Among India’s neighbors, the nation indelibly linked to India since its birth is Bangladesh. This Islamic nation is struggling to build itself as a secular democratic state and now looking forward to develop an all-encompassing positive relationship with India. To benefit its aspirations the contemporary political situation is also promising.
For Bangladesh, decent relations with India are decisive for economic and geopolitical motives. As there is an illustrious fact that healthier economic ties have the potential to spill over into the domain of politics which is ostensible from the European experience. Better ties with Bangladesh in the economic realm are also likely to help the economic development of India's northeast.
For some time, like many other nations India too looked at occidental nations as the center of gravity of its strategic interests. But this hypothesis had a full stop in the recent past more precisely since 1993, when the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao initiated a much celebrated ‘Look East Policy’. But since then it has received little impetus. And for this initiative the natural pillar was Bangladesh, a bridge to link India and its South east neighbors.
In this context the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) corridor will be a revival policy. Apart from the SAARC region, Bangladesh is an important conduit for India’s Act East Policy (Earlier Look East), and there have even been some pitches of a robust trilateral between India- Bangladesh- Myanmar, such as a gas pipeline (even though the prevailing security situation may not permit it). Both countries are also part of a number of groupings that seek to expand South Asia’s connectivity with Southeast Asia and China; Like Mekong Ganga Cooperation Initiative, BIMSTEC, and the BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) economic corridor project.
It is the right time for India to refurbish the Act East policy with special focus on Bangladesh. Promising ties with Bangladesh is always a strategic advantage to India.
New Beginning New Direction
The India-Bangladesh relation does carry a robust historical and cultural overtone; notwithstanding both nations also recognize the paybacks of a cordial relationship. While Bangladesh does have grudges against India, some being legitimate, yet it has not defined its policy identity merely in terms of being anti-India, nor has it ignored historical and cultural commonalities. Pointedly, Bangladesh has not been excessively dependent on any one country – ensuring that it maintains a degree of sovereignty in its foreign policy – unlike some of India’s other neighbors. Of late, however, it has been seen to be inching closer to China.
For Bangladesh, decent relations with India are decisive for economic and geopolitical motives. As there is an illustrious fact that healthier economic ties have the potential to spill over into the domain of politics which is ostensible from the European experience. Better ties with Bangladesh in the economic realm are also likely to help the economic development of India's northeast.
For some time, like many other nations India too looked at occidental nations as the center of gravity of its strategic interests. But this hypothesis had a full stop in the recent past more precisely since 1993, when the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao initiated a much celebrated ‘Look East Policy’. But since then it has received little impetus. And for this initiative the natural pillar was Bangladesh, a bridge to link India and its South east neighbors.
India’s Failure to find the potential
Many Indian leaders in the past had not taken this into their debates- failing to realize that an amiable relation between Bangladesh and India may contain India’s security concerns particularly on two fronts: end of violence in the Northeast where infiltrators from Bangladesh are involved in terror operations, and a complete curb on terrorist organizations like Harkatul Jehadal Islami (HuJI). Also the growth of recent arms market at the noman’s land near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, which has become home to Indian outfits like ULFA, NFT and NDFB. HuJI is known to be imparting training to these outfits. And the most vital and much less debated idea is that a Neutral Bangladesh also ensures containment of assertive China is this region, which may extend in Bay of Bengal too. As it is evident that China in recent past is keen in turning its interest towards South East Asian politics.LBA consensus during Narendra Modi’s visit
The recent visit of the Indian Prime minister to Bangladesh has opened new realms in bilateral relations as the highpoint of the visit was the exchange of the instrument of ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement- 41 years after it was signed in June 1972. The euphoria was evident in the enclaves – which were under the notional sovereignty of the two countries – where people celebrated their new identities as citizens with full rights for the first time since 1947. Amid these celebrations for some Bangladeshi intellectuals, leaving the Teesta River issue untouched was a huge disappointment, some among them attributing it to an Indian conspiracy. But the fact remains that ahead of PM’s visit, India’s Foreign Minister had clarified that Teesta dispute is not on the cards. Apart from this PM Narendra Modi has given an assurance that deliberations in headway among the concerned stakeholders and soon India-Bangladesh would reach a consensus on the Teesta and Feni river disputes.BBIN corridor and regional connectivity
BBIN corridor was one of the main agenda on recent Narendra Modi’s visit as both nations are now keen to enhance their regional connectivity. Since the 1965 war there was a serious issue relating to the cross-border connectivity between India and the then East Pakistan, but steps were taken to restore it. And after the liberation of Bangladesh, the two countries had inked various deals to restore connectivity but a change of regime in Dhaka after the 1975 coup and the assassination of Mujibur Rahman put paid to that effort. Though both countries occasionally rehabilitated the Inland Water disputes and Trade Protocol, the issue of connectivity remained stalled in the debates within Bangladesh whether providing transit rights to India would create a ‘security threat’ and a breach of sovereignty.In this context the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) corridor will be a revival policy. Apart from the SAARC region, Bangladesh is an important conduit for India’s Act East Policy (Earlier Look East), and there have even been some pitches of a robust trilateral between India- Bangladesh- Myanmar, such as a gas pipeline (even though the prevailing security situation may not permit it). Both countries are also part of a number of groupings that seek to expand South Asia’s connectivity with Southeast Asia and China; Like Mekong Ganga Cooperation Initiative, BIMSTEC, and the BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) economic corridor project.
It is the right time for India to refurbish the Act East policy with special focus on Bangladesh. Promising ties with Bangladesh is always a strategic advantage to India.