Indian Political Science Association
BIMSTEC : POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIAAuthor(s): Smita ShrivastavaSource: The Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 66, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec., 2005), pp. 973-988Published by: Indian Political Science AssociationStable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41856178Accessed: 10-05-2020 05:21 UTC
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The Indian Journal of Political Science
Vol. LXVI, No. 4, Oct.-Dec., 2005
BIMSTEC : POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR
INDIA
Smita Shrivastava
BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is a prudent extension of India 's 'Look East 'policy. Formed in 1997 it consists of five countries of South Asia and two of South East Asia at the rim of Bay of Bengal. It is an attempt to tap the syneigies of land and maritime
contiguity in yet another geo-economic setting. First BIMSTEC Summit was held in Thailand in July 2004. These countries cooperate in sectors like trade and investment, transport and communication, energy, technology, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism. SM Es. rural area development etc. For India, membership of BIMSTEC implies closer ties with its eastern neighbours, offsetting the influence of China in the region, sidelining Pakistan, access to ASEAN, security, economic prosperity due to FTA and clout in regional and international affairs. This grouping consisting of 1.3 billion people can eventually pave the way for a larger Asian community and make the 2 1 st centuiy the century of Asia.
The hallmark of contemporary politics is the proliferation of
regional groupings of varied nature and scope. The changes that have
taken place in the international field in the early nineties have created a
new political and economic context for India's regional diplomacy. The
challenge for India is to initiate a regional policy based on shared goals
and compatible philosophies. Regional framework is being widely accepted
as a strategy for meeting the challenges of the present unjust world
economic order and overcoming internal structural inadequacies.
India has been late in recognizing the importance of regional
organizations. For India the first attempt at regional organization of any
importance was the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation) formed in 1985. It comprised of the seven nations of South
Asia viz, India, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and
Bangladesh. But SAARC was plagued by perennial problems caused by
poor Indo-Pak relations, India's uneasy relations with Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka and so on. The next important attempt was BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 974
Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). It was a
well-planned strategy of India and a prudent extension of its 4 look east'
policy. In this paper an attempt has been made to discuss the achievements
of BIMSTEC and explore its long-term implications for India.
BIMSTEC was formed in June 1997.1n 1994, Thailand took the
initiative to explore economic cooperation on sub regional basis involving
the countries of South east Asia and South Asia around the Bay of Bengal. 1
After a number of Inter- Ministerial Consultations and with the active
support of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ESCAP, a regional
economic forum was formed in 1997 comprising of Bangladesh, India,
Sri Lanka and Thailand. At that time it was called BIST-EC i.e. Bangladesh
India Sri Lanka Thailand Economic Cooperation. In December of the same
year Myanmar joined this organization and then a 4M' was added to it. It
became BIMST-EC. It comprised the countries at the rim of Bay of Bengal.
BIMST-EC's inauguration was a low-key affair in comparison to SAARC.
There were only ministerial level meetings for several years. It was in the
year 2004 that its first Summit took place in Bangkok in July. It was the
first overseas visit of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since
he took office after the May 2004 general elections. In February 2004,
Nepal and Bhutan also had become members of BIMSTEC. The acronym
no longer represented the full membership of the organization. Therefore,
during its first Summit it was decided that the letters of the nomenclature
should stand for Bay of Bengal Initiative For Multi Sectoral Technical
And Economic Cooperation rather than for initials of the names of member
countries. So now this group has five countries of South Asia and two of
South East Asia. It is important to note that the two countries of South
Asia that are not its members are Pakistan and Maldives.
Bims tec was formed at the time when the process of globalisation
was sweeping the world. India's economy was also opening up. World
scene had changed tremendously. Soviet Union had disintegrated and the
cold war came to an end. Communism as an ideology was being challenged.
European Union was getting stronger by the day. With the end of Cold
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BIMSTEC : Political Implications for India 975
War, the nonaligned movement lost its relevance. China had emerged as a
strong economy. WTO had been formed in 1995. S A ARC, the South Asian
regional organization, which was formed in 1985, was not making any
headway due to mutual dissensions and mistrust of member countries.
This was broadly the international and regional scenario when BIMSTEC
was being conceived and formed in 1997.
A Ministerial meeting was held in Bangkok from June 4-6, 1997,
where the new sub regional economic grouping was formally launched. In
a declaration issued, the principles, scope and institutional mechanisms
of the organization were outlined. The detailed plan of action, areas of
cooperation etc were covered in a concept paper. Initially BIMSTEC
identified six sectors for cooperation viz., trade and investment, technology,
transport and communication, energy, tourism and fisheries. It was an
attempt to tap the synergies of land and maritime contiguity in yet another
geo-economic setting. The people of this region had close cultural and
commercial ties throughout history. Close proximity meant that the business
communities maintained active contacts with each other, in addition to
cultural and social interactions and people to people contacts.
It was hoped that the inter- regional grouping will serve as a bridge
between the five SAARC countries and two ASEAN countries and would
have a greater potential to increase the trade among member countries by
taking advantage of their geographical location in the region of Bay of
Bengal and the eastern coast of the Indian Ocean.
The Bay of Bengal community also creates options other than the
SAARC in pursuing India's interests in regional economic integration. This
does not necessarily mean that BIMSTEC stands in opposition to SAARC.
In fact, the Bay of Bengal community could complement the efforts at
SAARC to promote a free trade area in South Asia. The BIMSTEC could
also act as a spur to SAARC on economic cooperation.2
The BIMSTEC process marks a new phase in India's 'Look East'
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 976
policy. The Congress government led by Mr. P.V. Narsimha Rao launched
this initiative towards South East Asia in the early 1990's. Mr. Vajpayee
deepened the scope and substance of India's 'look east' policy to cover
much of Asia, including the ASEAN, China and Japan. The first segment
of 'Look East' policy focused on commercial relations and institutional
links with Asia. In the second phase of the 'Look East' policy, India is
aiming at political partnerships, physical connectivity through road and
rail links, free trade arrangements and defence cooperation.
BIMSTEC Cooperation Sectors :
During its eight years of existence the BIMSTEC countries have
cooperated in a number of areas. BIMSTEC members recognized the
importance to create air, sea and land linkages. They include the open sky
policy in Bimstec, development of roads between Thai-Myanmar-India
and Thai-Myanmar-Bangladesh which will facilitate land transport from
the Bay of Bengal to the South China Sea. In terms of Sea transport, there
are the coastal shipping project and India's proposal to support a feasibility
study on Tavoy's deep seaport. Railway links between India-Myanmar
and Thailand is also a priority. A stronger and desirable intra- regional
trade is contingent upon improved transport network among BIMSTEC
countries.
Technical cooperation and human resource development :
BIMSTEC countries aim at developing human resources in the
region in order to build knowledge based economy. In the sixth Bimstec
ministerial meeting, Thailand offered 100 training scholarships to Bimstec
personnel while India also offered 150 of such.
BIMSTEC Business Travel Facilitation : '
Member countries agreed to promote the long term multiple entry
visas to facilitate business travel within Bimstec. Meanwhile Thailand's
initiative of issuing the Bimstec Business Travel Card (BBTC) or Visa
sticker was accepted and the project is being studied by the Bimstec Centre.
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BIM STEC : Politicai Implications for India 977
Other Cooperative Sectors :
Current important projects in the energy sectors are the development
of regional hydrocarbon and hydropower energy infrastructure (natural
gas) energy information center and energy trading network between
members. The region combines countries having large Gas reserves beyond
their short and medium term domestic requirements, such as Myanmar
and probably also Bangladesh and those with immensely untapped potential
of hydropower such as Nepal and Bhutan and net energy importing
countries like India. It has been realized that a comprehensive framework
for regional resource cooperation going beyond simple energy trade
relations and linking the region in an energy community is desirable for
fully exploiting the potential of energy cooperation in the region.
Key activities in the drugs and pharmaceuticals sector are joint
research and development of medicine from herbs, information exchange,
product development and prevention of illegal products. In the horticulture
and floriculture sector, the main issues are the Plan of Action, research
and development of horticulture and floriculture products, tea and coffee
as well as information exchange.
Cooperation with the private sector :
BIMSTEC encouraged cooperation between the government and
the private sector, including private participation in various projects. The
BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce was founded on 30 November 2003 in
order to coordinate between the private sectors in BIMSTEC member
countries.
BIMSTEC is a regional grouping that encompasses about 1 .3 billion
people and a GDP of about US $ 750 billion. The members are at different
levels of economic and industrial development and share different natural
resource endowments. Hence the complementarities between them are
substantial. There are wide income disparities across the countries that
border the Bay of Bengal.
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 978
Thailand tops the ranks of the average income per citizen, with a per capita
income of 6,400 U.S. dollars in 2003, followed by Sri Lanka, with a per
capita income of 3,180 U.S. dollars per year, and then India, with 2,840
U.S. dollars per year.
The rest hovered with a per capita income below 2,000 U.S dollars,
with Burma, renamed Myanmar by the ruling military regime, at the bottom,
with a 1,027 U.S. dollars per capita income.
On the other hand, India towers over the BIMSTEC members with
its economic boom. Through the first quarter of the year 2004, the Indian
economy grew by 8.2 percent, which analysts say is the fastest for that
country in 15 years.
Full potential of intra regional trade remains untapped due to tariff
and non tariff barriers, poor communication and transport links, lack of
information about the supply capabilities, among other barriers. So far
the intra regional trade turnover in BIMSTEC is quite small. It is only
about small percentage of the overall trade of the BIMSTEC countries. A
lot of interest has been shown in this organization and thinktanks like
EXIM Bank have done studies in this regard to explore and discuss the
potential in this regard.
In 2003, India's trade with BIMSTEC was US$ 3.7 billion. This is
only about 3.4 to 4 % of our global trade. According to 2001 figures,
Bangladesh - only 10.14% of its trade was with BIMSTEC countries,
India had a figure of 4.12 %, Myanmar 27.63 %, Nepal 43.09%, Sri Lanka
8.33%, Thailand 2.19%. So apart from Nepal and to some extent Myanmar,
the trade of other countries amongst the region is very small and therefore
it could greatly expand.
In February 2004 BIMSTEC ministers signed the framework
agreement for free trade arrangement. The draft framework agreement for
BIMSTEC FTA proposes a fast track of liberalization between 2006 and
2011 and a normal track between 2007 and 2017, depending upon the
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BIMSTEC : Political Implications for India 979
level of development.3 Besides the liberalization of trade in goods the
draft framework agreement also proposes liberalization of trade in services
and investment albeit on positive list basis. One may argue that India has
now got a framework for trade liberalization with the South Asian countries
included in BIMSTEC viz., Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.
These countries are bonded together by S AFT A also. Besides these, we
have bilateral trade agreements with Sri Lanka. We have bilateral FTA
with Thailand also. So what does BIMSTEC bring to India? BIMSTEC
FTA is much more comprehensive in scope covering trade in goods as
well as services and investment than S AFTA that confines only to trade in
goods. More than the comprehensive coverage, it's the greater potential
of BIMSTEC to unleash industrial restructuring and provide connectivity
to the geographically contiguous region on India's eastern border that
provides its rationale.4 The three most advanced members India, Sri Lanka
and Thailand are committed to trade liberalization by 20 1 2, with the others
following within five years. The signing of FTA in the Thai resort province
of Phuket early in 2004 was almost scuppered by the late withdrawal of
Bangladesh because of a row over compensation for lost tariff revenue. It
later signed the deal. Bangladesh joined the framework Agreement on 25
June 2004. A very important feature of the grouping is its "three plus one"
policy, which allows any three of its members along with a fourth to
undertake a project where the rest are not willing to participate.5 This is
an attempt to remove the handicaps of SAFTA.
1st SUMMIT:
Thailand hosted the first summit on 30-3 1 July 2004 in accordance
with the agreement reached in the 5th Bimstec ministerial meeting on 20
Dec. 2002 in Colombo, when the Sri Lankan PM raised an idea that it was
time to elevate Bimstec meeting to the level of leaders' Summit, in order
to demonstrate their strong will towards the common goal.
During the Summit all the leaders enthusiastically exchanged their
views on a wide range of issues. The PM of Thailand stressed the necessity
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 980
of visible progress in all the six areas of cooperation. Leaders agreed with
the Thai PM to construct a regional map of tourist destinations and India
offered to host a round table ministerial meeting that allows participation
of the private sector.
Also on this occasion, the leaders discussed some new issues such
as counter- terrorism cooperation, where the PM of Thailand emphasized
the importance of mutual trust by which leaders can contact one another
by telephone in order to eliminate protocol and formalities. India suggested
a network of intelligence exchange and capacity building.
The meeting addressed the importance of poverty alleviation. The
PM of Thailand suggested that the measures applied must focus on the
poor, namely cutting expenses, increasing income and working
opportunities. In this connection Thailand is prepared to provide credit
line to BIMSTEC countries for importing Thai agricultural products.
The summit discussed the need for protection of biodiversity in
order to use the regional resources efficiently, bearing in mind the legal
protection. Besides the meeting agreed to set up a network of national
centers of excellence to promote traditional medicine and generic drugs
for the poor. Thailand offered to be the lead country in this area of
cooperation. It was also decided that Summit would be held roughly every
two years on voluntary basis, India offered to host the next summit in
2006.
The Summit Declaration highlights the founding objectives and
principles of BIMSTEC which focuses on development of regional
potentials, progress in the existing 6 sectors of cooperation and expansion
of new areas such as public health, protection of biodiversity and traditional
wisdom, education, rural area development, SMEs, construction,
environment, information technology, biological technology,
meteorological research and mitigation and management of natural disasters.
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BIMSTEC : Political Implications for India 981
The declaration also emphasizes the importance of early completion
of negotiation on the BIMSTEC free trade area, the necessity of
cooperation against terrorism and transnational crimes, as well as other
transborder problems such as HIV-AIDS and other public health issues.
The Declaration stresses the importance of people to people contact and
the role of private sector by agreeing to facilitate travel within the region
through the BIMSTEC Business Travel Card and /or BIMSTEC Visa.
During the Summit the leaders noted with satisfaction BIMSTEC's
achievements so far, including the signing of the framework agreement
for a BIMSTEC Free Trade Area, the launch of Visit BIMSTEC Year
2004-2005 and the year long Plan of Action on tourism, the establishment
of the BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce, the 1 st BIMSTEC Youth Football
Tournament held in Phuket, the establishment of the BIMSTEC Centre in
Bangkok and a Biomass gasifier plant in Myanmar and pledged to move
forward with renewed vigour.
Recognising the need to improve health care and the involvement
of the private sector, the leaders agreed that these experiences would be
taken up at the Ministerial Meeting on Poverty Eradication to be hosted
by Bangladesh. Bhutan's offer to host a Ministerial meeting on Culture
was welcomed.
At the Summit, the Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra issued a rallying
call to Asian leaders to build their economies and become more than a
'small blip' on the radar screens of the rest of the world.6 During the
Summit, the Indian Prime Minister announced four proposals in his speech.
The proposals are as follows:
India to set up a BIMSTEC Centre on Weather and Climate in
New Delhi. India will also be willing to share its expertise in remote sensing
for agriculture, environment and disaster management.
India to host a ministerial conference on energy cooperation next
year to give an impetus to BIMSTEC members' joint efforts in this area.
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 982
India to give 150 scholarships from next year under the information
technology economic cooperation programme for BIMSTEC countries.
These will be in addition to the 150 scholarships offered by India at the
ministerial meeting in Phuket in February 2004.
India to give 30 scholarships in the field of traditional systems of
medicine to enable a productive partnership among BIMSTEC countries.
Except Myanmar and Thailand all other countries in the grouping
were linked to each other through SAARC also. BIMSTEC reinforced
these ties further. Although only one Summit has taken place in eight
years but Ministers keep meeting and try to promote their mutual interests
by forging cooperation in various areas of importance to each other. They
are busy in the follow up action. They are implementing the decisions
taken in the previous Summit. The first meeting of the joint working group
of BIMSTEC on counter terrorism and transnational crime was held in
New Delhi on 10 Dec'04. It worked out programmes of cooperation in 13
areas.7 These include enhancing information and intelligence sharing
regarding terrorism and transnational crime, taking effective measures
against individuals, groups and entities involved in terrorism.
The tourism ministers of BIMSTEC countries met in New Delhi
on 22 Feb'05 and finalized a roadmap to double regional tourism within
the next five years through co branding, aggressive promotion and product
diversification. They also set up a $ 70,000 tourism fund to integrate
national efforts in the sector. Announcing the joint declaration at Kolkata
at the end of the 3 day BIMSTEC round table and workshop Union Minister
of state for tourism Renuka Choudhury said the fund would be used to
take up joint publicity and promotion of tourist destinations and to establish
a tourism information center in India for production and collateral publicity
material. The proposed fund will be created with an initial annual
contribution of $10,000 by each BIMSTEC country while the Asian
Development Bank has agreed to provide technical and financial support
to help BIMSTEC develop and promote tourism sector in South Asia.8
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BIMSTEC : Political Implications for India 983
One thing that BIMSTEC has been mercifully spared is the potential
negative impact of intra-region political acrimony we experience in
SAARC.9
Implications for India :
At the time of its formation six areas were identified for cooperation,
but now all the current problems whether emanating from globalisation or
those which are peculiar to the Third world are covered by its range. As
far as India is concerned the organization has several long-term
implications. India seeks to pursue its own interests through this forum.
Two South East Asian countries, Thailand and Myanmar have been closely
bonded to India for the first time. Due to Thailand's pro US policies,
India desisted from maintaining close relations with Thailand for a long
time but when during the NDA government of Vajpayee, India's relations
with US improved, it had a good impact on India- Thailand relations also.
Since then the trade between the two countries has improved. Both the
countries have even signed a bilateral free trade agreement. During the
first BIMSTEC Summit in July 2004 the leaders of the two countries met
and sorted out the thorny issues and finalized an agreement on Rules of
origin, paving the way for FT A implementation.
Under the first phase of the FTA agreement called the 'Early Harvest
Scheme' in the first year, tariffs would be reduced by 50 % on 82 items
and in the second year by 75%. From September 1, 2006 both countries
would have duty free regime on all these items. The second phase of the
FTA would begin from then onwards and the two countries would have
free trade regime by 2010. This would be second such Free Trade
Agreement for India. The first one was with Sri Lanka four years ago.
The second South Eastern member of BIMSTEC is Myanmar. India
has a 1 670 Km long land border with Myanmar along the strategic Eastern
frontier.10 Strategically for India's national security a friendly regime in
Myanmar is vital. However with the rise of Myanmar 's military regime,
the two countries fell apart, China assiduously cultivated Myanmar and
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 984
built a close relationship since early 70's.
The need to counter the Chinese influence in Myanmar, the growing
economic clout of ASEAN and the national security interest of north east
have compelled India to have a rethink on its attitude to the military regime.
The NDA coalition in Delhi took the initiative in the year 2000 to impart
more meaning and content to the relationship between the two countries
as a part of its iook east' policy. Since then, much progress has been
made at various levels- military cooperation, stepping up of bilateral trade,
improving the land links, IT cooperation etc. Myanmar is rich in gas.
ONGC, Videsh and GAIL along with Korean corporations Daewoo and
Kogas are exploring the A-l block off the Rakhine coast of Myanmar in
Northern Bay of Bengal. Myanmar is the second largest of India's
neighbours and the largest on our eastern flank. An unfriendly Myanmar
hosting foreign naval presence would be a grave threat to India's security.
Myanmar has a big border with China in the North contiguous with the
Sino- Indian disputed border. It acts as a buffer between India's North
Eastern States and the Southern Provinces of China. Myanmar even under
Army rule and Chinese pressures did not allow anti-India activity from its
soil.
For India, BIMSTEC is a springboard to ASEAN. The Indian
leadership viewed ASEAN as an American "imperial surrogate" while
ASEAN dubbed India as "the surrogate of the Soviet Union". 11 It is only
after the collapse of Soviet Union, that India's efforts to improve relations
with ASEAN started materializing. Without the distorting prism of Cold
War the two began to view each other in a more constructive way. India's
perceptions should go beyond the confines of SAARC if it were to reap
the benefits out of the economic potential of this region and to establish
itself as a major power to promote peace and stability in the region.12
India's attitude towards the ASEAN during the early years was ambivalent,
but not hostile. India became a sectoral partner of ASEAN in late 1991 in
the core sectors of trade investment and tourism. India was upgraded as
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BIMSTEC : Political Implications for India 985
full dialogue partner in the fifth ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in Dec. 1 995.
In July 1996 India was invited to join the ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum).
It helped India in its role in promoting peace and stability in the region as
well as to put India on par with the Western nations and China vis-à-vis
regional security. According to Dr, Manmohan Singh, the ASEAN nations
along with China, Japan, South Korea and India could create an economic
community comprising nearly half the world's population. It would be
larger than the EU in terms of income and bigger than the NAFTA in
terms of trade.13
The northeastern states of India have felt marginalized since a long
time. In fact the problem of insurgency in these states has been an outcome
of this feeling. BIMSTEC membership implies more attention to the
Northeastern states of India. Free trade and physical connectivity in the
region will end the "remoteness" of the North East, accelerate growth and
create better conditions to address the problems of insurgency in the region.
The BIMSTEC is nothing but a re-integration of the markets and
hinterlands served at the height of its glory. Its commercial flows rise
from the free trade arrangements agreed within SAARC and BIMSTEC.
The Left front Government in Kolkata has an unprecedented opportunity
to accelerate the level of not just West Bengal but the entire eastern part
of the subcontinent. The North East can become the center of a new
integrated economic space encompassing South and South East Asia. This
is a very natural region for integration. There is geographical contiguity
among the members. The objective of BIMSTEC is to explore all these
possibilities to the fullest to see how we can exploit the synergies and the
complementarities that exist in this region for mutual benefits. India is
the second largest Asian country both demographically and geographically.
Cooperation between India and these countries is a necessary prerequisite
for the 21st cent, to become the century of Asia.14
With BIMSTEC, India is in a better position to tackle Chinese
ambitions. Chinese foreign policy in the region seems to be designed to
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 986
prevent India from emerging as a rival Asian power. Peace and calm along
the border has remained hostage to China's sweet will. Chinese assistance
to build the military might of Pakistan as a counterweight against India
continues unabated. China's importance has increased after the collapse
of Soviet Union. Military threat from North receding, China's external
security environment has further stabilized and become relatively peaceful.
Today China feels confident that no major economic power can afford to
lose its big market with its great potential. China is India's major natural
geo-strategic rival. China became the benchmark against which India's
own international status could be assessed. China's membership of UN
Security Council and deference accorded to it by US set the standard for
how India would like to be treated. China's relationship with Pakistan
with its military nuclear and missile dimensions is one of China's means
of keeping India from being completely confident of security. Sino- Pak
security ties remain strong. BIMSTEC has helped India in sidelining Pakistan.
Foreign policies are structured to further a nation's national interests
and strategic goals.15 For many years after independence, India's foreign
policy admirably served its national interests. It gave India an international
profile larger than warranted by its economic strength and military power.
Today India aspires for permanent seat in UN Security Council. With the
support of BIMSTEC and ASEAN countries India's claim for permanent
membership of Security Council becomes strong. During the BIMSTEC
Summit, Dr. Manmohan Singh underlined the need for reforms in the
United Nations and the expansion of the UN Security Council for which
India has been lobbying for years. The Indian Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh said, "A global order, which is better represented and
more responsive to the needs of our times, must include the reform of the
United Nations and restructuring of the Security Council". 16 As a member
of BIMSTEC India's leverage to negotiate its interests in WTO increases
manifold. The BIMSTEC's objectives are same as those of WTO except
that it seeks to establish a much more comprehensive free trade area through
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BIMSTEC : Political Implications for India 987
deeper and substantial sector coverage of services and an open and
competitive investment regime. Liberalisation of trade in goods is based
on the negative list while services is on the positive list.
The combat against international terrorism presents an immense
challenge. As a member of BIMSTEC, India's capacity to deal with the
grave problem of terrorism is boosted. India can easily adopt a multi -
pronged approach to deal with this problem.
India has now got one more forum to cooperate with its neighbours.
India is judged by the world often through the prism of the perception of
its neighbours. Adverse relations with neighbours will continue to pull it
back in its pursuit of playing its rightful role in the comity of nations.
Besides relations with neighbours impinge directly on India's security -
both military and nonmilitary. India's neighbours are also its best and
natural partners for economic cooperation. BIMSTEC accelerates the pace
of economic and social development, promotes material and collective
self-reliance and furthers the cause of peace, progress and stability in the
region and the world. It is time India should become a vigorous player in
international politics and not remain on the periphery. BIMSTEC takes
India nearer to this objective.
References:
1 . Rajesh Mehta, Establishment of Free Trade Arrangement Among
BIMSTEC Countries : Some Issues in RIS - DP# 23/2002 , Jan
2002.
2. C Raja Mohan, A Foreign Policy for the East, The Hindu, July 1 6,
2004.
3. Nagesh Kumar, Towards A Bay of Bengal Community, The
Financial Express, Februry 1 1, 2004
4. Ibid
5. Brig Gen.Shadul Alam Khan ndc.psc.(Retd) BIMSTEC should
be more than a small blip in Defence and Strategic Affairs, The
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The Indian Journal of Political Science 988
Daily Star
6. The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu, August 1, 2004.
7. http://www.diplomatist.com Wither BIMSTEC, Dr.Katti
8. The Business Line, Februry 26, 2005
9. Brig Gen. Shahedul Alam Khan , op.cit.
10. Col.R Hariharan (Retd) Taking a re-look at India-Myanmar
Relations, South Asia Analysis Group (Paper No. 1141), Oct. 11,
2004
11. C.S. Kuppuswamy India's Policy- looking Eastward, South Asia
Analysis Group ,( Paper No. 176), December 27, 2004
12. Ibid,
13. Anjana Pasricha India Promotes Idea of Free Trade within East,
South Asia, news VOA.com, October 24, 2004
14. Indian Foreign Policy : Challenges and Prospects, Presentation at
Geneva Forum by H.E. Mr. Kapil Sibbal,the then Foreign Secretary
of India, January 23, 2003
15. Subhash Kapila India- Myanmar Strategic Partnership : Indian
Imperatives, South Asia Analysis Group, ( Paper No. 197) 2001
16. The Tribune, Chandigarh, August 1, 2004
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