Countering China, India focuses on Mekong India Economic Corridor Project

Reference -
http://www.eria.org/research/mekong-india-economic-corridor-development/
https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/act-east-policy-india-reaffirms-its-cooperation-in-maritime-domain-breakfast-meet-with-asean-leaders/1382796/
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2017/09/15/big-ideas-to-shape-bimstecs-future/#more-86951
http://www.mfa.go.th/asean/contents/files/news-20131227-194223-493221.pdf
http://www.eria.org/uploads/media/Research-Project-Report/RPR_FY2008_4-2_Chapter_2.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN%E2%80%93India_Free_Trade_Area
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong%E2%80%93Ganga_Cooperation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN%E2%80%93India_Free_Trade_Area


Transcript - 


Hello Friends, welcome to Real Quick Info channel. Lets discuss our Real Quick Analysis.



In the beginning of this video, let us ask this simple question.



if Indian goods are to be shipped from Chennai to Largest city of Vietnam.  The ships will have to go through Malacca strait, which is already suffering from heavy traffic congestion.



In this route, Indian ships would have to travel distance of 4200 Kilometer to reach Vietnam.



Using the same route, Indian ships will have to travel 4500 kilometer long distance to reach Bangkok Thailand.





What if Indian goods shipped from Chennai port  are unloaded in Dawei port of Myanmar, and on road  goods are transported to Thailand and Vietnam.



Its goods follow this alternative route, they will have to travel for 3500 Kilometer to reach Vietnam and 2500 Kilometer to reach Thailand.



This proposed route is known as The Mekong-India Economic Corridor, which connects India to south Asean countries Myanmar ,Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Now you might be wondering, what is Mekong?

Mekong is a river system, which runs through Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.



In fact, Since year 2000, under the framework of Mekong Ganga Cooperation, India has been cooperating with South Asian countries.



The idea of Mekong India Economic corridor is very obvious, it was proposed in the year 2009 by Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia.



In fact, India was included in this 88 Billion Dollar project to add momentum in corridor development due to growing trade and investment linkages between India and Mekong river sharing countries.



Needless to say, no route runs in one direction. With this shorter route Mekong countries will be able to ship their goods to India as well.



Moreover it removes dependence on bottleneck of Malacca strait for all of them.



India already has free trade agreement with Asean countries since year 2009. Partly thanks to this agreement, Indian trade with Asean countries has gone up from 47 Billion Dollar in the year 2008 to 71 Billion Dollar in the year 2017.



we must not forget that India is running trade deficit with Asean countries as well. In 2017, Significantly India has trade deficit worth 10 Billion Dollars with Asean countries.



Though trade deficit is a matter of concern, and we should try to reduce it, but we cannot neglect, that with more infrastructural  integration Indian total trade with Asean countries will grow, leading to more employment opportunities.





As cost of manufacturing is increasing in China, Companies have already started shifting their factories to these Makong countries. If India is better connected to these countries, we can easily become part of their new supply chains.



In fact, Yesterday in the India Asean Summit, Prime Minister Modi has called for greater maritime cooperation.



therefore Mekong India economic corridor was also discussed as an alternative to current longer route.



you know, Asean countries want India to play more prominent role in South China Sea. Therefore the alternative routes to reach South China Sea must be developed.



9 years have passed but the execution on this promising idea has not been started.



We have no hesitation in saying that even after India included in this project, we have not taken the leadership role in this project.



if we had shown the seriousness towards this project, long before China Pakistan economic corridor project announced in the year 2015, Idea of Mekong India Economic corridor in the year 2009 would have become functional.



Experience suggests, for multinational infrastructure projects, there is need of big country at the core to lead it from the front.



Hopefully, After this India Asean summit, India will assume leadership role in this project.



As India has started looking at this project again but we are facing general election next year.



If we elect weaker coalition government at the center, lets be clear, the idea of Mekong India economic corridor will remain Idea in future as well.



Unfortunately, promising ideas of such corridor are never election issues in our country.



We people are so much occupied with the films and celebrities, that we naturally don't get time to think about, how India can grow trade with Asean countries. Even though this trade will affect life of each one of us.



So far as our media is concerned, They are so obsessed with assuming Indian money wasted on Statue of Unity, that they don't get time to think, how India should invest money to get better return on investment.



As per your analysis, Should India not take leadership role in Mekong India corridor project now?



 Please let us know your views in comment section below.



Please find the reference links of this video in the description box below.



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