Posts

BBIN: Bhutan – India and North East: Connectivity – Trade & Investment

 It is a fact that both Bhutan and the north east part of India is connected firstly by emotional bond and then interest and welfare over years of bilateral corporation has flourished even through trying times. Bhutan has always been a special friend and a great neighbour and has a special place in the hearts and minds of the people in Assam and the North east. India always stood with the wishes and aspirations of the Bhutanese people. Both our countries have reached new levels of confidence with the launch of Rupay card and the Bhim app. A section of the Bhutanese youth is also being absorbed in India’s IT sector. The recent start up system of the two countries via structured workshop, National Knowledge Network and the Druk – Ren connection and e-library Project along with knowledge and education sharing agreements has led to newer connections between the people. An India – Bhutan – SAT is to be launched into space shortly. Gelephu, the world’s first mindfulness city in Bhu...

Eastward Ho! BBIN: Multi model connectivity in the BBIN sub region

  The BBIN (Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal) multi model initiative in the sub region on connectivity should address the following: ·         Economic integration and transport connectivity initiative to strengthen multi model connection in the BBIN. ·         Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) ·         Multi model connectivity protocol ·         Connectivity at Integrated Check Posts ( ICPs) with rail network ·         Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) nodal body under Ministry of Home Affairs that is responsible for maintaining and managing border infrastructure is looking to develop rail connect with three of its ICP viz, Raxaul, Petrapole and Jogbani. At present no ICP is connected by railways. The ICPs are looking at connectivity near waterways including that of Chattogram and Mongla seaport...

Eastward Ho! 11th Foundation Day – Integrated Check Post Dawki – Tamabil: A new Dawn

The 11 th Foundation Day Program by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) on the 21 st March 2023 of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Dawki marks a new beginning for the people of West Jaintia Hills district and its adjoining areas in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. The ICP will be fully operational now with better facilities for bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh as well as movement of passengers across the border to boost tourism, border haat trade etc. The program started with the speech by Shri Aditya Mishra IPS, Chairman of LPAI and was attended by officials from Customs, BSF, SIB, BDO, MIECC, Meghalaya Police, LPAI and other panelists. The Chairman explained how the LPAI came into existence 11 years ago and shared the objectives and goals of different land ports of the north east in the next five years. As someone who has visited many international land borders both in this region and in ASEAN,  I feel the important takeaways of the program was that th...

Eastward Ho! Intra – Regional Co-operation in Trade, Tourism and Investment in Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal (BBIN)

  The recent visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India has implications for the co-operation not only for India – Bangladesh trade ties with reference to the North East region but also for Bhutan, Nepal and the entire South East Asia region. The Prime Minister invited the Indian investors to invest in infrastructure, energy, manufacturing and set up industries through Buy-Back arrangements. She also mentioned about the two dedicated Special Economic Zones at Mongla and Mirsarai.   The Bhutan, Bangladesh, India Nepal (BBIN) Region is moving forward to achieve greater sub – regional economic interaction and transport connectivity. The governments of these countries are launching various national, bilateral, trilateral and sub – regional initiatives in this field for pursuing a more integrated development roadmap. These initiatives will bolster faster and safer trade, transit and transportation system in this sub – region. In this context, a study on catal...

Eastward Ho! Trilateral Highway: India - Myanmar - Thailand (IMT) and beyond

 The aim of the IMT Highway Project is to open the gate to ASEAN with India through India’s North east through land. The project will boost trade, commerce and investment between the two regions and the ASEAN – India Free Trade Area. India had proposed the IMT highway project be extended up to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. During my recent visit to Thailand I had the honour to meet His Excellency Korn Dabbaransi, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and President of the Thai – India Friendship Forum. H.E. is a strong advocate of the trilateral highway and discussed at lengths the growth and prospects that will follow once the entire highway is completed and fully operational. In the meeting was also present Khun Somsak Burapapipath, the Managing Director of GMS Rally   (ASEAN ) the oldest and most experienced overland rally company in Southeast Asia. A lot of ground inputs were discussed and highlighted regarding the highway. Khun Somsak had undertaken several over...

Eastward Ho! The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project Connecting the Northeast via Mizoram

The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project will provide an alternative route between India’s landlocked Northeast to Southeast Asia. As the name implies it is multi-modal and engages a range of infrastructure from roads, bridges and floating barrages. Once completed it will be a game changer for the Northeast region’s access to ASEAN and Southeast Asia through Myanmar to provide an alternative route between landlocked Northeast and the rest of India as well. It is currently served by the narrow Siliguri corridor. The Kaladan project starts from West Bengal through the Bay of Bengal to Myanmar’s Sittwe port where it meets the Kaladan river which flows from Myanmar to Mizoram ultimately connecting the Northeast. Several hurdles such as political disturbances, difficulty in acquiring land for the project and the global pandemic of 2020 had caused delays in completing this project. In the first phase   the main purpose was to connect Sittwe port in Myanmar with Haldia in West Bengal t...

Eastward Ho! Bangladesh Ambassador’s visit to Guwahati and Dawki

  As global geopolitical dynamics evolve, India’s relationship with Bangladesh is evolving into more long term commitments between the two countries. The signing of several India-Bangladesh MoU’s on various sectors including sharing of waterways serve as the harbinger of closer ties between the people of the two countries. Thus, the visit of the Ambassador of Bangladesh to North East India could not have come at a better time. His Excellency Muhammed Imran, the Ambasador visited Guwahati and Dawki via Shillong last week.   He was accompanied by the Bangladesh Asst. High Commissioner who is based in Guwahati. They were received warmly by the governing body of the Meghalaya International Exporters Chamber of Commerce (MIECC) at   Dawki. A fruitful and interactive discussion took place where the MIECC have highlighted issues of the Dawki -Tamabil land border trade that need to be addressed for the smooth functioning of trade between the two countries. Some of the issues di...