{"id":2879,"date":"2022-12-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/03-12-2022\/connecting-indias-east-with-the-indo-pacific\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T16:45:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T11:15:33","slug":"connecting-indias-east-with-the-indo-pacific","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/03-12-2022\/connecting-indias-east-with-the-indo-pacific","title":{"rendered":"Connecting India\u2019s East with the Indo-Pacific"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>In News\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\">The <\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/30-11-2022\/indias-vision-for-indo-pacific\" style=\"text-decoration-line:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">Indo-Pacific<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"> Conclave was organised by the US Consulate General and the Asian Confluence, a think tank that was leading in the study of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>India\u2019s Northeast.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Importance of North East India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The Northeast comprises <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>seven \u2018sisters\u2019 or States and one \u2018brother\u2019, Sikkim.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The eight states of North East India are blessed with<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong> scenic natural beauty,<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> rich biodiversity, rare wildlife, historical sites, distinct cultural and ethnic heritage, and warm and welcoming people.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The r<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>egion offers unforgettable Wildlife Tourism<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">, Tea &#038; Golf Tourism, River tourism, Religious &#038; Spiritual Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Cultural &#038; Culinary Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Agro &#038; Rural Tourism, and Offbeat Destinations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Northeast India is home to <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>many wildlife sanctuaries<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> like Kaziranga National Park famous for the one-horned rhinoceros.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The mighty Brahmaputra flows through the length of Assam where tourists can <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>enjoy memorable river cruises <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">and the flowing rivers of Arunachal Pradesh which feed the Brahmaputra offering incredible white water rafting experiences.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The region is endowed with <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>diverse tourist attractions<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Each State has its own distinct features and has great potential for accelerating tourism growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>The Geographical Location of the North Eastern Region (NER) <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">stands as the most favorable location to focus on the implementation of <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>India\u2019s act East Policy.<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The Region is the gateway to South East Asia. Therefore, the development of the communication infrastructure of the northeastern region is very important so that it can be linked to the neighboring South East Asian countries of Bangladesh Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bhutan &#038; China.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Governments Efforts\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>integration of Northeast India <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">into mainstream <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Indian life <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">has been on the <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>national agenda<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> from the very start of India\u2019s journey as an independent nation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">It has been witnessing transformation as it heads towards better security conditions and development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0Recent participation in policy conversations in Imphal, the capital of Manipur, one of the four States bordering Myanmar helped in clarifying local needs and priorities.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Since 2018, India\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>\u2018Look East\u2019 and \u2018Act East\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">policies have moved into the phase of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/30-11-2022\/indias-vision-for-indo-pacific\" style=\"text-decoration-line:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">Indo-Pacific<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> policy and strategy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The new Scheme, PM-DevINE, was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to address development gaps in the North Eastern Region (NER).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">PMDevINE is an additionality to the quantum of resources available for the development of the NER. It will not be a substitute for existing Central and State Schemes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Existing Issues\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The core issues behind the <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>insurgency <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">have remained unresolved.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The pernicious phenomena of smuggling, drug trafficking, transnational border crime, insurgent activity, and the influx of refugees (from Myanmar) represented serious non-traditional threats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>China <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">was viewed as a \u2018<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>constant player\u2019<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> behind these nefarious activities.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">\u00a0This has necessitated vigilance and strict action by the Assam Rifles and other security agencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Others representing local communities, however, expressed concern over the insensitive handling of those engaged in lawful exchanges with the neighbouring countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The region has always been seen to be somewhat alien and needing assimilation, which found (and finds) reflection in administrative terms too.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Suggestions and Concluions\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The Northeast is on the right path to concentrate on economic development.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">More is awaited through improvement in roads linking northeastern towns and job creation for thousands of graduates produced by local universities.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>Accelerated development<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> requires increased investment by Indian corporates and foreign investors as well as better management.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">the<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong> strategic and business community<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> should contribute to crafting a concrete blueprint for leveraging opportunities relating to commerce, connectivity, and human capital development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">There is a need to ensure adequate security, speed up economic development,\u00a0 and connect better with the rest of India and select South Asian and Southeast Asian nations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Moving beyond geopolitics and geo-economics, neighbours should focus on \u201cthe geo-cultural dimension\u201d of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/30-11-2022\/indias-vision-for-indo-pacific\" style=\"text-decoration-line:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">Indo-Pacific<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">expanding the reach of cultural diplomacy and people-to-people cooperation through greater educational exchanges, tourism, and trade is desirable.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">The member-states need to invest more in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to enhance its effectiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">in implementing India\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/30-11-2022\/indias-vision-for-indo-pacific\" style=\"text-decoration-line:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">Indo-Pacific<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"> strategy, voices from Northeast and eastern India must be heard.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">Thus, beyond \u2018Look East\u2019 and \u2018Act East\u2019 lies \u2018Think and Relate East\u2019, especially within our own country.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#d9ead3; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>Mains Practice Question\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"><strong>[Q]<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Book Antiqua\",serif\"> Do you agree that the North-east Region of India is entering a phase of rapid growth and stability?\u00a0 What steps has the Government taken in this regard?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News\u00a0 The Indo-Pacific Conclave was organised by the US Consulate General and the Asian Confluence, a think tank that was leading in the study of India\u2019s Northeast. Importance of North East India The Northeast comprises seven \u2018sisters\u2019 or States and one \u2018brother\u2019, Sikkim. The eight states of North East India are blessed with scenic [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[62,26],"class_list":["post-2879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-growth-development","tag-gs-3"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/30481032962218D1C2BEA-B42D-44CA-AC90-12BFBC61D8CC.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2879"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48364,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2879\/revisions\/48364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}