India’s Relations With Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan

9 Maio 2018, 16:00 • Shiv Kumar Singh

The lecture began with a presentation by Megi Jalagonia on India’s Relations With Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. She said that India has the longest border with Bangladesh, a vital neighbour. In the past, the relationship has been strained by Bangladesh providing sanctuary to terrorists destabilizing India’s north- east (a point also made in her presentation in the previous lecture). She said that Myanmar is vitally important to the security of India’s north- east.

 

Dwelling upon Sri Lanka, Megi Jalagonia said that support for the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka is the cornerstone of India’s policy. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi put some strain on the relationship. Being a smaller country, Sri Lanka sometimes lacks trust in India, but relations are stable. Sri Lanka was the first South Asian country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with India. India plans to develop a bridge across the Palk Straight to Sri Lanka.

 

On Nepal, Megi Jalagonia said that the abolition of the monarchy has introduced a new factor. Land- locked Nepal is heavily dependent upon India, where many Nepalese work. Nepal’s major rivers flow into India. To reduce dependence upon India, Nepal has broadened relations with China.

 

She said that Bhutan has a special relationship with India, and 90 per cent of its trade is with India. India helped Bhutan join the United Nations. Bhutan is a buffer with Tibet, and takes guidance from India in the conduct of foreign relations. It is “more India- oriented than China- oriented.”

 

In the discussion, Maria Beatriz Couto Lopes asked how the Sri Lankan Tamils affect relations with India. It was assessed that Tamil separatism in Sri Lanka potentially could fuel Tamil separatism in India.

 

Revisiting history, the instructor said that the Sinhalese and Tamils have had a complicated relationship. The Sinhalese trace their origins to migrants from the state of Odisha in eastern India, whereas the Tamils are descendants of migrants from the state of Tamil Nadu. There has been a history of invasions from the Tamil Nadu region, making Sri Lanka suspicious of support from Tamil Nadu state for Tamil separatism in Sri Lanka. At a strategic level, India’s support for Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity, and its opposition to Tamil separatism, stem for fear of a common Tamil separatist movement uniting Indian and Sri Lankan Tamils. Yet, India supports the rights of the minority Tamils, within the framework of a united Sri Lanka.

 

The instructor pointed out that Nepal leans on China to reduce dependence upon India, but is also not averse to leaning upon India to balance China. Thus, it is a classical buffer state. Bhutan enjoys a special relationship with India, through a treaty, and is guided by India in the conduct of its foreign relations.

 

The instructor said that Indian troops had moved into the Doklam region, claimed by both Bhutan and China, to stop construction of a Chinese road towards the south, threatening India’s Siliguri corridor. India supports Bhutan’s claim to Doklam. Bhutan had protested the Chinese road construction in territory it claims as its own, and India had moved troops to Doklam in support of Bhutan. The standoff had ended after a negotiated disengagement.

 

On Maldives, the instructor said that India and China had been sucked into a domestic political crisis. China’s influence has increased at India’s cost.

 

In the next lecture, Maria Beatriz Couto Lopes will make a presentation on India’ relations with Pakistan.