The other border
Rising powers need friendly neighbourhoods. A relationship with our neighbours that is supportive, or at least cordial, would free us to think on a larger scale. Of course, Indias western border shows no signs of being unproblematic any time soon. But, to the east, an election in 2008 in Bangladesh that brought in the Awami League which does not subscribe to the anti-India rhetoric that is characteristic of the other main party there, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party should have been an opportunity seized with both hands. And, indeed, the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last January seemed to indicate movement. Five joint agreements were signed, especially on cooperation against terror and on electricity, but even more on transit rights, extradition, and boundary disputes, for example seemed in the works. The political will clearly existed on both sides. It seemed just a matter of time.
It is particularly shocking, therefore, that India seems to have dropped the ball. In case after case, the Bangladeshi side has done its bit, laying the groundwork for further agreement, or implementing what was already signed. And in case after case, the Indian side has not reciprocated to any reasonable degree. On boundary demarcation, for example, the Joint Boundary Working Group is yet to meet. On trade, the exception raj that seems to have replaced the licence raj for the UPA has scuttled any meaningful progress towards an agreement on freeing imports and exports. On transit issues, too, India hasnt matched the Bangladeshi side though movement on that is colossally more politically sensitive for Bangladesh than for India.
Simply put, this is not how aspirational great powers behave with their neighbours. India should be doing all the running, not Bangladesh. And, furthermore, it is unclear how long this window of opportunity will exist: Bangladesh politics is notoriously volatile, and relations with India are a central wedge issue there. It would be a pity if the Delhi establishments tendency to look obsessively at the western border means that it ignores what it must achieve on the eastern border.
Rising powers need friendly neighbourhoods. A relationship with our neighbours that is supportive, or at least cordial, would free us to think on a larger scale. Of course, Indias western border shows no signs of being unproblematic any time soon. But, to the east, an election in 2008 in Bangladesh that brought in the Awami League which does not subscribe to the anti-India rhetoric that is characteristic of the other main party there, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party should have been an opportunity seized with both hands. And, indeed, the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last January seemed to indicate movement. Five joint agreements were signed, especially on cooperation against terror and on electricity, but even more on transit rights, extradition, and boundary disputes, for example seemed in the works. The political will clearly existed on both sides. It seemed just a matter of time.
It is particularly shocking, therefore, that India seems to have dropped the ball. In case after case, the Bangladeshi side has done its bit, laying the groundwork for further agreement, or implementing what was already signed. And in case after case, the Indian side has not reciprocated to any reasonable degree. On boundary demarcation, for example, the Joint Boundary Working Group is yet to meet. On trade, the exception raj that seems to have replaced the licence raj for the UPA has scuttled any meaningful progress towards an agreement on freeing imports and exports. On transit issues, too, India hasnt matched the Bangladeshi side though movement on that is colossally more politically sensitive for Bangladesh than for India.
Simply put, this is not how aspirational great powers behave with their neighbours. India should be doing all the running, not Bangladesh. And, furthermore, it is unclear how long this window of opportunity will exist: Bangladesh politics is notoriously volatile, and relations with India are a central wedge issue there. It would be a pity if the Delhi establishments tendency to look obsessively at the western border means that it ignores what it must achieve on the eastern border.
