The Hindu : 'India must strengthen links with South-East Asia'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 20, 2002

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'India must strengthen links with South-East Asia'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Dec. 19. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the focus of international politics and foreign policy shifted to the Asia-Pacific and the U.S. saw a contender in China and then Japan. And when the focus shifted to Asia, India came up in a big way, the former Foreign Secretary, M. K. Rasgotra, said here today. He regretted that it took very long for India to realise the importance of South-East and East Asia and revive its links with that region. "There is an inherent ceiling in our relations with China because of the gift of missile technology and its military alliance with Pakistan. But within that ceiling, we have to fully develop that relationship. There has been an initiative and a certain warmth in our relationship with China", he noted.

Calling for the creation of independent think-tanks in the country to develop the expertise on various countries and regions, he said, "We have hardly any expertise on Central Asia, which has become an important region for us. There is so much more that needs to be done on countries like Indonesia, Myanmar or Thailand for instance". South India, particularly Chennai, was well placed to tap into its resources and develop the kind of expertise needed on the neighbouring countries, Mr. Rasgotra said, inaugurating the Chennai chapter of the Observer Research Foundation.

He wanted India to realise the importance of its neighbours and orient its foreign policy to recognise this aspect. He hoped that the Chennai chapter would be able to contribute valuable inputs not only on Sri Lanka, but also on many of the South-East Asian countries.

Referring to the developments in Sri Lanka and India's approach to the island nation, Mr. Rasgotra said the air-drop of food, prior to the engagement in the ethnic strife, was not just a "violation of air space" but more importantly, "violation of sentiment and emotion".

Explaining the objectives of the Chennai chapter, its trustee, Vice-Admiral K. K. Nayyar (retired) said it would create one of the largest databases on Sri Lanka, bring out newsletters, analyse events as they unfold and take up research on the littoral States of the Bay of Bengal. It would look at economic, political and strategic issues that affect the region and concern India.

The foundation chairman, R.K. Mishra, said the work of a private, independent think-tank was to analyse issues, build a consensus and provide in-puts to policy-makers. Setting up a chapter in Chennai was part of the "expansion mode" and a pilot project for creating a "knowledge highway".

A local advisory committee had been set up to take up meaningful projects and programmes and Sri Lanka would be in sharp focus.

Inaugurating the chapter, the Frontline Editor, N. Ram, pointed to the far-reaching changes in the neighbourhood. Nuclear weaponisation, the developments in Afghanistan, war breaking out in Iraq and the peace process in Sri Lanka could engage the attention of the foundation, he said.

India could ill-afford to ignore these developments and its response should be on the basis of "informed debate". On Sri Lanka, he said while a political solution was imperative, the hard questions that confront the peace process needed to be faced.

Prof. Amitabh Mattoo released a book "Towards Peace in Sri Lanka" and the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai, Sumith Nakandala, received its first copy.

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