Kunming to Kolkata connectivity is sought via China-backed
BCIM economic corridor. What implications does it hold for India?
In order to find new
ground for Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC), all the
countries concerned have done their part to push hard for this project. But it
was during 2013, when both China and India spearhead the corridor with their
urge to bring some momentum to it.
Through their strong
initiatives these two countries have succeeded in bringing positive outcomes
and the recent one being the successful completion of the second meeting of the
Joint Study Group (JSG) of BCIM-EC on December 17-18, 2014.
It was the success of
BCIM Car Rally of February 2013 between Kolkata and Kunming that helped in
improving the connectivity in the economic corridor. This provided impetus for
both the countries to make this corridor an important bilateral agenda and
placing them in the joint statements during visits of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to India in May 2013 and subsequently by Indian then
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to China in October 2013. These bilateral exchange then paved way
for first JSG meet on December 18-19, 2013 in Kunming.
Earlier, it was in the
August 1999, the BCIM Forum for Regional Cooperation, commonly known as “Kunming
Initiative” officially came into existence. This was a year after Professor Che
Zhimin, the then Deputy Director of the Economic and Technological Research
Centre of the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government presented a note at a
Conference hosted by the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) in New Delhi. He defined
the scope of the proposed ‘sub-region of China, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh,
which can lead to a ‘cooperative zone’.
Though India embraced
this proposal of Che, its ambivalence towards overland connectivity projects of
the Chinese, including that of BCIM-EC has been in existence for long, largely
due to political relationship resulting from unresolved border disputes and
frequent face-offs on the borders.
This is coupled with
India’s apprehension of China’s increasing maritime presence at Indian Ocean
and Onland encirclement around India. But of late such trepidation on Indian
side should start diminishing due to three different reasons. Firstly, to gain
larger economic space and geopolitical presence, the essence of regional
integration has been appreciated well by India due to its inherited benefits
such as reduction of costs of goods movement and boosting regional trade and
investments.
Secondly, India should
welcome China’s invitation in various multilateral projects including maritime
Silk Road and unblock Stilwell Road, which links Ledo in Assam with Kunming in
China.
Thirdly, it is through these
multi-modal projects like BCIM-EC and Stilwell Road, which can push for regional development of the Northeast
part of India as well, facilitating India’s ‘Act East’ policy objectives.
As far as the current
JWG meeting held in Dhaka’s Cox’s Bazar, all the four countries have now agreed
upon to give BCIM-EC an institutional shape, while gearing up for the next JSG
meet in Paschimbanga, Kolkata.
The discussion in this
meeting, largely revolved round the K2K
(Kunming-Ruili-Bhamo-Lashio-Mandalay-Tamu-Imphal-Sylhet-Dhaka-Kolkata) route,
which is 2,800 km long and part of the historic Silk Route, offering the best
condition for the corridor.
All the four countries further
agreed to prepare a combined country reports on the seven thematic areas as
identified in the first JSG such as, connectivity, energy, investment and
financing, trade in goods and services and trade facilitation, social and human
development and poverty alleviation, sustainable development and
people-to-people contact. The broader areas on which these reports would focus
are objectives of BCIM-EC, its concept, scope and elements, principles and
modalities of cooperation and framework of cooperation.
While China would
prepare reports on connectivity and investment, India would lay its focus on
energy and trade while also identifying actionable areas and concrete projects,
with the ultimate objective of deepening economic cooperation among the four
nations. The initial total estimated cost of BCIM-EC projects would be about $22 billion for which 55
per cent may be contributed from the multi-billion dollar fund, while the
balance will be borne by the four governments and the private sector.
Modi government
therefore , would do well to concurrently develop the connectivity at Northeast
region (NER) of India. The government has already started working on broad gauge rail conversion, India’s ambitious railway link to Southeast
Asia, which is in addition to the 34 ongoing railway projects in the NRF zone with an anticipated cost of Rs.
54,000 crores to be completed in five years.
Furthermore, the
Government of Assam has approached Modi government to fast track other
connectivity projects including the one on inland waterways for which the
former has prepared a concept note to avail funding from World Bank.
Therefore, while India
should undoubtedly move forward with China on all economic corridor projects
including BCIM-EC, it should also lay equal emphasis on its own
inter-connectivity projects in the Northeast with not only a better
coordination with border states but also taking into confidence the local
communities at NER and its likely impacts on the rich biodiversity of the
region. Only such coordinated efforts from the Centre can direct these projects
towards sustainable goals.
(Manish Vaid is Junior Fellow with Observer Research
Foundation, Delhi)
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