• UGI USER
  • Jun 22, 2024
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PROGRESSIVE INDIAN POLICY ON MYANMAR OUTLINED

SYLLABUS:

GS 2:

  • India and its neighborhood- relations.

Focus:

  • How India can step out of China’s shadow But, in foreign policy, there is no clear line between “values” and “interests” simply because neither has a standard definition.
Source: world atlast

India’s Current Policy on Myanmar

Background

  • The Myanmar military overthrew the elected civilian government in February 2021.
  • The regime has since killed over 5,000 people and displaced around 2.5 million.
  • India has maintained formal relations with this junta.
  • The Modi government has not significantly engaged with the pro-democracy resistance in Myanmar.
  • Indian foreign policy scholars argue this stance protects India’s “interests” in Myanmar, despite the human rights violations.

Defining Interests and Values

  • There is no clear distinction between “values” and “interests” in foreign policy.
  • India’s interests in Myanmar have traditionally been defined in narrow strategic terms.
  • A progressive, values-driven Myanmar policy could better serve India’s interests.
  • This policy should focus on democracy and human security.
  • India’s new government needs to take immediate steps to implement this policy.

Proposed Progressive Policy for Myanmar

Leveraging Democratic Credentials

  1. Use India’s status as the largest federal democracy to influence Myanmar.
  2. Support Myanmar’s pro-democracy elites and civil society, who look up to India’s democratic model.
  3. Assist the National Unity Government (NUG) and other democratic resistance groups.
  4. Help these groups replace the 2008 military-drafted constitution with a federal one.
  5. Distinguish India’s role from China’s by promoting federal cooperation.

Halting Weapon Sales and Humanitarian Outreach

  1. Stop all weapon sales to the Myanmar military.
  2. According to Justice For Myanmar (JFM), India has sold military hardware to the junta since the coup.
  3. Reports indicate India sold $1.5 million worth of navy-grade diesel to junta-linked entities.
  4. Cease these sales to prevent further attacks on civilians.
  5. Open cross-border humanitarian corridors to help civilians in conflict zones like Sagaing Region, Chin State, and northern Rakhine State.

Reopening Cross-Border Humanitarian Corridors

  1. Revoke plans to fence the India-Myanmar border and reinstate the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
  2. Engage existing humanitarian aid networks along the border to send emergency relief.
  3. Collaborate with local and international NGOs experienced in humanitarian aid.
  4. Ensure aid is not distributed by the junta, which has a poor track record.
  5. Implement stringent checks to prevent contraband from passing through aid corridors.

Halting Detention and Deportation of Asylum Seekers

  1. Stop the detention and deportation of Myanmar asylum seekers.
  2. Recognize these individuals as refugees in need of humanitarian assistance.
  3. Follow the international legal principle of non-refoulement, which discourages deporting refugees to danger.
  4. Urge the BJP-led Assam government to release detained Chin refugees.
  5. Provide humane refugee shelters for those in need.

Strategic Significance

Strategically Significant Neighbourhood

  1. Myanmar is a large multi-ethnic nation situated in a strategically important region.
  2. Developments within Myanmar impact its five neighboring countries: China, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India.

Neighbourhood First Policy

  1. Under India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, Myanmar is essential for fostering a robust and cooperative relationship.
  2. The policy emphasizes the significance of cultivating mutually beneficial associations with neighboring countries.

Act East Policy

  1. Myanmar is a key component of India’s Act East Policy.
  2. This policy aims to strengthen economic, strategic, and cultural relations with the Asia-Pacific region.

Multilateral Engagement

  1. Myanmar’s membership in SAARC, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, and Mekong Ganga Cooperation adds a regional dimension to bilateral relations.
  2. These memberships enhance the significance of Myanmar in the context of India’s “Act East” policy.

Areas of Collaborative Cooperation

Bilateral Trade

  1. India is Myanmar’s fifth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade at USD 1.03 billion in 2021-22.
  2. Both nations aim to enhance bilateral trade, providing economic opportunities in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, information technology, and energy sectors.

Energy Cooperation

  1. Myanmar is vital for India’s energy security, receiving over USD 1.2 billion in energy sector investments from India.
  2. Myanmar is the largest recipient of Indian investment in the oil and gas sector in Southeast Asia.

Investment in Infrastructure

  1. Infrastructure projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the Sittwe Port aim to boost connectivity, trade, and investment.
  2. The Kaladan Project connects Kolkata port in India with Sittwe port in Myanmar by sea.
  3. The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project establishes a road link from Moreh in Manipur, India, through Myanmar, to Mae Sot in Thailand.

Strategic Defense Partnership

  1. India and Myanmar maintain a close defense partnership.
  2. India provides military training and conducts joint exercises with the Myanmar Army.
  3. The India-Myanmar Bilateral Army Exercise (IMBAX) promotes closer relations between the two armies.

What are the Concerns for India?

  1. Security Challenges: Myanmar’s political instability and conflict pose security challenges along the shared border, potentially leading to cross-border violence, refugee influx, and insurgent activities affecting India’s northeastern states. Border communities defied the Home Ministry, sheltering Myanmar refugees despite concerns. This can create serious problems especially in the disturbed Manipur region.
  2. Humanitarian Crisis: The ongoing crisis in Myanmar could result in a humanitarian catastrophe, with a potential influx of refugees into India, straining resources and infrastructure.
  3. Strategic Influence: China’s growing influence in Myanmar through initiatives like the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor could impact India’s regional strategic interests and access to the Bay of Bengal.
  4. Trade Disruptions: Instability in Myanmar may disrupt India’s trade routes and economic ties with Southeast Asian nations through land connectivity, affecting India’s Act East Policy.
  5. Counterterrorism Efforts: Political turmoil in Myanmar might hinder joint counterterrorism efforts, allowing extremist groups to exploit the situation and potentially affecting India’s security.
  6. Ethnic and Religious Tensions: Unresolved ethnic conflicts in Myanmar could spill over into India, exacerbating existing ethnic and religious tensions in border regions.
  7. Diplomatic Challenges: India’s stance on Myanmar, especially regarding democracy and human rights, could strain diplomatic relations with both Myanmar’s military junta and international partners.

Source:The Hindu

Mains Practice Question:

Analyze the role of India’s democratic credentials in influencing political developments in Myanmar. How can India leverage its experience as a federal democracy to support the pro-democracy resistance in Myanmar? (250 words)

Associated Articles:

https://universalinstitutions.com/13548-2/