India’s rapid connectivity strides in the neighbourhood

Repulsing the Chinese intimidation, India stood the ground and incontrovertibly reasserted its position to defend its sovereignty at all costs. Twice in the recent past, during Indo-China standoffs, China blinked first. Steamrolling China’s hegemonic aspirations, India dared to stare back at the Dragon. Cognizant of Sino-Pakistan collusivity, India is now gearing up for a two-front war. But the nefarious Dragon which has substantially expanded influence over the entire sub-continent is now opening several fronts to badger India. China sees India as an obstacle.  Its dogged pursuits to extend tentacles in the India’s neighbourhood has been integral part of China’s policy of encirclement of India.

India’s deep civilisational connect with its immediate neighbourhood and strong historical ties have been a matter of immense pride. Buttressing this age-old connect, India along with Bangladesh attempted to resurrect the regional cooperation through SAARC. But the perpetual disagreements and inimical animosity disgorged by Pakistan imposed roadblocks and derailed the objective of collective development. Since the turn of the century while China, steadily expanded its influence in India’s neighbourhood, New Delhi was caught napping.

Infusing new momentum into India’s civilisational and cultural connect, through the “Neighbourhood First” Policy, Modi attempted to strengthen the bridges of strategic partnership. Besides the soft power, in line with the developmental needs India turned key areas like connectivity, finance, education, capacity building, skilling and health care into arenas for cooperation. But unlike India’s soft developmental approach, China began to cultivate Indian neighbourhood for larger strategic gains. Nepal’s needling of India at Dragon’s behest and Prime Minister Oli’s brinkmanship; China’s growing economic cooperation with Bangladesh-$38 billion worth investments, tariff exemptions to 97% of Bangladesh exports, smart cities development, construction of permanent submarine base in Bangladesh’s Cox bazar; 99-lease of Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port, Colombo Port construction, dredging and building construction spree in the Indian Ocean Island; China’s acquisition of Maldives Feydhoo Islands in lease till 2066 and infrastructure development in the Indian archipelago have only heightened the apprehensions of China’s burgeoning influence in India’s traditional sphere of influence.

Given China’s penchant for an indirect and insidious attacks against India, strategists expounded fears of Dragon using its leverage in the sub-continent to overwhelm India. Along the expected lines, to pressure India and coerce Bhutan, the only Indian neighbour which don’t have diplomatic ties with China, Dragon made fresh claims over Sakteng Wild Life Sanctuary situated in eastern Bhutan. Doubling down, its claims, China even tried to stall funding to Sakteng Sanctuary at Global Environmental Facility (GEF) virtual meeting. Bhutan rubbished these claims. With majority of GEF member countries including India supporting Bhutan, council rejected China’s objections. Fervently rejecting China’s claims Bhutan issued a strong demarche to China.

China’s fresh claims to the far-eastern Bhutan territory is part of 90,000 sq km territory of Arunachal Pradesh. Undercutting China’s nefarious strategies and shedding inertia, India made quikc tactical moves. Days after China’s new claims to the Sakteng Sanctury in the Trashigang district of Far East Bhutan home to mythical ‘Yetis’ and ‘Brokpas’, the semi-nomadic tribes, India has proposed to build a strategic road through the Yeti territory. The project assigned to BRO, passing through the Trashigang district connecting Guwahati to Tawang would not only reduce the distance by 150 km but would also favour quick deployment of troops ¹.

Bhutan is a buffer state between India and China and highly significant for security of India. With China spreading its bloody tentacles in the region, in a major boost to connectivity, India and Bhutan have launched a new trade route which will operate between Jaigaon in West Bengal to Ahllay, Pasakha in Bhutan. India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner, opening of new road route will decongest existing connectivity links and facilitate quicker movement of goods. This development comes days after India’s Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam entered into a concession agreement with Druk Green Power Corporation of Bhutan for the construction of 600 MW Kholongchhu Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan. Signing of this Joint Venture between India and Bhutan, the first of its kind between two countries will give a major fillip to the bilateral hydroelectric cooperation ². 

In a bid to revive poor delivery record, India is also expediting expansion of Hanimaadhoo airport in Maldives. India pledged Line of Credit to President Solih on his first visit to India for connectivity project. The runway expansion and construction of new terminal building will play a major role in economic and tourism development of Northern Maldives³. India, earlier, extended funds for redevelopment of Jaffna airport to handle international flights paving way for commencement of Chennai to Jaffna commercial flight operations last year.

Giving a major boost to economic cooperation between India and Bangladesh, last Thursday, Minister of Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya, flagged-off a container ship carrying steel bars from Kolkata to Agartala through the Chattogram port of Bangladesh. This route besides reducing the time and logistics of cargo operation will open up new realms for using multi-modal connectivity between India and Bangladesh. During President Hasina’s 2019 visit to India, both sides have formalised the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for transport of goods from mainland to India’s North East. The SOPs laid a framework for the movement of goods through waterways, road, and rail. In 2015, India and Bangladesh signed the coastal shipping agreement and transshipment of goods to and from Bangladesh in 2018. Eight routes have been identified under this multi-modal transport.

These include use of Chattogram/Mongla port to Agartala via Akhura, Chattogram/Mongla port to Dawki (Meghalaya) via Tambil, Chattogram/Mongla port to Sutarkandi (Assam) via Sheola, Chattogram/Mongla port to Srimantpur (Tripura) via Bibirbazar and viceversa ⁴. The recent trial run from Kolkata besides beating the economic vulnerabilities of the COVID-19 induced economic slowdown will create employment opportunities, integrate supply chains, promote business services and foster investments. Trade and connectivity have potential to alleviate poverty and ensure stability and India’s commendable initiative to spur growth in the sub-region through the connectivity projects will deepen trust and promote strengthening of long-term partnership between India and its neighbouring countries.

At a time when China extended several concessions to woo Bangladesh, stepping up the game, India instituted a multi-pronged strategy to enhance trade and business partnership. Unlike China’s investments and loans with incipient threat of debt-trap, India’s seamless connectivity will be a win-win situation scenario for both countries. Despite Mamata Banerjee’s objections to resumption of the cross-border trade with Bangladesh, government of India overturned her decision and restored land trade. Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia. To promote trade and reduce the trade imbalances, India offered some tariff concessions. India has extended $8 billion Line of credit over the past eight years becoming the largest recipient of India’s concessional loans. India also extended financial assistance towards dredging of ports, rail route construction and funded 55 Small Development Projects (SDP). While India can’t match China’s deep pockets, it is actively involving in mutually beneficial partnership.

Also, in a first, Indian Railways ran a special parcel train to Benipole in Bangladesh from Reddipalem in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Freight trains reduced the time of travel and transportation cost by five times. India and Bangladesh are now planning to revive the old rail routes that served as lifelines of Assam and East Bengal before 1970. Plan is afoot to connect the north eastern region with Bangladesh Rail line by 2021 and to run the first rail connection between Agartala and Akhaura in Bangladesh on the 75^th Independence Day celebrations of India ⁵.

To infuse fresh momentum into India’s ties with the neighbourhood, India undertook a massive diplomat rejig exercise within the MEA. Seasoned diplomats JP Singh and Arindham Bagchi are now appointed as heads of the crucial Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division and Northern division (Nepal and Bhutan) ⁶.

At a press meet in Moscow, Mynamarese commander-in-chief Aung Hlaing called for international cooperation against terrorism and hinted at the role of a “strong force” in abetting terror in the country. Indian Defence Minister who was in Moscow to attend the Victory Parade used the opportunity to reach out to Gen Hlaing and explored the possibility of defence cooperation between two countries. Disclosing that foreign forces have been funding the designated terror organisations Arakan Army (AA) and Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the general expressed their lack of trust in China which has been pressuring Myanmar to implement BRI projects. China has planned CMEC (China Myanmar Economic Corridor), along the lines of CPEC to gain access to Bay of Bengal. To implement BRI in Myanmar and protect its investments, China has been arming the AA ⁷.

Expectedly so, AA while threatening and abducting Indian contractors working on the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project in the Rakhine state has been friendly towards the Chinese assets in Myanmar. Kaladan Project aims to connect Kolkata with Mizoram in the North East through Rakhine and Chin states is cornerstone of India’s Act East Policy. In the past few years, as a part of capacity building, India has been catering to Myanmar’s defence needs. In 2017, India supplied torpedoes, ‘Shyena’ under a $38 million export deal and handed over kilo class submarine refurbished by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam last year ⁸. Through “Operation Sunshine” co-opting Myanmar, India has successfully targeted the insurgent groups active in the North East region. In May, Myanmar has handed over 22 rebels with their bases in Sagaing region. India and Myanmar have been steadily buttressing defence cooperation. After calling the bluff of China and growing suspicious of Chinese intentions, Myanmar is now expediting India’s infrastructure projects. India which has developed the Sittwe port in Rakhine state under the Kaladan project has resumed operations in 2019. Myanmar is now levitating towards a democratic India which is benign unlike the Dragon.

Amid speculations of China holding its sway over Indian neighbourhood with its offer of help in combatting COVID-19, India has intensified its outreach. Recently India has concluded talks with Sri Lanka over the debt rescheduling, repayment and currency swap arrangements.

While the disengagement of India and China troops along the LAC is underway, alarmists have portrayed a gloomy and desolate picture of India under siege. Repudiating these apprehensions, espousing “together we grow” approach, India is assiduously fortifying the “Neighbourhood First Policy”.

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