International Connectivity Projects: Bridging Borders for Economic Growth

Connectivity projects play an important role in India’s foreign policy, particularly in its relations with neighbouring countries. These initiatives aim to enhance trade, commerce, and people-to-people links, contributing to regional and global economic integration. Understanding the significance and details of these projects is essential to grasp their impact on India’s connectivity landscape.

Objectives of Promoting Connectivity for Regional Integration

• India’s Foreign Policy and Connectivity: Connectivity projects play a crucial role in India’s foreign policy, particularly in its relations with neighboring countries. 
  • Connectivity and Economic Growth: These efforts aim to improve trade, business, and connections between people, helping to connect regions and countries economically around the world. 
  • Understanding the Impact: It’s important to understand these projects well to see how they affect India’s connections with other places.
• Regional Connectivity in South Asia: South Asia’s connectivity is crucial for the broader Indo-Pacific region and global interactions.
  • Besides physical connections, trade, digital links, and people-to-people bonds shape the Indo-Pacific.
• India’s View on Indo-Pacific: India sees Indo-Pacific as a space for development and connectivity.
  • Prime Minister Modi advocates for a free, inclusive Indo-Pacific involving all stakeholders.

India’s Connectivity Efforts

• Act East Policy and Lines of Credit: India prioritizes connectivity with neighboring countries.

• • Initiatives include Lines of Credit to over 60 nations and the Act East Policy for regional integration.
• Connectivity Projects in Bangladesh and Myanmar: Projects focus on inland water transport, rail and road links, and energy connectivity.
  • KMTTP (Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project): Linkage: Connects eastern India with Myanmar’s Sittwe Port; Transport Modes: Waterways, roads, railways.
  • IMTTH (India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway): Objective: Connects Moreh (India) – Bagan (Myanmar) -Mae Sot (Thailand). 
• Connectivity Projects in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal: Projects involve cross-border rail links, roads, bridges, and integrated check posts.
  • BBIN Agreement: Purpose – Enables cross-border vehicle movement; Participating Countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal.
  • Efforts are made to develop inland waterways and petroleum products pipelines.
• Connectivity to the West: India seeks alternative routes like the air freight corridor to Afghanistan.
  • Development of Chabahar Port aims to connect with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
• Connectivity to Central Aisa: The Ashgabat Agreement is a multilateral transport agreement aimed at facilitating transit and transport cooperation among the participating countries in Central Asia. 

• • This agreement aims to improve connections across the Eurasian region and link them with other transportation routes like the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
    • To create a transit corridor to enhance connectivity and trade between Central Asia and the broader region, including South Asia and the Middle East. 
  • Participating Countries: India, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Oman.
  • International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC): It facilitates transportation routes from India to Russia and Europe through Iran and Central Asia.
• Maritime Connectivity in the Indian Ocean: India invests in maritime and aviation infrastructure in Sri Lanka and Maldives.
  • Efforts include railway development in Sri Lanka and enhancing connectivity with Maldives.
• Connectivity Efforts with Indonesia: India and Indonesia collaborate to promote connectivity between Sumatra and Andaman Islands.
  • Plans include developing the Sabang port and establishing direct shipping routes to Vietnam.
• Multilateral Connectivity Initiatives: India actively promotes connectivity in regional groups like ASEAN, BIMSTEC, and SAARC.
  • Efforts include negotiating agreements on maritime transport and extending the Trilateral Highway.
  • Example: Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM)- expected to connect Kolkata (India) – Bangladesh – Myanmar – Kunming (China). [UPSC 2023]
    • Objective – Foster economic cooperation and connectivity.
• Financing Connectivity: India welcomes the role of institutions like the New Development Bank and the AIIB in promoting connectivity.
  • Private sector involvement is crucial for meeting the massive demands of connectivity infrastructure.
• U.S. Initiatives for Connectivity: New U.S. initiatives focus on the digital economy, energy, and infrastructure.
  • The BUILD Act: It aims to establish a new International Development Finance Corporation for private-public partnerships.

Conclusion

India’s efforts to promote connectivity across its neighbourhood and beyond reflect its commitment to fostering economic cooperation and integration. Through initiatives like the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor and the International North-South Transport Corridor, India is actively contributing to regional connectivity and development. Collaboration with multilateral institutions and the private sector further enhances the prospects for shared connectivity objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.