Poor connectivity, one of the biggest obstacles to India's Act East policy, is set to improve with the introduction of direct flights between Indian and Southeast Asian cities.
On October 3, Indigo will launch its first direct flight between Kolkata and Ho Chi Minh City, which will be followed by non-stop flights between Hanoi and Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City and Delhi by VietJet Air two months later, said Nguyen Le Thanh, Vietnam's deputy chief of mission to New Delhi. She was speaking at a seminar on India and Southeast Asia's cultural connect.
As India look towards nations on the other side of the Bay of Bengal for its engagements, the issue of poor connectivity with these countries has come to the forefront.
In fact, even with Myanmar, the only country in the regional grouping Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with whom India shares extensive land and maritime borders, connectivity is rather poor. There are roads between the Northeastern states and Myanmar, but air links are pot. The Myanmarese Ambassador to India, Moe Kyaw Aung, therefore, appreciated the new flight by Indigo from Kolkata to Yangon soon.
India has ambitious plans of super highways with its eastern neighbours. The India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway is one such initiative, but its progress has been slow. The highway is projected to be ready by the year end. With subsequent extension of the road link to Cambodia-Laos and Vietnam Kaladan Multimodal Project, India hopes to build robust communication links with these nations.
Ironically, trade links with Southeast Asia, mostly maritime, led to the spread of Indian culture and religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, all travelled to Southeast Asia from India). While in modern times, India's focus was more directed towards the West.
As part of the Act East policy, India is also engaging as a development partner with the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle. The aim, said Vikram Doraiswami, joint secretary, ministry of external affairs (Bangladesh-Myanmar and Indo Pacific divisions) was to connect the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with places like Sumatra.
