PRIME MINISTER Manmohan Singh’s visit to
Myanmar on 28-30 May is significant for two reasons. First, 25 years have
passed since the last visit by Rajiv Gandhi in 1987. Second, the visit is
taking place at a time when Naypyidaw has surprised the world with both the
scale and speed of change in its political outlook and in its engagement with
the international community.
Nothing
less than the announcement of strategic partnership with a long-term policy
framework would befit the current level of relationship, both to lend credence
to Myanmar’s democratic reforms as well as acknowledge its growing importance
as a pivot in India’s Look East policy. Myanmar is, perhaps, the only neighbour
after Bhutan which shares a conflict-free and comprehensive engagement with New
Delhi. Myanmar has helped India in its protracted counter-insurgency operations
in the Northeast, offered access to its huge energy resources and provided the
launching pad for connectivity to ASEAN.
Three
principal reasons warrant such a step. First, Myanmar is ripe for strategic
partnership as she shares convergence of long-term strategic interests, plays a
critical role in India’s security formulation, has substantial volume of
engagement and adds considerable value to the country’s strategic positioning
in regional politics. The content of India’s engagement with Myanmar, when
compared with the contents of India’s strategic partnership with Australia or
Malaysia, is much more strategic, sensitive, beneficial and multi-faceted.
Second,
the strategic partnership would provide an important direction and vision to
the otherwise somewhat unstructured pattern of India-Myanmar relationship that
has evolved in the last decade. The partnership would give India a strategic
depth in the sub-region of Bay of Bengal and a significant edge against other
competing players, whether from the East or the West. While China has already
signed the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership with Myanmar in May
2011, the US has also offered partnership if democratic reforms continue. If
India does not act now, it might be left behind. The country should not delay
taking the right step.
Finally,
the democratisation of Myanmar takes away the normative constraints related to
the issue of democracy and human rights violations that had bedevilled India’s
engagement with the military rulers and had divided the Indian policy
establishment down the middle.
Nevertheless,
the intent must be matched with substantial content. The year 2014 can be
declared as the deadline for their completion, celebrating Myanmar’s
chairmanship of ASEAN. However, the new energy-related projects should address
local concerns and pressures.
After
Myanmar opened up, Japan has offered to help in building Myanmar’s stock
exchange, the American company Caterpillar is negotiating business in the heavy
machinery sector. In contrast, their entry raises the premium on India’s
developmental projects in the country, which have been suffering from poor
planning, lax and inefficient implementation, huge time-lag and, of late,
growing local opposition. India’s only hydel power project at Tamanthi in
Myanmar has suffered from these limitations, prompting our foreign ministry to
suggest its discontinuation. These challenges may undermine India’s competitive
image, diminish the potential for bilateral cooperation in the energy and
infrastructure sectors, and, therefore, marginalise New Delhi’s role.
SECOND,
THE two countries could explore various avenues of cooperation involving the
Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs) of Myanmar and India’s Northeast states.
Border trading stations should be improved and the number of items to be traded
through the border. The two countries should also announce policies to revive
strong people-to-people networks in the education and cultural sectors.
Third,
besides enhancing defence and security cooperation, the partnership should
focus on developing a common regional agenda as Myanmar assumes chairmanship of
ASEAN in 2014 and begins active participation in regional cooperation.
Finally,
the two countries should elevate the annual dialogue to the ministerial-level.
So far, the regular bilateral discussion is confined to senior official level
only, involving the home secretary, Government of India, and an official of
deputy minister rank from the Myanmar side.
New
Myanmar is a befitting case for the strategic partnership and the visit of the
Prime Minister offers the right opportunity to reinvigorate the relationship by
transforming it into a partnership.
Vibhanshu
Shekhar
Vibhanshu Shekhar is Research Fellow at
Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi.
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