Growing relevance of the Northeast – as a gateway to Southeast Asia

General Studies Paper-2

Context: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the growing relevance of the Northeast – as a gateway to Southeast Asia.

About

• EAM was virtually addressing a meeting of ambassadors for the upcoming North East Investors Summit 2025.
• It was organised by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
• He said the northeast region is at the heart of many key Indian policies — Neighbourhood First, Act East or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

North Eastern Region (NER)

• The NER comprises eight States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
• This region is culturally and ethnically diverse having more than 200 ethnic groups which have distinct languages, dialects and socio-cultural identities.
• The Region covers 7.97% of the country’s geographical area and 3.78% of its population.
• It has 5,484 km of international border viz. Bangladesh (1,880 km), Myanmar (1,643 km), China (1,346 km), Bhutan (516 km) and Nepal (99 km).

How is it a gateway to South East Asia?

• NER has the potential to become a vibrant link between India and East/Southeast Asia.
  • BIMSTEC, especially countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan, can facilitate cross-border connectivity.
• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project: It is aimed at connecting the port of Kolkata with the port of Sittwe in Rakhine which would then be connected to Mizoram by road and the Kaladan river which flows by Paletwa.
  • Sea route: Kolkata – Sittwe (Myanmar).
  • River route: Sittwe – Paletwa.
  • Road route: Paletwa – Zorinpui (Mizoram border).
• India-Myanmar-Thailand highway: The 1,400-km-long highway that connects the three nations is nearly 70% completed, but the rest of the work has been affected at several places due to political changes in Myanmar since the military coup in 2021.
• Motor Vehicles Agreements (MVA): Crucial for seamless cross-border movement of goods and people. Two MVAs in progress:
  • BBIN MVA (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal)
  • India-Myanmar-Thailand MVA.
• Modern investments come via Japan’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA):
  • India-Japan Act East Forum (established 2017).
  • Facilitates infrastructure and cultural connectivity projects in the NER.

Concerns

• Connectivity corridors (road and rail) are key to integrating India with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and ASEAN countries.
  • Mountainous terrain makes railway construction challenging in the NER.
• Insurgent groups disrupt progress, including abductions of Indian workers.
• Myanmar’s ongoing political turmoil hampers project completion and cooperation.
• Motor Vehicles Agreements (MVA): Bhutan withdrew from BBIN MVA over environmental concerns.
  • Thailand is hesitant due to potential disadvantages for local businesses.

Way Ahead

• Historically neglected, the northeast has gained prominence in recent decades.
• Its strategic value has increased due to India’s ‘Act East’ Policy and evolving Indo-Pacific geopolitical dynamics.
• The region is now seen as a vital gateway for India’s regional connectivity initiatives.
• Ongoing connectivity efforts require capacity-building for rail and road projects and improved border infrastructure.
• The overarching goal is to maximise the multi-dimensional potential of the northeast and cement its role as a regional connectivity hub.