Random thoughts

Oh, my dear complicated love

Simplify, simplify, simplify….

Your lofty ideals of sensitivity

Please do descend to where ordinary man mate ordinary woman….

US-China

Editorial: Dalai Lama's Visit -- US-China ties unaffected

March 02, 2010

Central Chronicle (India)
February 28, 2010

Recently, there have been more than adequate
media spotlight on the strained relationship
between the United States and China. The two
countries have been sparring on various issues,
ranging from internet censorship, human rights,
US arms sale to Taiwan and over the contentious
issue of currency rates. President Barack Obama's
visit to Beijing last year created much bonhomie,
giving some sleepless nights to Indian strategic
circles. But the difference of perspectives and
policy that surround Sino-American relations are here to stay.

Apart from the aforementioned issues, the US and
China have serious differences over the diffusion
of the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issue.
Now, add to this the US President's recent
meeting with the Tibetan exiled spiritual leader
the Dalai Lama and we have a picture-perfect
recipe highlighting the cracks widening in US-China relations.

Though America does not refute that Tibet is a
part of China, it nevertheless supports the
integrity and ethos of the non-violent and
pro-democracy struggle being led by the Dalai
Lama. But, the Chinese government on the other
hand, sees the Dalai Lama, as a trouble-maker and
a separatist leader ought to negate China's
sovereignty and split its unity. As such, Beijing
has been very categorical and adamant in
objecting to any US President meeting the Tibetan
leader. It regards it as an official support to
the Tibetan separatist movement and has time and
again threatened that such a gesture would be
seen as directed against the sovereignty of China
and would invite serious repercussions.

Now, the big question is: Would the meeting
between President Obama and the Dalai Lama
necessarily destabilize US-China relations? The
answer: "Not really". Chinese outrages against
any American overture towards the Tibetan leader
and corresponding American denial of Chinese
threats and pressures has become too
characteristic of the bilateral relationship.
President Obama knew that a meeting with the
Dalai Lama is an important menu in the itinerary
of America's commitment to human right issues.


He has already procrastinated on the quite
imminent meeting. Ahead of his last year visit to
China; the US President had reportedly persuaded
Tibetan representatives then to postpone the
meeting with the Dalai Lama. This time around,
Obama exactly knew what he was up to. The
reaction was swift with the Chinese Foreign
Ministry saying, "The US act grossly violated the
norms governing international relations."
According to the Chinese government, the meeting
contradicted US commitments to recognize China's
sovereignty over Tibet and refrain from
supporting separatist forces. But these
allegations are not new. The Dalai Lama has met
with every US president since George H.W. Bush in
1991 and these meetings attracted ire from the Chinese government.

So, there is no reason to expect that the recent
niceties provided to the Dalai Lama by the Obama
Administration are going to seriously rock the
boat of Sino-American bilateral relations. It is
true that the controversy has come at a wrong
time when the relationship is already strained
over a number of issues, but then US-China
relations have never been easy, and not very
friendly either. The relationship can rather be
characterized as a marriage of convenience and
has withstood a number of more volatile differences.

The symbolic welcome and respect given to the
preservation of Tibet's cultural identity and the
protection of their human rights cannot, in
practical estimates, derail the highly entrenched
US-China relations. Talking of estimates and
statistics, the economic linkages is tightly knit
by $366 billion worth of mutual trade and $755
billion in Chinese-held US Treasury bills. As
such, the rhetoric and aggressive statements have
become routine fodder given to the media and
stand no chances of drastically impacting the
course of the relationship. In fact, the absence
of such aggression from the Chinese government
and the failure of the US government to bypass
them would make them look out of character.

The Obama administration has had a tough time
dealing with the Chinese side, especially after
the US plan to sell arms worth $ 6.4 billion to
Taiwan and China's rebuff of President Obama's
call to strengthen the Chinese currency. The US
establishment was quite aware and cautious of
what was in store after the Dalai Lama-Obama
meeting and as such, the whole programme was
designed to tone down the official significance
of the proceedings, and lend a more casual feel.
The US President met with the Tibetan spiritual
leader in the Map Room, which is part of the
residence at the White House, and not in the Oval
Office. The economics of the US-China
relationship has always overshadowed all other
issues and the near future will be no different.

American responses to human rights violations in
the Chinese mainland have been lukewarm at best,
and have never really threatened to jeopardize
the larger political and economic linkages. The
Tibetan spiritual leader seemed content after the
meeting and commented that he wasn't frustrated
about the pace of progress for autonomy in Tibet.
Asked how Obama can help Tibet, the Dalai Lama
said, "time will tell."Many analysts are of the
opinion that the bilateral ties will sustain the current differences.

It is worthwhile remembering that amid all the
ticklish issues that now surround the
relationship, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and
four other U.S. warships recently anchored in
Hong Kong, where more than 5,000 sailors will get
shore leave. In 2007, China had prevented the USS
Kitty Hawk from visiting the city, showing
Chinese displeasure at President George W. Bush
meeting the Dalai Lama and presenting him with
the Congressional Gold Medal. Although Beijing
belatedly approved the port-call, the fleet had
already turned back. The point is that both the
countries cannot afford to lose the track and
jeopardize the economic symbiosis that exists.

According to Douglas Paal of the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, "U.S. exports
are zooming to China. It's the largest export
market for the U.S. -- largest growing export
market for the U.S. It grew 65 per cent this past
year alone." In spite of disagreements about the
Dalai Lama and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, neither
China nor the US, Paal says, can afford a major
falling out. As per a recently-conducted national
CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, nearly
three-quarters of all Americans think Tibet
should be an independent country. But at the same
time, the poll indicates that most Americans
think it is more important to maintain good
relations with China than to take a stand on Tibet.

Visits of the Dalai Lama are always under the
Chinese government's scanner and they have a
perpetual displeasure towards other countries
receiving the exiled leader. Though, any
reception given to the Dalai Lama often ignites
heated diplomatic rhetoric, it has seldom led to
the Chinese government jeopardizing its economic
interest. In the final analysis, it is business
as usual in US-China relations and one should not
read too much into the implications of President
Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama. The
diplomatic rhetoric and the heated exchange of
statements are rather routine affair to keep dissenting voices in control.

Monish Tourangbam, INFA

Meet on Afghanistan

The Arunachal Times

16 February 2010

Features

Meet on Afghanistan

Wrong timing, cosmetic pledges

By Monish Tourangbam

Another cosmetic, detail-starved international conference on Afghanistan came to an end. The escapist mindset of the NATO countries almost amounts to sending a congratulatory note to the resurgent Taliban. With an exit plan being consented to by the war-fatigued nations, the insurgents knows that time is on their side and that they just have to hang on and wait for the foreign forces to leave.

The whole debate on “Good Taliban Vs Bad Taliban” and the plan to buy off elements of the Taliban willing to desert comes at a wrong juncture when the insurgents seem convinced that they are winning the war. It would have seemed more plausible in case the coalition forces were winning convincingly on the battlefield and affected a favorable opinion from the local populace towards their presence. This is certainly not the case.

The communiqué of the conference focusing on securing, stabilizing and developing Afghanistan, largely hinged on the vague idea of striking deals with the so-called “Good Taliban”. The principle element of success of the conference lies on a false assumption that many of the Taliban foot-soldiers join the insurgency out of economic compulsions. This is a simplified view, deliberately put forth to justify the strategy of reintegration.

The problem is much more complex, rooted in morphed versions of history and religion. A short-sighted vision to hastily pull down the curtains on the counter-insurgency operations would seriously derail the country into another era of xenophobia and fanatical religious conservatism. The facts on the ground indicate that the insurgency has gained the upper hand in recent times, and the Karzai government which came back to power in a fraud-tainted election is in a precarious condition. It stands accused of high-level corruption, of fostering ties with regional warlords to cling to power.

President Karzai finds himself in a pitiful position, not yet able to conjure up a cabinet acceptable by the national parliament. The Taliban strikes different parts of the country, including the capital, with impunity. Add to this the disdain for the foreign forces which seem to be spreading among the local populace. The insurgents are in high-spirits for forcing the coalition army to war-fatigue and the buying-off strategy is not meant for an opposition who is confident of winning the war. For such a strategy to work, the Taliban have to be subdued in the battlefield to an extent where deserting might seem an attractive option for large sections of the cadres, not when the insurgents feel that the foreign forces are on the run and compelled to exit. Indeed, according to US intelligence estimates, the Taliban now has shadow governments in 33 of the 34 provinces, raising questions over the entire strategy of motivating the Taliban to reintegrate.

Keeping in mind its domestic audiences, the Obama administration has given a timeframe to start the withdrawal process but at the same time, decided for a troop surge and increased commitment from other NATO countries. But, nations are clearly strained. For instance, two days before the London summit, Germany, the third largest contributor to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, announced an increase of only 500 extra soldiers plus a so-called "flexible reserve" force of 350 deployable at short notice — far fewer than Washington had hoped for. Moreover, the emphasis is on training Afghan forces rather than engaging in frontline fighting.

If the strategy revolves around providing job opportunities to the insurgents who decide to come under the government’s wing, then the process seems wistful as of now. High Unemployment levels remain one of the basic issues in Afghanistan. The government, with assistance from other countries cannot create enough job opportunities for normal hard-working citizens. So, are the jobs waiting for these “good insurgents” to convert and re-enter civil society?

There is no clarity yet as to how the government or for that matter the international community would manufacture opportunities for these young men who seem just “fine” in their present “avatars”, giving foreign forces hard times in the mountainous country. Now, if the plan is to pay free-cheques to the Taliban deserters, then what is the back-up plan in case they decide to go back and join their brothers after exercising their rights to some easy legitimate money? The reintegration process, without due monitoring, also runs the risk of jeopardizing the whole purpose. The plan may also become an easy springboard for Taliban cadres to infiltrate the Afghan national army.

Improving the Afghan forces to take over the security of the country in a phased manner was one of the highlights. But, the presence and influence of the government is highly limited with the Taliban ruling the roosts in major parts and even the local populace seems to highly discredit the government machineries. Add to this the menace of the drug money and addiction, and we have a post-card chaos and utter failure of governance. Hardly any substantial effort has been spelled out towards mitigating these issues. The conference concentrated on quick-fixing the fractures with some half-cooked ideas, to enable the western countries to have a face-saving exit. In late 2009 it was estimated that 10,000 out of the 94,000 Afghan soldiers, who had been trained so far had simply disappeared. Besides, 15 per cent of the Afghan army, and up to 60 per cent of the Afghan police in Helmand province, are estimated to be drug addicts.

As the return of Taliban looks more plausible with plans to strike deals with the “Good Taliban”, Afghan women are on their toes, fearing that their hard-won freedom is in jeopardy. Even as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledged the concerns, she could at best offer a diplomatic soothing balm that the Taliban have to abide by the conditions of the peace deal. As fear and concern mounts of the impending danger, the Afghan government failed to include even one woman in its delegation to London. When Orsana Ashraf, founder, Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan, lobbied officials to ask for women's views to be properly represented, she got a curt response: “this isn't ladies' business; this is about security."

India, a major victim of terrorism that has categorically refused to swallow the idea of “Good Taliban Vs Bad Taliban” was clearly sidelined in the international conference. Yet again, the world community, spearheaded by the US and the UK, bought Islamabad’s bargain that it could help strike a deal with the Taliban. Pakistan which helped bring about the Taliban in the 90s, now sells itself as the panacea of the disease, and the Obama administration seems content on consenting as long as it delivers some myopic foreign policy objectives. The prospects of any positive development look grim in the event of a hasty withdrawal and an eventual Taliban takeover duly sustained by the Pakistani military. In overlooking India’s soft diplomacy and its contribution to the Afghan reconstruction, the international community is setting a bad precedent in world politics, where force is often the most preferred option. ---INFA

Unfinished Mortals

We ARE……. Nothing but Unfinished mortals…. Sketchy, Hazy, Indistinct, Unkempt Portraits------- Yet we are unruly, fiercely independent and dangerous beauties, no longer under the Holy Scepter of the Painter. Thoughts shaped and shaping thoughts, Ideas that build and Ideas that kill, no longer owned and created but Colors and Hues, some meticulously added----some splashed across….out of the Painter’s Hand, the scepter snatched by the Painting. Who was the subject of the portrait, the painted? ------ On whose image did the mortals get this Life? -----Rebellion of the created…. The Painting persists….the Painter in oblivion, the created creates in His own Image------ colors washed-----Re-splashed. THE PAINTING persists---unfinished mortals multiplying Own Image-------

ARUNACHAL TIMES

FEB 1, 2010

FEATURES

US Defence Secy’s Visit

Confidence-building mission

By Monish Tourangbam

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates’ recently-concluded official trip to India and neighbouring Pakistan can be summed up as a confidence-building exercise, notwithstanding the two destinations are in different stages of growth and share a different relationship with the United States. While India is being projected as one of the fastest growing economies and an emerging major player in the international arena, Pakistan is largely seen as a country on the brink of implosion, under attack from the same sinister groups that it helped nurture. India is recognized as a responsible nuclear-armed country showing utmost restraint even in the wake of a catastrophe like 26/11.

On the other hand, the picture of Pakistan is complex. It seems to be bearing the brunt of major terrorist attacks on its soil but at the same time has been accused of being reluctant to fight sections of the insurgents, particularly those with the intention to harm Indian interests. Moreover, concerns have been expressed that the conditions in Pakistan are not conducive for the safety and security of its nuclear weapons, with fear mounting of the weapons falling into terrorists’ hands. Thus, the nature and the purpose of the visits to India and Pakistan were different but on the whole could be seen as confidence-building measures on both sides of the border.

The US is involved with India and Pakistan at different planes and the nature of the relationship is dictated by the importance that both the countries hold in America’s engagement in the region. India and the US experienced a thaw in their relations during the closing years of the Clinton Administration, significantly taken forward during the Bush Administration. Otherwise discredited for his misadventures, George W. Bush helped open up an international platform for India in the form of the Indo-US nuclear deal and the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG)-waiver.

These diplomatic milestones entailed increased defence trade, military exercises and the importance accorded to India in the Asian and international scheme of things. In a way, the Bush Administration was successful in highlighting and concentrating on the points of convergence and tone down irritants. In recent times, President Obama’s succession brought some concerns in the Indian diplomatic circles, with highlight accorded to non-proliferation goals. Moreover, in view of the economic ties between the US and China, the Obama Administration went to the extent of hinting at a prospective Chinese role in the Indian subcontinent. Any overt tilt towards Beijing, particularly in matters concerning the South Asian region is sure to ignite serious concerns in New Delhi.

But, efforts made to dispel the misunderstandings have yielded results. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s India visit last July was a significant step in this effort. The visit, coming after much negative speculations, managed to infuse a lot of positive energy. Besides signing official agreements, Secretary Clinton engaged in public diplomacy meeting people from across wide areas of interests. Then, the icing on the cake came in the form of the State welcome given to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House and the extra mile that President Obama walked to dispel the fears and misconceptions on the Indian side.

In the context of these developments, the Gates’ visit assumes importance as a way to further cement the relationship and keep the channels open. This is the first high-level visit from the US administration in the New Year and the also the first after the Singh’s state visit to Washington. It is also being seen as a spade-work before the upcoming visit by President Obama. The US Defence Secretary chose to recognize India’s controlled resilience after the Mumbai attacks but amplified the sinister network that was ought to disturb peace in the region. He commented that New Delhi’s patience could be limited in the event of a similar attack in future, thus calling attention to the need for jointly tackling the terror nexus operating from Afghanistan-Pakistan.

The visit also culminated in the American proposal to New Delhi to sign the Communications Inter-Operability and Security Memorandum of Understanding (CISMOA) and the Logistic Supplies Agreement (LSA). These agreements, if realized according to the US administration would entail better access to American high technology. The visiting Secretary assured that the advantages that India would get from these agreements would be spelt out in detail. In short, the LSA leads to provision of air and sea ports to each other on reciprocal basis and the CISMOA will provide for sharing of information by enabling an easier interface between the militaries of the two countries.

India is reluctant to sign them and as emphasized by the Defence Minister AK Antony, New Delhi would consider entering into the pacts only after weighing the pros and cons. The Defence Minister also expressed India’s concerns regarding the denial of export licenses to various defence-related purchases. Nevertheless, the defence ties between the two countries are burgeoning. Reflecting this, there are talks of supply of several military equipment including C-17 transport aircraft, artillery guns and US companies are bidding for Indian defence contracts for $9 billion 126 multi-role combat aircraft.

Pakistan has time and again served as the frontline state for the United States engagement in the region as a result of its geostrategic location, either against Communism or Terrorism. This was made easier by Pakistan’s willingness to compromise for the sake of building its military infrastructure against arch-enemy India. Pakistan is an indispensable part of the American campaign in Afghanistan, much depending on how the Pakistani army fights the “terror womb” in its western border.

A large part of the Pakistan visit was devoted to ensuring its public and the establishment that the US was committed to bringing peace and security to the region, that it would not abandon the region as it did in the past when the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989. Concerns have risen since President Obama’s decision to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan by July 2011. There has been visible and rising anti-Americanism in Pakistan amid the increasing drone attacks in militant hideouts of Pakistan. There have been an unprecedented number of attacks following a deadly militant attack on a CIA base in Afghanistan, December last year.

During his stay in Pakistan, Gates engaged in vigorous public diplomacy including television interviews and a newspaper op-ed in an effort to drive the point that the Americans were engaged in fighting a common enemy. He emphasized that the Indian involvement in Afghanistan was entirely focused on developmental efforts and should not be a cause of worry for Pakistan. He contended that the Pakistan army should focus on fighting the imminent danger on its western border dismissing the perceptions of threat from the Indian border.

The Pakistan army has often been wanting in its commitment to fight groups that do not pose a direct threat to its State, and this is exactly where the Obama Administration needs to convince the Pakistani establishment. Such double standards adopted by the Pakistani army and intelligence has resulted in sinister terror campaigns against India, thus derailing bilateral relations and nipping in the bud any chances of stability. --- INFA

Years Before and After

These are probably the first lines of a new year that almost feels like the year before, which seemed like the one before it. Something must have changed for sure, from within and from without. I am sure of this but been never sure of what really changed. Do I love to do the things that gave me joy in the year before? But, do I even know what made me happy the year before and the one before that? Monotony is my biggest foe. There are lots to be done but actually, I do not do anything. I just work. I lose count of so many things these days or do I care to even look back. I often think of adventure, but hit a dead road woke up by the first rays of sunlight forcing through my windows. I love the mist in the morning, for they keep me dreaming, I often sleep with my mouth wide opened in the public transport. Oh? I love dreaming, they raise me like the clouds that move so majestically taking whatever form you can imagine. But, then I am often awakened by a crowd of prying eyes trying to look into my open mouth. Damn, I am embarrassed. But, then I look out of the window to a sultry winter morning and dream of the next day’s dream.

The Limitless Joy of an Unbounded Religion

The Limitless Joy of an Unbounded Religion

As I put down my pen and wake up from the flight of imagined wings, I feel an immense pride to fancy myself as the child of a religion that knows no bounds, that defines nothing. As I look up at the pantheon of this religion, I wonder if anyone who lived and died putting the bricks of its divine pillars ever tried to define it. I wish if I knew if they did but maybe, they surely knew that definition often ends up dividing and poetry has never divided. Poetry has no peculiarity, no bounded identities but an endless horizon where every mortal’s dream can be fulfilled without ever drowning another dream. It is a pantheon of the greatest poem ever – the falling, clinging, bursting, struggling earth but yet a thriving and beautiful earth. It is the abode of the greatest poet. And He has a place for all who have the integrity, devotion and the purity of worshipping poetry; for nothing compares the joy and divinity of creation for in creation, we redeem our being.

The Central Chronicle, Bhopal

Mending India-Bangladesh ties

Category » Editorial Posted On Monday, January 25, 2010

The manner in which Bangladesh 's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina brushed aside criticism of her good rapport with New Delhi is a sign of good things to come in India-Bangladesh relations. It was a long-awaited visit coming almost a year after she donned the premier post early last year. When the Hasina led-Awami League won a landslide election, the news was greeted with much hope because the party has been known to value regional cooperation, particularly good relations with neighbour India. The Opposition spearheaded by Khaleda Zia led Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami criticized the Hasina government of surrendering the country's national interests to India . But, Hasina slammed the critics saying, Bangladesh "in this day and age cannot remain with doors closed." This determined statement sealed the intention of her government to mend ties with its larger neighour. Now, the renovation work has to be carried out most earnestly and in the mutual interest of both the sides. The recent visit was being keenly watched as the electoral win of the Awami League was hailed as the return of secularism and democracy to the nation plagued with inter-party rivalries and religious radicalism. In recent times, an initiation seems to have been ushered in to better assess the relations between the neighbours in the light of the changing times, and not let unsettled issues mar development prospects. As such, the visit had been seen as an important step towards taking the ties out of the dark clouds of mistrust and confidence deficit. A lot of positive energy generated out the meetings between the leaders and important strides were made in different areas of cooperation. The Bangladeshi PM called on all the important leaders of the Indian establishment. No stones were left unturned to make it known that India saw a lot of potentials and opportunities in PM Hasina's tenure. She was conferred with the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for peace, disarmament and development for 2009. True to all expectations, the high-level visit has managed to wipe out the cold vibes of the past. It has been a defining moment with the range of issues that the agreements have touched and the meeting of minds on a number of thorny issues erstwhile hindering the inertia of relations. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart on a wide range of regional and bilateral issues. In a single stroke, a literal facelift has been given to the bilateral ties between the two nations. Emphasizing its commitment and sincerity to assist Bangladesh in its developmental activities, New Delhi has extended $1 billion line of credit for development projects in the neighbouring country. It is the largest ever one-time bilateral financial assistance India has provided to any country. " India stands ready to be a full and equal partner in the realization of your vision of social change and economic development for Bangladesh," said Manmohan Singh. Zero-tolerance for terrorism and to jointly fight against terror in all its manifestation was of paramount importance, with the Bangladeshi leader assuring her Indian counterpart that the Bangladeshi territory will not be used for anti-India activities by insurgents from the northeastern States. This issue is of utmost concern to India 's security condition and has been enduring piece of the interactions. Other vital issues of mutual concern discussed during the meetings were sharing of river waters, the resolution of the maritime border dispute, the promotion of bilateral trade and new steps to increase rail and road links between the two countries. The proceedings resulted into three treaties being signed on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, mutual transfer of convicted prisoners, and cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, organized crime and illegal drug trafficking. Counter-terrorism efforts would be majorly expanded and enhanced as a result of these pacts since New Delhi will have to be better enabled to press Dhaka for the extradition of suspected insurgents from its northeastern States who have taken shelter in Bangladeshi territory over the years. In previous regimes, the issue of sheltering of insurgents from northeastern India has created a host of mistrust between the two sides and any progress mitigating this concern will serve as a confidence building measure. Often personal relationships and the shared memories of cooperation and mutual understanding help steer diplomacy in a positive way. The Awami League and the Congress share abundance of goodwill and respect for each other reflected in the ease with which some important milestones have been covered. The outcome has been duly assisted by some good spadework done before the visit. Bangladesh 's Foreign Minister Dipu Moni had visited India in September last year. This was followed by the visit from Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to Dhaka November last year seriously deliberating with her Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammed Mijarul Quayes on some of the issues to be covered during Hasina's visit later. In an unmistakable sign of a new chapter in India-Bangladesh ties and showing the increasing confidence on each other, New Delhi agreed to allow rail transit from Bangladesh to Nepal and Bhutan , thus acceding to a demand long-sought by Dhaka . The two sides also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on expanding power cooperation that will include building inter-grid connectivity. They signed another pact on enhancing cultural cooperation and people-to-people contacts. India agreed to supply 250 MW of electricity through its central grid. The visit also secured important efforts to improve connectivity and commerce, including decisions to start the Akhaura-Agartala rail link and declare Asughat in Bangladesh and Silghat in India as ports of call, with Bangladesh also allowing Indian access to the Mongla and Chittagong sea ports for economic purposes. It was agreed to remove non-trade barriers and India showed its intention to prune further its negative list of items Bangladesh can export to India . Bangladesh also invited India to construct a flyover across Tin Bigha Corridor for exclusive Indian use. Both sides agreed to address all boundary issues in the spirit of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and to amicably demarcate the maritime boundary noting the initiation of proceedings at the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Regarding the ticklish issue of the Indian plan to construct a dam over Barak River in Manipur in the northeastern region, India reassured that it will do nothing to jeopardize Bangladesh 's interest. As is evident from the range of issues and agreements reached on some of the most pressing issues between the two nations, astrology forecasts a good future ahead. But, it is also true that sections of Bangladeshi politics are up in arms against India . So, the road ahead is not easy for both the establishments. The agreements signed and the promises should be carried forward cementing the need for each other. India , with its overwhelming presence in South Asia should walk the extra mile to assuage Bangladesh that all new developments would be carried forward on the basis of mutual interest and consent. Monish Tourangbam, -INFA