The three most remarkable things that have been taken up by the Prime Minister during his maiden visit to Manipur last week are
(i) the restoration of the fort of Kangla again to the people of Manipur
(ii) the conversion of Manipur University to a Central University and
(iii) the laying of foundation stone of the Tupul-Jiri rail head at Jiribam.

The first is a long felt longing of the people of Manipur as the place has an emotional and spiritual attachment with the people of Manipur. On the 20th November the Prime Minister had seen the emotion charged but smiling faces of the crowd that gathered inside the Kangla Fort to be a part of the historic occasion. The Prime Minister had opened the gate of Kangla and in doing so he had succeeded in opening the hearts of the people and find his name in their hearts.

The second will certainly help in boosting the health of the University financially and academically and now the university has a chance of complete recovery from the chronic ailment of mismanagement in administration and now has a bright future.

The third is a promise in the coming year specially for the people of Manipur that Manipur will not be a land locked State any more in the 21st century.

According to the opinions of some historians and archeologists, Manipur was not a land locked country in the past. It was used as a passage, a route for trade and commerce from west to east and east to west.

One proof which I had seen with my own eyes confirmed my belief in the opinion of the experts. During the excavation work by archeologists at Sekta, I had frequently visited the site to see the new findings there.

One Dr Sharma (I had forgotten his full name) had shown me a Jhari (a utensil used by Buddhist monks). He had his opinion that Buddhism reached Burma, Thailand and far-east Asian countries from its birth-place India by passing through Manipur and the Jhari was a proof in this regard. He had his point that Manipur was a transit point between the plains of India and eastern countries in the past.

Again, it is also believed upto now that there was a route that opened in the east. During the Roman civilization, before the coming of sea-navigation, men travelled on foot and there was every possibility of the so called Silk-trade route between China and Persia and Egypt passing through Afghanistan, India, Manipur and Burma. So the opening of the trade route between India and far-east Asia can be taken as a re-opening of the gate which had existed in the past but closed for many centuries.

Now India is a superpower in the making and it has been predicted that in the coming two or three decades India will become a power in global politics politically and economically. For this India has to widen her horizon of influence specially in the east and the door of the east begins to open. India has modified her external policy and begins to focus its interest on the east politically and economically and the India-ASEAN Car rally symbolises the opening of the door. India has now road-connectivity or physical connectivity with the far-east. This will be a great advantage of the North Eastern States particularly Manipur.

The 'Look East' policy will serve India in two ways. First, India can extend her network of influence economically in the East Asian countries and second to counter the Chinese influence to capture the market in these region. For this India has to improve its bilateral relations with China, while remaining a competitor in the expansion of its economic interest in the South East Asian countries.

The visit of then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee to China in October 2003 was a major gain for India because after that visit China recognized Sikkim as a part of India and had renewed the trade relationship between the two countries. Just after the China visit Vajpayee attended the India-ASEAN summit in Bali, Indonesia and the agreement of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation of Free-Trade Area had been signed which had become the springboard for India.

Now, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to attend the third India-Asean summit in Vientiane, the capital of Laos to widen the economic ties with ASEAN with the signing of many agreements in the coming days.

Looking from all these angles, a smooth surface transport system will be there and the much talked Trans-Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Rail line is not just a dream but a dream come true in the coming years.

The road and railway line must pass through Manipur, as there will be no other better point of road connectivity for India with the ASEAN countries of the east.

This is one of the factors that has led our Chief Minister Ibobi proudly say that Tupul-Jiri rail line will reach Moreh.

Manipur will be no longer a land locked State in the 21st century: Fortune tellers or soothsayers in the days of our ancient forefathers had predicted that 'Nongpok Thong Hanglani, Meitrabak Chak-hong, Ngahonglani' (The door of the East will be opened and there will be peace and prosperity in Manipur). Our sons and grandsons will find it easier to visit our long lost brothers and sisters in Myanmar in the coming decades.

There will be a huge leap in Indo-Myanmar trade and the whole valley of Manipur will be used as a storehouse or transit godowns for the goods to be transported from the east to the west and vice versa.

Above this there will be a huge demand of technical expertise and our talented youngsters can be out-sourced to the eastern countries and that will help in easing the unemployment problems to a great extent.

With the opening of the door of the East there may be another 'Gold Rush' to Manipur from the foreign investor. It is time for us to prepare for the opportunities and to face the challenges to come.