In the wake of the military coup in February, China has made further inroads into Myanmar, and India needs to watch that situation closely, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Saturday. ‘The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China to establish roads, rails and energy corridors will gain further momentum with the sanctions on Myanmar’, said Gen Rawat at a webinar on ‘Opportunities and Challenges in North East India’ organized by the Indian Military Review.
According to the country’s top general, the return of normalcy in Myanmar will be good for the region, especially India, because of ‘our historical and cultural ties’ with Myanmar. ‘Immense geostrategic significance’ is attached to the northeast region of India, which is connected to the rest of the country through the narrow and vulnerable Siliguri Corridor. China has also been ‘mischievously spying’ on the region, he said.
A second emerging concern is the presence of Rohingya refugees in the region. ‘Radical Islamic groups could use this to foment trouble and undermine peace and security in the region,’ he said. Besides China, there are several other security concerns for India, such as insurgent activity, illegal migration, and drug trafficking due to the porous border in the northeast. General Rawat said that ‘vigilant and alert central and state security forces, augmented by regional and international diplomatic-military cooperation, will be crucial in meeting these security challenges’.
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As a result of the ‘sustained counter-insurgency operations’ in the northeast and the ‘loss of safe havens’ for extremist outfits in neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar in recent years, violence levels have significantly decreased. During the peace talks, we should ensure these positive developments are further solidified, he said.
Moreover, CDS argued for the overall development of the ‘unique, beautiful, culture-rich, and resource-rich northeast region, including the establishment of ‘centers of excellence’ in the region. ‘The northeast holds enormous geo-economic potential as a gateway to East and South-East Asia,’ he said.
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