BRIC PLUS

India is choosy about eastern neighbours

ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted: Wednesday, Dec 05, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST
Updated: Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007 at 2341 hrs IST

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: with small countries in the region namely, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, it would help to boost its presence in the Asean region. Also, there is a need to improve trade and economic cooperation with Myanmar for strategic reasons. Myanmar has good reserves of gas and oil that can help India in meeting its energy needs.

Myanmar grows and exports pulses to India, which is in shortfall in this essential agro commodity. Increase in border trade with India can help the landlocked northeastern part of the country with better prospects. At present border trade in select 22 items is permitted through three select points, namely Moreh in Manipur, Zowkhathar in Mizoram and Lungwa in Nagaland. The border trade is severely limited. Indians are allowed to cross the border with the assurance that they would return on the same day. It has been proposed to link United Bank of India at Moreh post in Manipur with Myanmarese Economic Bank at Tamu. If this happens, the two banks would avail the letter of credit facilities under which Indian rupee and Myanmarese kyats can be legally converted.

Cooperation between India and Myanmar is also essential to check narcotic trade. Myanmar can act as India’s gateway to the Asean through the land route.

India’s relations with Myanmar over the past years had been severely affected due to political reason as the former had criticised the latter’s martial regime. Recently, there has been a shift in the India’s attitude towards Myanmar and the relationship between the two countries is inching for better. It would be better to integrate Myanmar into South Asian economy by inviting it to join Saarc. India should win over less important economies in the Asean region and counter the growing presence of China, Japan and Korea....

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