India needs Myanmar's rich mineral deposits
It is crucial for India to befriend the country as it serves as a land bridge to Southeast Asia
Beijing: Considering the geostrategic significance of Myanmar, it is crucial for India to befriend the country as it serves as a land bridge to Southeast Asia and because India's booming economy desperately needs Myanmar's rich oil and natural gas resources, a Chinese expert has said.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his trip to Myanmar yesterday, the first Indian prime minister in 25 years to visit the country since Rajiv Gandhi in 1987.
Ye Hailin, an expert in South Asian studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times daily that, "Some Indian experts take this visit as just another example of India being late to the game, since Chinese and even US leaders have already visited".
However, he said that he does not see Manmohan Singh's trip to Myanmar as a significant change, or as merely following the lead of the US or others.
Under the aegis of its "Look East Policy", a significant shift in India's policy toward Myanmar actually took place in the 1990s, from support for the pro-democracy movement to engaging the pro-military government, he said.
"Considering Myanmar's geostrategic significance, it is crucial for India to befriend Myanmar, which is the only Southeast Asian country with which it shares a 1,600-km land border. It serves as India's land-bridge to the other 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)," the Chinese expert said.
"The other main reason for India to maintain a stable bilateral relationship is because of Myanmar's rich oil and natural gas resources, which India's booming economy desperately needs," he said.
