India-Myanmar Relations: A Strategic Perspective

Dr Ashok Kumar

This book is an effort to analyse the multi-faceted relations between India and Myanmar from a strategic perspective, which would further strengthen the ties between both countries and safeguard India’s national interests in the region. The relationship between India and Myanmar has emerged as a topic of immense interest among academia and policy makers. To understand this reason is not complicated; Myanmar’s political transition and its opening-up have resulted in creating a new platform for powerful states to grow their dominance and presence to influence the critical geo-strategic nations in Southeast Asia. With the global collaboration and geopolitical competition are increasing in sub-regions such as in the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, and the Mekong River Basin, India’s interests in eastward, China’s emplacement in southwards, the US encountering strategies, Japan’s revived interests in the region vis-à-vis increasing Myanmar’s geo-strategic significance – occurring in the Indo–Pacific region. The interests of these major powers overlap and come across in and around this region. The significance of the India-Myanmar relationship is increasing day by day in these changing dynamics.

Therefore, this book is of great interest to students, researchers, academician and scholars of defence and strategic studies, national security studies, peace and conflict studies, international relations, South and Southeast Asian studies as well as to policy makers and think tanks.

Dr Ashok Kumar is working as an Assistant Professor at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He is an alumnus of Defence and Strategic Studies, Punjabi University Patiala. He holds a Master degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Punjabi University Patiala and also qualified the UGC-NET and JRF. His broader research interests include issues related to International Relations/Diplomacy, National Security and Strategic Studies and Neighbourhood Studies. He has individually authored several research articles in reputed journals, magazines and edited books.

Contents

List of Tables, Figures and Maps

Preface xi

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

1. Introduction
2. Geo-strategic Significance of Myanmar and India-Myanmar Relations: A Historical View
3. Areas of Cooperation and Concern between India and Myanmar
4. Role of China in Myanmar and its Impact on Indian Security
5. Significance of India’s Look (Act) East Policy with Special Reference to BIMSTEC
6. Conclusion and the Way Forward
Selected Bibliography