in further upgradation of the Centre, including its IT infrastructure; supply of course material; training/workshops; and new upgraded programs.
(iv)Assistance in production of large Cardamom in Naga Self Administered zone (NSAZ): On a request from the Myanmar side, Prime Minister announced India’s assistance in the production of cardamom in Myanmar. The Spices Board of India would be involved in implementation of the project that includes technological support for commercial production of large cardamom in the NSAZ to be undertaken over a period of four years. The components of Indian assistance include training farmers/NGOs and officials of Agricultural Department of Myanmar which would be organised in two/three locations, and of duration of two days at each location, supply of quality seeds and support to farmers/exporters in establishing market linkage. The support would be extended for a period of four years.
(v)Training of Myanmar Diplomats in Conference Management: At Myanmar’s request, India has agreed to provide training in conference management and logistics to Myanmar diplomats in the context of Myanmar’s preparation for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2014. In the above context, a training programme is proposed on (i) International Treaties {Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic/Consular Relations, UN (Privileges and Immunities) Act} and (ii) Conference Management. The training is proposed to be in the nature of “Training of Trainers” and conducted for 25-30 participants over 10 working days.
(vi)Setting up of Language Lab and e-Research centre for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar: At Myanmar’s request, Prime Minister announced India’s support for setting up language labs facilities in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon and an e-Research Centre in Nay Pyi Taw for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar. It would assist Myanmar as it prepares to take over the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2014.
(vii)Indian Fellowships for Myanmar researchers in Science & Technology: Pursuant to the Programme of Cooperation in Science & Technology for the period of 2012-15, signed during the visit of the President of Myanmar in October 2011, 10 (ten) new fellowships per year have been instituted for Myanmar Researchers to work in Indian Universities and Research Institutions in the areas of Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Medical Sciences, Mathematical and Computations Sciences, and Physical sciences. These would be offered in the 3 categories- Post Doctoral (6 month), senior fellowship (3-4 months) and visiting fellowship (1-2 months).
(viii)Gifting of Rice Silo at Model Integrated Farm, Nay Pyi Taw: A modern and cyclone proof rice silo that has been constructed with the financial assistance of the Government of India in the Model Farm in Nay Pyi Taw was handed over to the Myanmar side. India had, in March 2011, in the aftermath of the cyclone Nargis extended cash assistance of US$ 2 million for the construction of ten Rice Silos, some of which were inaugurated by EAM during his visit to Myanmar in June 2011.
VII.CULTURAL Cooperation
(a)Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) 2012-2015: A cultural exchange programme for the period 2012-15 was signed during the visit of the Prime Minister to Myanmar. The Programme provides for exchanges including in the fields of art, architecture, archaeology and media and involves the visit of experts, holding of exhibitions, joint seminars, visits of artistes and troupes etc. It would also facilitate cultural exchanges between the States in the North East of India and Myanmar that share close cultural and ethnic affinities.
(b)Gifting of a 16-foot replica of the Sarnath Buddha: Government of India would gift to the Government of Myanmar a 16 foot statue replica of the Sarnath Buddha to be installed at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon. The statue will be unveiled in the margins of the International Conference on Buddhism to be organised jointly by India and Myanmar in December 2012. During his visit, the Prime Minister will symbolically unveil a smaller replica (about three and a half feet) of the statue during his visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda.
VIII.ACADEMIC EXCHANGES
(a)MoU on Cooperation between Dagon and Calcutta University: A MoU on academic cooperation between Dagon University in Myanmar and the Calcutta University in the areas of exchange of faculty members, students, Administrative Managers/Coordinators, academic materials and other information, joint research activities, participation in seminars and academic meetings, special short-term academic programmes, joint cultural Programmes and study tours of Administrative Managers/Coordinators was signed during the PM’s visit to Myanmar in May 2012. The Vice Chancellor of the Calcutta University signed the MoU from the Indian side.
(b)MoUs on Cooperation between Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS) and ICWA and IDSA: Both IDSA and ICWA entered into separate MoUs with the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS). The MoU envisages cooperation in capacity building, organization of joint events and undertaking research projects of mutual interest. Signing of the MoUs would be helpful in facilitating greater and more frequent interaction on an academic level.
(c)Setting up of an Indian School in Yangon: The size of the Indian origin community in Myanmar is estimated at between 1.5 million and 2.5 million and includes people speaking Tamil, Telugu, Oriya, Bengali, Punjabi and Hindustani. Also, the number of Indian nationals in Myanmar for trade/businesses/projects has also been on the rise. The need for an Indian School in Yangon has been felt given the large number of children of the Indian community studying either in local schools or in private schools in Myanmar. During his visit, the Prime Minister announced India’s support to set up an Indian school with technical assistance of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan to provide children with quality education.
‘India needs Myanmar, and Myanmar also needs India’
Sceptics raise fear that India’s journey in Myanmar will not be smooth as it will face stiff competition from players like China. But in fact India and China can cooperate with each other in developing trilateral joint projects in the country.
On 29 May 2012 the official daily of Myanmar New Light of Myanmar in its editorial hailed the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Myanmar in these words: “India needs Myanmar, and Myanmar also needs India, and that is the common ground.” Though Indian officials visited Myanmar in recent years, an official of the ranking of Prime Minister visited the country after 25 years, the last being Rajiv Gandhi. Much has changed in intervening years, the military rulers in the South East Asian nation have opened the path of reforms in the country, allowed the leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi to visit abroad, and conducted general elections considered free and fair. Besides these changes which attracted international attention and thus visit of leaders of major powers to the country in recent months and easing of sanctions, is the rise of Myanmar as a strategic country linking South Asia to South East Asia, and as a major connecting point and transportation bridge. This later factor has nonetheless gone into calculations of major powers including India. Though India had launched Look East policy during Narasimha Rao regime in 1990s towards developing relations with south east Asian nations, the recent years have in fact saw India’s diplomacy taking vigorous steps to promote India’s interests in neighbourhood. Both Indian and Myanmar share 1600 km long border and four of India’s states Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh share borders with Myanmar.
The relations between India and Myanmar are, in fact, very old stretching back to centuries, even millennia. The land of Myanmar too has a name in Sanskrit, Suvarnabhumi (meaning land of gold or golden land). The cultural linkages in terms of spread of Buddhism from India to Myanmar, and settlement of large Indian origin people in Myanmar too further indicate the commonalities between the two countries. There are still many Hindu shrines in Myanmar. During British rule, Myanmar, then called Burma, was part of British India. Some of the noted Indian freedom fighters like Bal Gangadhar Tilak were imprisoned in Mandalay in Burma. From this jail Tilak composed one of his most famous books called Gita Rahasya (secret of Gita). The father of modern Burma, Aung San too had good relations with Indian freedom fighters like Jawaharlal Nehru. The common linkages were however shattered after the military junta came to power in 1960s, which nationalized Indian enterprises and expelled many Indians. India too adopted a lacklustre approach to military regime and supported the democratic reform movement of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Indian educated daughter of Aung San. However, it was only in 1990s, India shed idealism and adopted a pragmatic approach to develop relations with the military junta, as it viewed Myanmar not only as a gateway to South east Asia and ASEAN, but also as an important country for trade and strategic interests.
Hence, the visit of Indian Prime Minister Singh to Myanmar set the tone of a new era in which old differences are transformed into new cordialities for enhancing bilateral trade and commerce. Last year the reformist President of Myanmar, Thein Sein visited India to strengthen the bilateral relations. The visit of Manmohan Singh is reflective not only of India’s seriousness to add sinews to its Look East policy, but also to actually turn its fledgling relationship with Myanmar into full fledged partnership. India’s objection against Myanmar’s anti-democratic policies no longer on hold, it is but natural that the two countries revive the old bonhomie. Singh’s meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, and inviting her to deliver Jawaharlal Nehru memorial lecture in India shows that the democratic deficit in Myanmar’s politics is waning. Earlier it was almost impossible to meet Suu Kyi as she remained most of the time under house arrest. That Manmohan Singh could meet her, and hold a joint press meeting is no small development. During the visit, India extended $500 million line of credit for development of infrastructure in Myanmar, besides inking 12 agreements in diverse areas ranging from infrastructure, connectivity, energy resource, port development, agriculture, and a host of other areas. Both the countries proposed to open border haats (markets), in the similar style India and Bangladesh have opened markets on border areas. India has also announced to repair or upgrade 71 bridges on the Tamu-Kalewa friendship Road in Myanmar, besides developing the Sittwe port. India has also expressed interest to invest in the Dawei port. Both the countries have also proposed to start a bus service from Indian city of Imphal to Mynamar city of Mandalay. In fact, the roads can be developed in such a way that there can be road links stretching from India’s north east to Myanmar, further towards Thailand, in fact towards whole of south east Asia, and further towards Pacific. Manmohan Singh’s statement reflected increasing bonhomie between the two countries, “India and Myanmar are natural partners, linked by geography and history.”
Sceptics raise fear that India’s journey in Myanmar will not be smooth as it will face stiff competition from players like China. At present the bilateral trade between India and Myanmar stands at $1.2 billion, while between Myanmar and China, it stands at about $4.4 billion. China is far ahead of India in developing joint projects in Myanmar. But, that imbalance can only be righted only with more vigorous cooperation between the two countries, rather than perceiving the issue from a zero sum game framework. There can be healthier competition, and in fact India and China can cooperate with each other in developing trilateral joint projects in the country. The Chinese foreign ministry sought to dispel any such suspicion factor, and its spokesperson, Liu Weimin, as reported in Chinese official daily Chinese Daily, stated that “China is glad to see India and Myanmar develop friendly cooperative relations, and hopes that the development of their relations is conducive to the peace, stability and prosperity of the two countries as well as the region.”
Besides the areas of trade and commerce, there are also many other areas which both the countries focused during the trip of Singh. India is wary of insurgency problem in its north east, which is partly possible due to insurgents’ connection in the border areas, parts of which belong to Myanmar. The President of Myanmar promised Singh that he will not allow the soil of Myanmar to be used against India. The joint statement read, “both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to fight the scourge of terrorism and insurgent activity in all its forms and manifestations.” The two countries also resolved to play an active role to promote peace and stability in the region. The coming days will likely witness hectic activities on part of both the countries to build upon the ideas and policies of the leaders of both the countries.
Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian-defence/184266-india-needs-myanmar-myanmar-also-needs-india.html#ixzz1wYPng5OC
China has no strategy to strangulate India says this piece in IDRW
http://idrw.org/?p=12474