Geopolitical Significance of the Region
Northeast India’s growing geopolitical significance, its strategic location at the intersection of South and Southeast Asia, and its potential to emerge as a key gateway for regional connectivity and economic integration were highlighted by experts during a two-day series of academic engagements in Guwahati. The events were organized by the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF).
The dialogue, titled “Northeast India in a Changing Geopolitical Order: Connectivity, Borderlands, Frontier Governance and Strategic Opportunities,” was held on November 4 and 5 in collaboration with Girijananda Chowdhury University (GCU) and Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU). Discussions emphasized that Northeast India should be viewed as an active participant in India's regional and international engagements rather than a peripheral region or transit corridor.
Speakers underscored the need to translate connectivity initiatives into tangible economic benefits for local communities, aligning with India's Act East and Neighbourhood First policies. The potential for wider regional cooperation through platforms such as BIMSTEC was also emphasized during the engagements.
Connectivity Infrastructure and Border Management
The region’s proximity to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and other Southeast Asian countries offers opportunities for cross-border trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. These opportunities are balanced against challenges in border management, security, migration, infrastructure gaps, and frontier community aspirations.
Panel discussions highlighted specific infrastructure projects, including the Akhaura-Agartala railway link, access to Bangladesh's seaports and inland waterways, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. Speakers emphasized improving intra-regional connectivity, upgrading border infrastructure, simplifying customs procedures, and strengthening institutional coordination.
The potential of developing alternative connectivity routes through Bangladesh, including the Agartala-Kolkata road link, was discussed as a means to reduce dependence on the Siliguri Corridor. ADBU Vice Chancellor Jose Palely stressed viewing international borders as spaces of economic opportunity and social interaction, with frontier communities recognized as important stakeholders in governance and development.
Strategic Challenges and Regional Diplomacy
Geopolitical discussions addressed China's growing strategic presence, water security concerns regarding the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the strategic importance of the Siliguri Corridor, cross-border drug trafficking, and the political situation in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Shishir Priyadarshi, President of CRF, emphasized the need for sustained engagement with Bangladesh using a "Woodpecker Approach" of patience and consistent efforts during a one-day dialogue on the Bangladesh-Northeast India interface. He called for greater inclusion of Northeast India's perspectives in India's foreign policy and highlighted CRF's role in fostering dialogue and research.
Panel discussions also examined the Bay of Bengal's geopolitical significance and the influence of external powers, highlighting Bangladesh's strategic importance for connectivity through ports, inland waterways, and cross-border networks.