Burma Centre
Delhi, in collaboration with the Journalist Forum Assam, held a program, “Interactive Session on Changing Policies in
Burma: Opportunities and Challenges,” at the Press Club in Guwahati, Assam, on
Thursday to update India-Burma relations, to assess the opportunities for
political reforms, and to come up with a constructive strategy of cooperation
between India and Burma.
The meeting also launched the report, “India-Burma Relations: Trends
and Development 1990 – 2011.”
The report notes that over the years India-Burma relations witnessed
several turn of events. The relationships between the two countries went
through rough times when the military took over the country under the leadership
of General Ne Win in 1962. India pursued its idealistic policy even as Burma’s
military control was increasingly entrenched and absolute.
In 1988, India supported the pro democracy movement in Burma led by
students, providing shelter to those who fled the country during uprising in 8
August 1988.
When India adopted a Look East Policy in early 1990s in an attempt to
engage with Southeast Asian countries to revive its economy and emphasize its
influence in the region, Burma became prominent and significant for India as a
land bridge for the success of the policy. Thereafter, India began to engage
the ruling military government in Burma. It remained silent over issues
pertaining to the military control and its aggression over common civilians,
specifically the pro democracy activists in Burma.
Moreover the northeast region of India too became an important geo
physique and political strategy in the implementation of this Look East Policy.
Some of the Policies that are visible today are: India-Burma border trade,
Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project; Sitway port and road links etc.
This initiative in terms of economic cooperation and joint ventures are
said to revive the relation between the two countries. The issue of border
insurgency was also taken up by the two countries in terms of join operations.
In the current context the key areas of India–Burma relations are
economic and military cooperation. The important factors in developing ties are
geophysical and strategic factors.
India’s Look East Policy is an important foreign policy of India after
the post cold war. It is primarily on trade and investment linkages, but later
shift towards a wider economic, security, political and physical connectivity.
The policy was further responded by the Burma government as an implementing
partner of several mega projects initiated by India and conducting joint
military collaborations.
The report concludes that the present forms of relations between
India-Burma is measured only in terms of economic, military cooperation, while
several resistance have also been witnessed in many areas such as mega projects
like Tamanthi Dam, or Kaladan multi- modal project.
India as Burma’s immediate neighbour and world’s largest democracy and
with its increasing influence in the region, it is felt that India needs to
genuinely put efforts, both in terms of economic and political for a true
transition in Burma, while it also feels that the ruling government in Burma to
take further step, not only in the release of Aung San Suu Kyi but to take into
confidence all political parties and ethnic groups in this important period of
democratic transition in Burma.
The report “India-Burma relations 1990 – 2011: Trends and Development”
is a compilation of studies, papers and viewpoints of renowned experts who have
profound knowledge, experience and concern on India-Burma relations. The report
stresses the relations between the two countries over the last two decades and
was published to serve as an insight and understand the socio-political process
in Burma and the trends that evolve between India and Burma. It is hoped that
this information in its small way will contribute to the dawn of renewed and
strengthen relations and bridge Indians as well as Burmese people towards
development, peace and stability.
Contributors include Indian and Burmese parliamentarians, Dr. Shashi
Tharoor, Mani Shanker Aiyer and Dr. Tint Swe; Social activist Jaya Jaitley;
intellectuals, analyst and researchers C.S Kuppuswamy , Dr. K.Yhome, Prof
Ganganath Jha, Prof. Baladas Ghoshal; strategist and security Analyst Rahul.K.
Bhonsle, Anil Bhat; and journalist Subir Bhaumik, Nava Thakuria and Satya
Sagar.
Mizzima News
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