24 April 2024 – The Hindu

Relations between India and Myanmar

• The Indian Home Minister has announced plans to erect a barrier around the whole India-Myanmar border in order to impede people’s freedom of movement. With this decision, the unrestricted flow of people across the 1,643 km border—which passes through states like Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Manipur—will be reduced.
• As part of this approach, the existing Free Movement Regime (FMR) agreement with Myanmar is being reviewed. Despite the fencing proposal’s apparent security justification, resistance is expected, and it may have a negative impact on the two countries’ bilateral relations.

What is the border between India and Myanmar’s Free Movement Regime (FMR)?

About:

• The FMR is a mutually agreed-upon agreement between the two nations that permits tribes residing on either side of the border to enter the other country for up to 16 kilometers without a visa. It was put into effect in 2018 as a component of the Act East policy of the Indian government.
• Justification: The line between India and Myanmar was divided in 1826 when British colonial rulers drew it without taking the local population’s views into account. People who have close ties to different ethnic groups and families have been split apart as a result of the border demarcation.
• Significance: The Free Movement Regime (FMR) was intended to promote local trade and economic endeavors in addition to promoting interpersonal contacts. Customs and border haats have enabled cross-border business for a long time in the region.

Why is the relationship between India and Myanmar important?

Geographical Significance:

• Southeast Asia’s entry point: Myanmar acts as a land bridge that links South Asia and Southeast Asia. Myanmar’s closeness to the northeastern states of India creates a strategic link and promotes regional connectivity.
• Bay of Bengal Connectivity: India and Myanmar share a maritime border in the Bay of Bengal, which expands marine cooperation prospects and promotes strategic and commercial cooperation.
• Regional Power Balancing: Given the geopolitical complexity of the area, India can prevent any potential imbalances in power that may result from the influence of other important actors in the region by maintaining strong connections with Myanmar. China’s expanding influence in the region is countered by India’s aggressive engagement with Myanmar.

Strategic Importance:

• Myanmar is a sizable country with a diverse population that is situated in a strategically important neighborhood. The country’s five surrounding nations—China, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India—are affected by the developments there.
• Neighborhood First Policy: India’s “Neighborhood First” policy emphasizes the need of building a strong, cooperative, and mutually beneficial relationship, which is seen in its approach to Myanmar.
• Act East Policy: An important part of India’s diplomatic endeavor to promote strategic, commercial, and cultural ties with the Asia-Pacific area is the Act East Policy, which includes Myanmar.
• Multilateral Engagement: In light of India’s “Act East” policy, Myanmar’s involvement in BIMSTEC, SAARC, ASEAN, and the Mekong Ganga Cooperation has given bilateral relations a more regional focus.

Domains of Collaborative Partnership:

• Bilateral Trade: With USD 1.03 billion in bilateral trade with Myanmar in 2021–2022, India is the country’s fifth-largest trading partner.
• Both countries aim to increase their bilateral commerce, which will open up new markets for businesses in sectors including energy, information technology, medicines, and agriculture.
• Energy Cooperation: India’s energy security depends on Myanmar. Myanmar is the largest receiver of Indian investments in the oil and gas sector in Southeast Asia, with an energy portfolio worth over USD 1.2 billion.
• Infrastructure Investment: Projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the Sittwe Port are designed to increase trade, investment, and connectivity.
• The goal of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project is to establish a maritime link between the ports of Sittwe, Myanmar, and Kolkata, eastern India.
• The goal of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project is to build a road connecting the three countries. The highway will start in Moreh, in the Indian state of Manipur, travel through Myanmar, and finish in Mae Sot, in Thailand.
• Strategic Defense Partnership: India and Myanmar have a tight defense alliance, with India training Myanmar Army soldiers and organizing joint drills.
• The goal of the India-Myanmar Bilateral Army Exercise (IMBAX) is to strengthen and foster ties between the two forces.

Measures for Capacity Building:

• Developmental support: India has provided soft loans totaling USD 2 billion. Rather than imposing its will on Myanmar, it has offered to support its growth in the areas where it desires.
• Additionally, India is helping to establish universities and research centers, such as the Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education and the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology.
• India also pledged to help develop Myanmar’s National Disaster Response Mechanism and build capacity for disaster risk mitigation.
• Humanitarian Assistance: India’s provision of COVID-19-related aid to Myanmar during times of crisis, for example, illustrates the strength of bilateral relations and the country’s commitment to the welfare of the area.
• India has provided aid to Myanmar in the wake of natural disasters such as Cyclone Mora (2017), Komen (2015), and the earthquake in Shan State (2010). It has done so with promptness and effectiveness.

Cultural Interaction:

• Historical and Cultural Links: India and Myanmar have a common history of colonization and a Buddhist heritage. Stronger diplomatic ties and mutual understanding are built on these ties.
• Indian Diaspora: Approximately 4% of the population of Myanmar is made up of people who are of Indian descent. The Indian diaspora contributes significantly to Myanmar’s economy through commerce, investments, and economic endeavors.

What Matters Most in the Relationship Between India and Myanmar?

Concern about Internal Security:

• The border between India and Myanmar is extremely porous, inadequately fortified, situated near an area that produces opium and along a remote, impoverished, insurgency-prone path.
• Terrorist organizations and insurgency groups operating in northeastern India have taken advantage of this vulnerability. Examples include the flow of weapons across this porous border and the provision of trained individuals.
• Northeastern Indian rebel factions had set up camps in the cities and villages bordering Myanmar.
• Several insurgent groups, including the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), and small groups of Kukis and Zomis, have established camps in Sagaing Division, Kachin State, and Chin State (in Myanmar), according to a paper published by Anuradha Oinam of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).
• The Indian government is contemplating the termination of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar.
• Although beneficial to the local populace and a driving force behind improving Indo-Myanmar relations, it has been criticized in the past for unintentionally aiding problems like arms trafficking, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration.
• Myanmar’s Triangular Power Struggle: The country is still embroiled in internal conflict three years after a military coup erased the country’s meager democratic advances.
• Known as the “Sick Man of Southeast Asia,” Myanmar shows no signs of recovery as long as the military government, political parties, and ethnic groups continue to incite bloodshed. There doesn’t seem to be much hope for a clear victory for any side in this civic upheaval.
• Index of Civil Liberties: Myanmar’s score on this index, which gauges how much its people are allowed to exercise its civil liberties, is zero.
• China’s Influence: China is both Myanmar’s greatest trading partner and its largest investor. In addition to trade and economic connections, China has used soft power—particularly large-scale infrastructure projects—to bolster its position in Myanmar.
• India is finding it difficult to counteract Chinese influence in Myanmar.
• Infrastructure Project Delays: Due to India’s track record of continuously delaying the completion of various projects, a rising trust deficit has developed between the two countries over time.
• Economic cooperation has been hampered by the protracted delays in the timely completion of cooperative infrastructure projects, particularly the Sittwe port and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which are essential for enhancing connectivity.
• Rohingya Crisis: Tense relations between India and Myanmar have resulted from the humanitarian and human rights calamity known as the Rohingya crisis. Seeking safety, many have escaped to nearby nations, particularly Bangladesh and India.
• India’s position has been justified by the country’s security concerns, which include the supposed ties between the Rohingya and terrorist organizations, the strain on its resources, and societal peace.

What Path Should We Take Next?

Diplomacy that is strategic:

• Improved Control of the Free mobility Regime: The FMR should efficiently control mobility while maintaining cross-border ties. Certain negative consequences might be mitigated by formalizing trade at designated entry points and upgrading infrastructure.
• Taking into account the concerns of the surrounding community, it may not be better to completely fence the boundary or remove the FMR altogether.
• Interact with a Variety of Stakeholders: India should strike a careful balance between fostering cordial ties with the military government and opening up opportunities for interaction with a range of stakeholders that back democracy.
• To counterbalance China’s influence in the area, India should form strategic alliances and cooperate economically, all the while upholding Myanmar’s sovereignty. To strengthen India’s position, cooperative projects and initiatives might be undertaken.

Make Use of Collaborative Tools:

• Encourage Two-Way Trade: Look for ways to diversify trade links and increase Myanmar’s exports to India in order to address the trade deficit. Promote investments and venture into industries outside of customary cooperative boundaries.
• In the Thanlyn region of Myanmar, which is close to Yangon, the Indian government has proposed investing USD 6 billion to establish a petroleum refinery project.
• Infrastructure Project Acceleration: Make sure collaborative initiatives like the Sittwe port and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are completed on schedule. Both countries will gain from this increased connection and economic collaboration.
• Enhanced Security Cooperation: To combat the threats posed by insurgent groups along the border, cooperate on counterinsurgency methods. Joint actions and intelligence exchange can improve regional security.
• Make Use of Cultural Exchange: Promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges to reinforce the historical and cultural link between the two countries. Mutual understanding can be fostered through exchange programs, collaborative educational initiatives, and shared cultural events.
• Building on this common legacy, India is restoring the Ananda Temple in Bagan and repairing and conserving numerous damaged pagodas through significant initiatives.
• Organize Peace Conclaves: India may think about planning a Peace Assembly that would include knowledgeable individuals and high-ranking officials from the ASEAN Troika, which is made up of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos, as well as the Quad member states.
• This assembly may create a comprehensive plan, objectively evaluate Myanmar’s human rights problems, and provide real assistance in moving the country closer to security and stability.
• The assembly might place special emphasis on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s immediate release from her unwarranted solitary imprisonment, considering her critical role in releasing the region’s potential for a more bright future.
• India has plenty to offer Myanmar and much to gain from Myanmar. The bilateral relationship between the two countries is based on this reciprocal dynamic. As they go down these paths, India and Myanmar have the chance to actively engage in cooperative endeavors and demonstrate their commitment to regional peace and stability, which will help to form a forward-looking partnership.