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DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20081107T053000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20081107T053000
DTSTAMP:20261105T003225
CREATED:20231223T222532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231224T130251Z
UID:63742-1226035800-1226035800@idsa.in
SUMMARY:Looking “East” through India’s North East: Identifying Policy “Challenges” and Outlining the “Responses”
DESCRIPTION:Chair: Sujit DuttaDiscussants: Bhagat Oinam and Archana Upadhyay \nThe “Look East” policy was envisioned by the Narasimha Rao government in 1991 to outline a focused foreign policy approach towards South East Asia\, a region of high economic prosperity at that time. It was also propelled during a period of economic liberalization within India itself. Further\, in the present context\, the “Look East” policy is being utilized to forge deeper ties with China\, Japan\, South Korea\, Australia\, New Zealand\, Papua New Guinea\, and Pacific Island states.  \nUnlike nearer home initiatives like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)\, heavily influenced by an India-Pakistan historical distrust coupled with the insecurities of smaller neighbours\, India enjoys an advantage with the South East Asian countries with regard to greater regional cooperation. Most of these countries view India as upholding a strong democratic ethos and a benign foreign policy of mutual co-existence based on the ideas of Gandhi and Nehru. As a result\, India has benefited from the Look East policy as it has boosted defence cooperation with Myanmar\, Indonesia\, Vietnam and Thailand.  \nIt is but inevitable that India’s North Eastern region would be drawn into the overall “Look East” policy given its geographic proximity to South East Asia. Indeed\, the North East shares borders with China\, Nepal\, Bhutan\, Myanmar\, and Bangladesh. According to Pranab Mukherjee\, India’s External Affairs Minister\, North East India is poised to benefit from India’s growing relations with South East Asia as the process of globalization has shown how cross-border market access can uplift people from poverty\, economic backwardness and bring in prosperity.  \nThe idea of “cross border markets” put forth by Mukherjee in bringing about upliftment of people suffering from poverty\, armed conflict\, lack of employment opportunities\, and insecurity is interesting. Indeed\, it is all the more likely that statements such as these from top Indian policy makers indicates that the “Look East” market driven policy has been crafted within the framework of neo-liberalism wherein it is proposed that “human well being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights\, free markets\, and free trade”. In this approach\, the role of the state is to create and preserve an institutional framework attuned to such practices.  \nThe Look East policy presupposes that heightened trade relations and free markets with South East Asia will uplift the North East out of the shackles of insurgency\, poverty\, and economic backwardness as maximizing the reach and frequency of market economies will result in political\, economic and social freedom. But is it really so? \nThis paper is primarily geared towards filling this critical policy gap: to identify and list out the challenges as well as outline the plausibly best policy response.  \nThe paper is divided into three sections. The first section highlights the measures undertaken under the Look East policy for the North East. The second section highlights the policy challenges with regard to the implementation process of the “Look East” policy. The third section offers certain policy responses to these challenges.  \nAt present\, the impediments to increased relations between South East Asia and North Eastern states are:- \n\nIssues of Infrastructure and Lack of Local Support \nThe Crisis of Insurgency \nElite Consensus and the Social Disjuncture \nThe States’ Incapacities \nThe easy availability of arms and weapons from across the international border to utilze in armed movements and criminal activities. \n\nPolicy suggestions to better prepare the North Eastern region for a smooth opening towards South East Asia include:  \n\nBuild up the population skill base. \nThe literacy rate of most North Eastern states except Mizoram is below the national average of 65 per cent. In order to increase the literacy rate and ensure that the rate of college drop outs decrease\, the education system must be made vocation centric. The level of English education must also be improved. \nThe roadways suffer due to precarious weather conditions. Given the nature of the terrain\, roads are also hard to maintain on a monthly basis. What could be done is to set up small village level bodies\, which utilize local labour to keep roads functioning. \nState authorities need to crack down on parallel governments run by the insurgent groups by activating state institutions and ensuring basic security. \nBorder areas have to be made safe from violence\, extortion\, smuggling rackets\, drugs and arms transfers. \nThe present trade between South East Asia and North East is on the decline. The Union government needs to do a realistic assessment of the goods to be traded\, especially those that are required across the border like locally made textiles and woven tribal items. \nIn order to facilitate easy movement of people\, the Inner Line Regulation of 1873 and the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for foreigners to gain entry to states like Arunachal Pradesh\, Manipur\, Nagaland\, etc\, must be revoked. \n\nPoints raised in the Discussion: \n\nThe North East region needs to be politically stabilised. The issue of migration from across the borders has become a cause of considerable concern.\nEconomic interests and security concerns are the drivers of the Look East Policy. Just becoming a gateway to South East Asia will not help the North East region. \nThe Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) has a limited role in Look East Policy. \nThere is need for developing the region with dignity. \nSmall-time investments will be beneficial for the region; and hence development model must cater to the need of the region. \nInner Line Permit system applicable to some states of the region is becoming a barrier to local development.\nThe region’s problems need separate solutions. \nBorders states must be encouraged to open trade with Myanmar\, Bangladesh\, China\, Bhutan and Myanmar. \n\nPrepared by Dr. M. Amarjeet Singh\, Research Assistant at IDSA.
URL:https://idsa.in/idsa-event/looking-east-through-indias-north-east-identifying-policy-challenges-and-outlining-the-responses
CATEGORIES:FELLOW'S SEMINAR,EVENT REPORT
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DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20081128T053000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20081128T053000
DTSTAMP:20261105T003225
CREATED:20231223T222532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231224T130251Z
UID:63741-1227850200-1227850200@idsa.in
SUMMARY:Securing the Northern Coast of Gujarat: Challenges and Responses
DESCRIPTION:Chair: Nalin DewanDiscussants: K. C. Pandey\, M. L. Batham and J. S. Bhalla \nThe Northern coast of Gujarat (the Kutch and Saurashtra coast adjoining the Gulf of Kutch) is fast emerging as an industrial and energy hub of the country. This process of industrialisation has been further boosted by the proximity of the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Kutch\, which has emerged as a major corridor for importing crude oil. Nearly 70 per cent of India’s crude oil is imported through this corridor. \nHowever\, there are growing worries about non-conventional threats as well as terrorist attacks and sabotage\, which could potentially inflict massive damage. This paper seeks to highlight issues which could pose a potential security threat to the Gujarat coast. The paper also evaluates the measures undertaken by the government to address them\, and suggest steps to improve coastal security. \nSecuring the Creek Area\nThe Northern coast of Gujarat is indented with several creeks. These creeks are all inter-connected by smaller water bodies and together they create an intricate maze of shallow and deep channels. The creek area has remained vulnerable to cross-border infiltration\, smuggling\, and arms and drugs trafficking. Interconnectivity of the creeks has made the border porous for infiltrators\, smugglers\, and militants\, who have been using these routes to sneak into India. Mangroves and sand bars in the creeks also provide hideaways during low tide. The situation is made worse by the non-availability of any approach channels from Indian side to many of these smaller channels. \nTo secure the creek area\, besides the deployment of Border Security Force (BSF)\, floating Border Out Posts (BOPs) have been set up. Aerial reconnaissance by unmanned aerial vehicles is also undertaken every fortnight for tracking infiltrators. \nDespite all these measures\, the creek area remains susceptible to cross-border infiltration and other illegal activities. This is primarily due to two reasons: firstly\, patrolling in the creek areas is dependent on the timings of the tide as well as on weather conditions\, and secondly\, during the monsoon when the sea becomes rough\, the BOPs are withdrawn from the creek area. They return to the creeks after nearly six months when the weather becomes better. During this intervening period\, there is no means of keeping a strict vigil over the creek area. \nCoastal Security Scheme\nDotted by numerous inlets\, rivulets\, small creeks and uninhabited islands\, the coastline along the Gulf of Kutch remains vulnerable to infiltration and other illegal activities. While the small creeks and inlets facilitate clandestine landings\, the islands are ideal hideaways for infiltrators\, and criminals. The vulnerability is further accentuated by the lack of effective patrolling and surveillance. \nThe misuse of the coast by anti-national elements had compelled the government to take counter measures. Following the 1993 Mumbai bombings\, ‘Operation Swan’ was launched to check infiltration and arms trafficking. The operation has been ongoing for more than fifteen years now and is hailed by the government as a success. However\, there are no reports of any seizure of contraband or arrest of any infiltrator or criminal. The primary reason for such a dismal performance is the lack of interest shown by the central and state governments. The joint patrolling unit does not possess either proper equipment or the necessary manpower to carry out its duty effectively. For many years\, trawlers hired by the state governments were used for patrolling. But it proved ineffective for several reasons. Firstly\, the state government did not release adequate funds for hiring sufficient numbers of trawlers or for buying fuel. Secondly\, the trawlers were no match to the speed boats used by the criminals.  \nDespite the coasts remaining highly vulnerable\, very little attention has been paid to tighten coastal security all these years. It was only in the year 2006 that the government embarked upon a plan to secure the country’s coasts under the Coastal Security Scheme. The aim was to strengthen infrastructure for patrolling and surveillance of the country’s coastal areas\, particularly the shallow areas close to coast. Sine then\, the Coast Guard was entrusted with the responsibility of patrolling the entire coastline of the State. \nUnfortunately\, the coastal police stations lack proper infrastructure\, equipment and manpower. Apart from these problems\, coastal security is also contingent upon other factors such as: (a) the security of the ports\, (b) the effective management of the maritime traffic; and (c) the movement of fishermen in the territorial waters. \nOne of the major draw backs of the coastal security scheme is the absence of any plan to strengthen port security. Given that these ports together handle a great bulk of India’s cargo coming into the country and are located close to the international border\, the security of these ports cannot be neglected. There is a need to promptly review the security arrangement of these ports and formulate a plan to deploy a mix of Central industrial Security Force (CISF) as well as trained private security guards to secure and protect the ports. \nOne of the major issues in the management of the India-Pakistan maritime boundary is the crossing over of fishermen in to each other’s waters. This has not only led to tensions in bilateral relations with Pakistan\, but also raised security concerns. Due to the non-resolution of the Sir Creek dispute\, the international maritime boundary between the two countries is not delineated. Absence of a well demarcated boundary has not only made the task of guarding it difficult but has also created confusion in the minds of many fishermen regarding the extent of India’s territorial waters. Numerous cases of both Indian and Pakistani fishermen straying into each others territories are routinely reported. \nWhile the government has initiated a number of schemes to safeguard the creek and coastal areas\, many areas of concern still remain. A major challenge for the border guarding forces is the widening gap between the sanctioned and existing infrastructure and manpower. Delays in the release of funds by the government hinder their efforts to strengthen their capabilities. The lack of interest shown by the state police in pursuing cases of offenders at sea or in the border areas is another issue that is hampering the prevention of crimes in a major way. There is also laxity in the security arrangement of the ports. And finally the issue of Indian and Pakistani fishermen straying into each other’s territorial waters raises concerns about the possibility of Pakistan sending operatives into India. \nThe paper contains several recommendations\, some of which are listed below: \n\n\nTo make patrolling along the coast more effective\, both the BSF and the Coast Guard should be provided with adequate infrastructure. \nAdditional hovercraft and patrol boats with well protected mooring grounds should be provided to enable the BSF to better patrol and guard the creeks. \nA separate recruitment scheme for the CSPF should be formulated to attract young and agile persons. \nBorder guarding forces along with the Coast Guard should be given powers of investigation and prosecution to more effectively curtail criminal activities along the borders and coasts. \nMore costal police stations need to be established. \nAll ports along the Gulf of Kutch should be made ISPS compliant\, and should be guarded by a mix of government and private security personnel. \n\nPoints raised during the Discussion were: \n\n\nUnresolved boundary in the Creek areas is the core security concern.\nPakistan has put up a large number of security posts along the Creek areas. \nThere is increase in the activities of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistani Marine in these areas to push infiltrators. \nBangladeshi nationals always attempt to sneak into Pakistan through the northern coast of Gujarat. \nThere is no centralised agency in India to look after the coastal security. And\, too many agencies lead to coordination problem. A United Headquarters may be created. \nThe topography is very difficult\, and is advantageous for the Pakistani.\nBSF is not mandated to guard the coastal areas\, but the land borders. \nMore BOPs need to be established in these areas.\nIntelligence need to be strengthened. \nPakistani and Indian fisherman should be allowed to fish in both the waters. \n\nPrepared by Dr. M. Amarjeet Singh\, Research Assistant at IDSA.
URL:https://idsa.in/idsa-event/securing-the-northern-coast-of-gujarat-challenges-and-responses
CATEGORIES:FELLOW'S SEMINAR,EVENT REPORT
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