Connecting through the Act East Policy

Last Friday, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called in the chief ministers of the north eastern states to discuss the progress of the governments “act east policy’’. Telling them that they were the major stakeholders in the push for bringing India and ASEAN countries together for economic regeneration of the north east, she spoke of inter regional connectivity as well as opening links to Myanmar, Thailand and the larger ASEAN neighbourhood.

Connectivity is a crucial element of the government’s act east policy, Swaraj explained. Connectivity is the new buzz word. In fact, it has been so for nearly three decades. Look east has been part of the diplomatic lexicon since 1992 when it was first initiated by former Congress prime minister Narasimha Rao. The Vajpayee government took this forward, so did the UPA. But both at a snail’s pace. Modi took over in 2014 and renamed it as the act east policy, to emphasise that action must be taken immediately. Act east is seen as the key that would unlock the vast untapped potential of India’s remote north eastern states.

In fact, the north east would be the bridge to connect India to the larger ASEAN market. Two key showcase schemes (there are several others ) – the ambitious Kaladan multi purpose and the Asian trilateral highway connecting Manipur to Thailand and on to Cambodia and Laos have been on for the last decade and more but not yet completed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly said that it is not enough to act east, but to act fast. It is time for the governments, both at the Centre and the states to get moving and fix timelines for projects or they will remain just on paper.

Connectivity has taken on a new dimension ever since Asian giant China initiated its one belt one road project and poured billions of dollar into infrastructure projects to replicate the ancient silk route by both land and sea. This is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s big idea, which every other major power is grappling with. While China says it is merely an economic project which will benefit all countries, India and several Western nations see this more as a projection of Chinese power. With funds to power the fast track highways, rail roads, ports and other much needed infrastructure projects, most of India’s neighbours including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, and of course, Pakistan is welcoming the Chinese initiative. Delhi is unhappy, but no one can blame India’s neighbours for welcoming China with open arms. Instead of sulking or blaming the neighbours, Delhi would be well advised to deliver projects on schedule.

But are things about to change? Special attention has been given to the north eastern states for over a decade, but the situation on the ground has not changed. With the BJP in control in all but one north eastern state (Mizoram), and Modi keen on showing results of his act east policy, will there be some movement now?

Assam already has a minister, C M Patowary, heading a brand new Act East Policy Department. That is the first step, that signifies that the BJP state government is paying attention to East Asia. Patowary claims the Assam is actively engaged in all connectivity projects and specially mentions revival and upgrading of 55 airstrips across the state. These tiny airports were constructed by the British during World War 1 but most have been allowed to wither away. Now, with generous infusion of funds from the Centre, the government is hoping to make all these airstrips workable. Most of them will be subsidised by Delhi so that the cost of flying would be affordable to the majority of the people. The tentative rates are Rs 2,500 per hour. The air connectivity project is part of the Centre’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), which seeks to connect smaller cities and towns.

There are also ambitious plans to make arrangements for flights to East Asia from Guwahati. At the moment, a few flights are operated by Bhutan’s Druk Air, but the plan now is to begin an international service from Guwahati to Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. Rates for the international routes have not been fixed yet but the Assam government is setting aside one billion rupees for the subsidies. “This will have an economic impact on Assam and the north-east”, Patowary said of the plan in a seminar held last month by the Kalinga Foundation.

While much is being talked of connectivity and how this will bring economic prosperity to the north eastern states, a blue print of what type of small scale industries should be encouraged to make it meaningful has not been thought out. Officials casually mention horticulture, handicrafts and canned fruits and vegetables. But has a proper market survey been done?

What are the commodities that can sell in the ASEAN region? So far very little work has been done on this kind of detailing. As some people in Manipur are asking, will the north east open up just to service trucks and drivers passing through the region. Some serious thought must be given to export oriented projects. The fact that the Sushma Swaraj meeting was also attended by Rajiv Kumar, vice chairman of Niti Aayog, is a good sign. Perhaps, the Niti Aayog, in consultation with the state chief ministers, can work out a plan.

The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in foreign policy and international affairs.

Special attention has been given to the north eastern states for over a decade, but the situation on the ground has not changed. With the BJP in control in all but one north eastern state (Mizoram), and Modi keen on showing results of his act east policy, will there be some movement now?