Connectivity, commerce and culture will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s primary focus during the ASEAN and East Asia Summits in Myanmar next week. It is expected that an agreement for Imphal-Mandeley Bus Service will be signed during the PM’s visit, while increasing air and maritime connectivity will be discussed at length.
The PM is expected to pitch for improving connectivity in the region to give a boost to trade and people-to-people contact at the Summit next week. The cross-border Imphal-Mandalay (Myanmar) bus service, which aims at improving the bilateral relation between Myanmar and India, has been pending for long. Officials in Ministry of External Affairs expressed that efforts have been on to create the infrastructure in Manipur and other North-Eastern States in an attempt to generate economic activities.
Already an ambitious project is underway to develop a 3,200-km trilateral highway linking India, Myanmar and Thailand. India has so far built 160 km and has committed to make 71 bridges, and 120 connecting roads to the highway. Originally planned to be completed around 2017 the project is running much behind schedule. In fact, Myanmar had sought realignment of the highway due to unstable security situation in the earlier planned route. The alternative alignment along with the new route will be developed by Myanmar. According to Anil Wadhwa, Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry, India and the 10-nation ASEAN bloc hope to dovetail the connectivity plans with this highway.
India is keen that the next ASEAN-India five-year Plan of Action starting 2016 should lay emphasis on enhancing people-to-people contacts, boosting trade and reinforcing the strategic, political relationship and security architecture in the region. Studies on languages, culture and tradition, dress and crafts are some of the areas ASEAN countries are looking at.
Wadhwa said the grouping of 10 southeast nations hopes to make ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) a reality by the end of 2015. The free trade agreement in services and investment between India and the ASEAN is expected to help the bilateral trade touch $100 billion by 2015. The bilateral trade grew 4.6 per cent from $68.4 billion in 2011 to $71.6 billion in 2012. ASEAN’s exports were valued at $43.84 billion and imports from India amounted to $27.72 billion in 2012.
“Our ties with South East Asia are deep rooted. Strengthening relations with ASEAN nations is an important part of our ‘Act East’ policy. ASEAN is central to our dream of an Asian century, where India will play a crucial role. I am sure the meetings there would be fruitful. I will have bilateral meetings with leaders of Myanmar. Having stronger relations with Myanmar is a priority area for us,” PM said in a statement.
Modi will leave for Myanmar on Tuesday to attend the 12th ASEAN-India summit and the 9th East Asian summit on November 12 and 13 respectively on the first leg of his three-nation 10-day foreign tour that will also take him to Australia and Fiji. During his visit, PM will also meet Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi among other leaders.