India hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in New Delhi, fostering an informal forum to augment regional collaboration in security, connectivity, trade, & investment & in the Bay of Bengal.
What is BIMSTEC?
BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is a regional organization established in June 1997. The seven countries include India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It aims to foster multifaceted cooperation across various sectors, including security, connectivity, trade, and investment, particularly in the Bay of Bengal region.
Why not SAARC?
“India to focus on BIMSTEC as there have been certain issues with SAARC” — S. Jaishankar; India’s External Affairs Minister recently said India will seek strengthening regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC grouping | With specific problems, he also said his focus areas will include implementation of developmental projects in Nepal and elsewhere, particularly in neighbouring countries. India has kept the SAARC initiative on hold citing persistent backing to cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. The SAARC Summit was last convened in 2014 in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. India has been driving regional cooperation in the past few years under this BIMSTEC umbrella. Besides India, BIMSTEC involves Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. Founded in 1997, BIMSTEC presently embodies over 1.5 billion people and has a joint gross domestic product of 3.5 trillion US dollars. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited all SAARC leaders, including the then Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony, in a major initiative to reach out to the neighbourhood. However, this time, the BIMSTEC leaders were invited, which was seen as an attempt to avoid inviting Pakistan for the event.
Has SAARC lost its utility?
In fact, Pakistan has tried to block any significant development and progress that India is trying to achieve and has continued to stir up the atmosphere by raising bilateral issues that are not allowed under the SAARC charter. Unfortunately, this has become a common mistake in Pakistan. There are many reasons for this. First of all, SAARC is the beginning of Bangladesh. But with the rise of SAARC, India’s interest in it has increased and it has taken the lead. India has had a mantra in its foreign policy for the last few years: India, being the largest economy and the largest country in the region, is the one who will move all the ships. So India’s real interest is to bring development to the region. Strengthen regional integration and cooperation to enhance regional connectivity. India will not allow any country to interfere in this. So even if SAARC is not a suitable vehicle, India will continue to cooperate. BIMSTEC offers India an opportunity to continue regional cooperation in the absence of SAARC. BIMSTEC has also become a bridge between the Association of South East Asian Nations and ASEAN. Therefore, India will gravitate towards BIMSTEC. India has established good partnerships with countries that are not part of BIMSTEC, except Pakistan of course.
The Friendly Neighbour!
India having a large economy doesn’t need to concern itself too much with any trade cooperation with Pakistan. Having said that, if this does happen, then it would most certainly be beneficial to both the nations. On the contrary, if this does not take place, then the loss to Pakistan is far greater than anything to India. When you look at the psychology of Pakistan, one realizes that they have always tried to go the way India never went. This has been a consistent trend right from 1947 till date. The Pakistan military loses its role if India were to have as friendly a relation with the Pakistani civil government as it does with Bangladesh currently. The Pakistan military will never allow relations between India and Pakistan to come to a stage by which they can be friends. India’s shift to the BIMSTEC will also accelerate India’s Act East Policy.
China: A strategic & security threat
Think tanks of numerous countries in the region have expressed concerns over China. This is because China is big; but China is not benign. China goes ahead with its own motives. An example is the Hambantota port which is more or less outside Sri Lanka’s control.
One sees a similar story repeating wherever China has put its money. One even finds at certain levels within Pakistan as well, the concerns being expressed, though muted, of the 46+ Billion Dollar investment into the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Besides this, China has also got its own strategic interests as far as the South China Sea is concerned, and they have laid claims to territories which have been done in a unilateral manner. China is not prepared to discuss any of these issues with its smaller neighbours. It is important to note that all the ASEAN countries are their neighbours. Efforts should be taken to promote the ASEAN culture as a unifying culture in the region. The fact that the BIMSTEC and the ASEAN are getting together is a very positive development.
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-new-push-in-the-bay-of-bengal/article68449384.ece
New initiatives & potential outcomes concerning BIMSTEC
The BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat was structured into two main segments:
1st] Assessment of Regional Cooperation: The first part focused on evaluating the current state of cooperation within BIMSTEC, building on outcomes from the previous retreat. Member states discussed various initiatives, including the establishment of Centers of Excellence in areas like Agriculture and Maritime Transport, and emphasized the importance of private sector involvement in trade and entrepreneurship.
2nd] Expectations for the Upcoming Summit: The second segment involved discussions on each country’s expectations for the upcoming summit. Key proposals included mapping mineral resources, promoting the Blue Economy, enhancing tourism and cultural exchanges.
Connectivity is the mantra for not just the BIMSTEC, but for all the neighbourhoods, and beyond. Connectivity can be in the form of physical connectivity, people-to-people connectivity, or electronic connectivity. It is with connectivity that development, integration and cooperation progress can be ushered in, and it is this that cannot be overemphasized. It is important to note that India-ASEAN relations is anchored on 3-C’s. These are Connectivity, Commerce and Culture. This holds true for BIMSTEC as well.
However, unfortunately due to a variety of reasons, there is a gap between our ability to deliver and the commitments we make. This is not working well for us. Countries in the neighbourhood want to work with us- this is amplified by the fact that China is sucking in countries in a “debt trap”, and India is seen as a benign power and a rising star. India is also one of the two engines of growth in Asia and beyond.
One can take pride in the fact that India’s Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister are very focused on this particular aspect and the time has come to set up ‘Special Purpose Vehicles’ (SPV’s) to take projects through. Currently, India has a lot at stake, and it is a part of her developmental vision to take the neighbourhood along.
Limitations of BIMSTEC
There are 2 projects that India has under consideration; 1st the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project & 2nd the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway. Another significant factor that was pointed out by the Foreign Minister was that his ministry is in touch with the ministries of commerce and finance because one of the principal challenges that India has faced, has been its inability to deliver on projects.
There is a tremendous amount of time lag between the time when India actually starts the project and the time when India completes the project. This has been a bane of our delivery mechanism for a very long time. When people compare this with that of China, one observes a huge contrast. The Foreign Minister also indicated that one of the factors that India is looking at is to bring the MEA projects under the PRAGATI model. In NDA-I, the Prime Minister of India, brought in a time-monitored PRAGATI model wherein every month projects are reviewed, and the bottlenecks, if any are addressed. This is important as the investments that are locked up in such projects is huge. A similar model is being talked about now as far as the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) projects are concerned.
A way forward!
The present moves are a very welcome continuation of the policies of the previous government. One sees in the next 5 years of the NDA-2 government, a further thrust towards the “Act East Policy”, and a further strengthening of BIMSTEC as well. Further, one doesn’t have much reason to believe that Pakistan’s attitude would change much. Thus, India’s relationship with Pakistan would continue to more or less remain a troubled relationship.
It is also important that India is able to focus on areas where it can focus. As a matter of fact, there has been a continuous shift right from the time of the 1990’s where we shifted from the “Look-East Policy”, to the now “Act-East Policy”. Even now, with BIMSTEC being promoted, and the Indo-Pacific being engaged, there has been a steady, continuous and evolving process. Even Japan and South Korea being engaged by India all bear testimony to this. Thus, what we see is a broad-basing of India’s foreign policy and a recalibration of India’s foreign policy by reaching out to the Indian diaspora and Indian culture through connectivity- while at the same time, not ignoring the fact that Pakistan is there (one should deal with that reality as well). India has no intention of boycotting Pakistan as Pakistan is a reality and a major country.
As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Vajpayee once famously said that we cannot change geography. India has Pakistan as its neighbour and she has to deal with her. What we are perhaps doing is to hit the pause button and telling Pakistan that we are not comfortable with them being the spoiler. India is currently heading towards being a 5 trillion dollar economy, and as and when Pakistan is ready, she can take steps to work alongside India as India’s doors are open. Lastly, India’s emphasis on the “Neighbourhood First” policy is important as it is a key towards its success in foreign policy.
Source: The Big Picture Sansad TV, The Hindu.