TAIPEI /OP-ED: India’s “Act East Policy,” rebranded from the earlier “Look East Policy,” is a cornerstone of its geopolitical strategy to deepen economic, cultural, and strategic ties with the dynamic Southeast Asian region. Envisioning greater connectivity through trade corridors, transnational highways, and cultural exchanges, this policy aims to enhance India’s integration with ASEAN nations. However, Myanmar, India’s eastern neighbor and its only land bridge to Southeast Asia, presents both opportunities and significant challenges, acting as a critical strategic barrier.
Myanmar holds a pivotal position in India’s Act East aspirations due to its geographical location. Sharing a 1,643-kilometer border with India and lying at the intersection of South Asia and Southeast Asia, Myanmar is the gateway for land-based connectivity projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project. These initiatives are designed to link India’s northeastern states with Southeast Asia, fostering trade and opening up new economic opportunities.
Yet, while Myanmar’s role is indispensable, its internal and external complexities hinder progress. Myanmar’s ongoing political instability has been a primary roadblock. The military coup in 2021, which ousted the democratically elected government, plunged the nation into political turmoil, exacerbating internal conflicts and disrupting governance. This instability affects infrastructure projects, delays timelines, and creates an unpredictable environment for Indian investments. Moreover, strained relations between the military junta and the international community complicate India’s diplomatic balancing act. India must engage Myanmar for strategic reasons, yet doing so risks reputational challenges on the global stage.
India’s own northeastern region presents another layer of complexity. With its rugged terrain, underdeveloped infrastructure, and longstanding insurgencies, the northeastern states act as both a bridge and a bottleneck for the Act East Policy. Connectivity through Myanmar could help integrate this region into India’s mainstream economy, but the reverse is also true: any instability in Myanmar risks spillover effects, exacerbating issues in India’s northeast.
China’s extensive footprint in Myanmar adds another dimension to the challenge. From massive infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to strong ties with the junta, Beijing’s influence in Myanmar is both strategic and economic. This creates a competitive environment for India, as it seeks to counter China’s dominance and maintain its own strategic interests in the region. India’s efforts in Myanmar often face delays and resource constraints, which pale in comparison to China’s rapid execution and deep financial involvement.
While Myanmar offers potential as a transit hub, its infrastructure remains underdeveloped. Poor road conditions, logistical bottlenecks, and bureaucratic hurdles significantly hamper progress on flagship projects like the Trilateral Highway. Furthermore, the porous Indo-Myanmar border, with its challenges of illegal trade and cross-border insurgency, underscores the need for security cooperation—a task complicated by Myanmar’s internal strife.
Despite these barriers, India cannot sideline Myanmar in its Act East vision. Strengthening engagement with Myanmar could unlock transformative economic and strategic opportunities. India must prioritize the completion of connectivity projects while finding ways to engage constructively with Myanmar’s leadership without alienating the democratic aspirations of its people. Partnerships with ASEAN and like-minded countries could also amplify India’s initiatives in Myanmar, offering a counterweight to China’s hegemony.
Myanmar is not just a geographical link but a strategic lynchpin for India’s Act East Policy. However, its political volatility, infrastructural inadequacies, and China’s presence present formidable challenges. To realize the full potential of the Act East Policy, India must navigate these barriers with a nuanced, multifaceted approach—balancing pragmatism with its broader regional ambitions.
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Khedroob Thondup
Khedroob Thondup is the son of Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of the Dalai Lama. Educated at St. Stephens College Delhi University and the University of San Francisco. He was a personal assistant to the Dalai Lama and accompanied him on his first trip to the U.S. in 1979. He was sent by the Dalai Lama to Beijing from 1980 till 1993 for dialogue talks where he interacted with Xi Zhongxun and Hu Jintao. He has served as Member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile for three terms and is the President of the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre Darjeeling since 1987. He has edited two books, Dalai Lama My Son and Tibet in Turmoil and presently lives in Taipei, Taiwan.
