Troika for India’s northeast region
Why in news?
In the third India-Japan Intellectual Dialogue in Agartala, policymakers focused to bring the troika of Bangladesh, India and Japan closer.
What is the role of Japan in north east region?
- Japan has historical ties with the North Eastern region of India.
- Japan attaches great importance to the development of the region in the spirit of trust and friendship.
- Japan-North Eastern India relationship and cooperation, aim at promoting the intellectual interactions between Japan and the North East.
- The cooperation can bring new opportunities in empowering entrepreneurship in agriculture/Bamboo sector and Fostering People to People Contact.
What are the developments in north east regions connecting Bangladesh?
- Matarbari Deep Sea Port (DSP) – It is being constructed with Japanese assistance and is scheduled to be operational in 2027.
- The long term vision is for Bangladesh and the northeast to become a hub and key industrial corridor of this region.
- Located on the on the southeastern coast of Bangladesh.
- Rapid industrialization – To increase the connectivity of roads and railways by Hiroshi Suzuki, Japan’s Ambassador to India.
- It also provides job opportunities and connects with Bangladesh.
- Creating value chains and manufacturing products – Should encompass diverse sectors such as:
- Agro-processing,
- Man-made fibers,
- Handicrafts,
- Assembly of two-wheelers and
- Mobile phones, and pharmaceuticals.
What are the challenges to development of north east region?
- Japan being the only investor in the region is unworkable.
- Lack on Indian companies taking part in the development of north east region.
- Too much restrictions on the flow of investments from Bangladesh.
- Lack of policy coordination among the governments of Bangladesh, India and Japan on the development of north east.
Way Forward
- Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is self-defeating and Bangladesh must move towards establishing the Bay of Bengal Community (BOBC).
- A Bangladesh, India and Japan (BIJ) Forum should be launched at the level of Foreign Ministers, for better coordination.
- The policies of north east and Bangladesh needs to be converged.
