Opinion To Malaysia,via the Brahmaputra

The northeastern region

could be the gateway to facilitate and improve a tie-up on trade and commerce with the countries of Southeast Asia. For easy connectivity with these countries,we need to open up land,sea and river routes. There is the Stilwell road,which was constructed under the

leadership of General Joseph Warrel Stilwell in 1942,who was chief of staff of the Allied Forces

during World War II. The Stilwell road,about 1726 km long,connects Ledo in Assam with Kunming in China. It was constructed with the singular idea of maintaining a supply line to the Allied Forces in Myanmar from India. It was used by the Allied Forces to contain and meet the onslaught of the Japanese forces. However,after the War,the Stilwell Road was practically abandoned and not used for trade or commercial transactions by the military junta in Myanmar,who displayed a lack of interest in the opportunities that the road made available. The road was also neglected due to less than friendly relations between India and China.

Now,though,India’s previously strained relationship with Bangladesh has improved tremendously,which can pave the way for a sea route through Bangladesh via Chittagong Port,the nearest port through the Tripura border. There is also the mighty Brahmaputra, which could be effectively utilised to carry goods from Bangladesh to Assam (and vice-versa). From there,goods could be carried along the sea route for export/import purposes.

Unfortunately,the northeastern region is lagging behind in the industrial and business sectors. There has been little major economic investment in the Northeast,perhaps because of the long-running insurgency,which may have originated with a sense of alienation from the rest of the country. Although some militant groups have come to the negotiating table for an amicable solution of their problems,it is natural that investment in industry is hard to come by in such disturbed and uncertain circumstances,despite the fact that the region is rich in minerals like coal and in petroleum. This lack of investment,when paired with a stillborn economy,has led to the region’s best and brightest emigrating in search of better educational and employment opportunities elsewhere in the country. Massive unemployment means there is also a high rate of poverty amongst the local people,leading to a greater incidence of school dropouts who are then unable to find jobs — a vicious cycle that no doubt contributes to militancy in the region.

To tackle this situation,and also to improve the economic condition of the region and alleviate poverty,connectivity to the Northeast and within must be improved. It is important to incentivise investors to develop the industrial and agricultural sectors. Taking steps to reopen the Stilwell Road and using it for the development of trade and commerce with China,Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries,while also opening up a sea route through Bangladesh and a river route through the Brahmaputra,would not only be beneficial to India in general and the Northeast in particular,but will also help both Myanmar and Bangladesh improve their economy.

This is important,since there has recently been considerable change in the political scenario in both China and Myanmar. China’s economy,experiencing a slowdown due to the global recession,could improve with better trade ties among India,Myanmar and Bangladesh,and among India and China and other Southeast Asian countries. In both China and Myanmar,attitudes towards political and economic liberalisation and open-mindedness appear to have improved.

This,then,is the time to strike,for one has to make hay while the sun shines. In order to transform the region and better their own economic conditions,a concerted effort has to be made by all these countries. India should play a leading role in this regard,and initiate discussions for improvement in its business relations with countries like China,Myanmar,Bangladesh,Thailand and Malaysia. Only then will the ambitious “Look East” policy yield returns.

The writer is a retired Supreme Court judge