Dr Singh's visit to Myanmar : Is Manipur ready ?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 26, 2012 -

A bridge on the Indo-Myanmar border :: Pix - TSE

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Myanmar, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over a quarter of a century is in line with the Look East Policy of the Government of India and posits well with the reformation that has been put in place by the military junta at the neighbouring country.

Described as more than merely an external economic policy, but a strategic shift in India's vision of the world and her place in the evolving global economy, by none less than Dr Manmohan Singh, the Look East Policy is therefore something more than an economic policy and once the gateway on the eastern front opens, it could well mean a lot of new things to the people of the North East and Manipur in particular.

The important and interesting question is whether the North East States and Manipur are ready for the changes that will inevitably come. Envisaging the position of the North Eastern States in the overall scheme of the Look East Policy, the Government of India unveiled the North Eastern Region Vision 2020 in 2008 wherein stress was laid on the socio-economic development of the region.

A bus link between Imphal in Manipur and Mandalay in Myanmar is expected to be sealed during the visit of the Prime Minister to Myanmar, with the UPA Cabinet giving its nod to the proposal in principle and the first step towards opening the eastern front of the country would have been inked.

The impact of the Look East Policy on the North Eastern States would have to be studied and understood in the context of the geo-political scenario of the region and the south east neighbours of the country.

Landlocked as it is, the North East region is connected to mainland India by the proverbial ‘chicken neck’, and the need to connect this region with other parts of the world has never been felt as much now as never before. The important question that remains though is whether the region and Manipur will be in a position to match the objectives laid down in the policy.

The numerous development projects that have been taken up in Manipur in the recent past have all had something to do with the Look East Policy and it is this point which has been picked up time and again in this column.

Some days back, Chief Minister O Ibobi talked about developing the border town of Moreh to an ultra modern town and newly inducted Works Minister Dr Kh Ratan has been on a tour to personally supervise the work taken up along the Imphal-Moreh section of NH-2 with member of the Planning Commission of India, Mr Saumitra Choudhury conducting a field assessment of the same route and the shadow that is cast by the Look East Policy is palpable.

This was not all, with the Advisor to the Prime Minister TKA Nair inspecting the border trade and paying a visit to Namphalong on the Myanmar side earlier and clearly New Delhi seems intent on opening the eastern gate with a sense of purpose.

Delhi's position towards her eastern neighbours may also have been dictated by the evolving global scenario and the emergence of China as an economic power.

The opening up of the economy in 1991, the reformation put in place in Myanmar, the emergence of new economic powers in the region and the need to address the myriad of issues confronting the North East region have all in one way or the other been contributing factors for Delhi to look eastward and turn this policy into something concrete.

It remains to be seen whether Manipur and her people are ready for the changes that are sure to come along with the opening of the eastern gate. Time for a reality check.