Why India plans to develop ports in South East Asia? By Denny Darmodihardjo
According toForbes, India is dominating the South Asian region despite the efforts of China to initiate large development plans in the region.But in reality, things are not as easy as it seemsfor India.China’s ambitious programs to connect Asia, Europe and Africa using roads and ports are becoming a bigger frustration for India. South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are in the hot zone of global trade and export. Therefore, they are attracted by China rather than India with lucrative development programs which might shift the control of South Asia in the hands of China.
Now,in this situation what should India do to establisha regional pre-eminence? The Indian response to tackle the Chinese programs is by building ports in the South East Asian region. The Aceh province of Indonesia is closer to the Indian Andaman and Nicobar islands and can be a prospective location for India to expanditsbusinesses in South East Asia. So, India decided to construct its maiden deep seaport in Acehand face-off China in development wars. Before we jump into the issue,let’s learn more about the history of Indo-China port hostilities and how they developedplans to controlAsia.
History of Indo-ChinaPort War
India became an independent nation from the British Empire in 1947. Since then, it faced many challenges untilbecomingarisingnation in the South Asian region. One of the major tests for Indiawas the Sino-Indian war which happened in 1962. India also confronted Pakistan many times, which is the major neighboring country. Apart from direct wars, India allowed China in the past to create an influence in South Asia through the construction of ports, roads and bridges due to the lack of technologies.
So the neutral position of India in the past helped China to set plans for the following ports in South Asia. These are –
• Gwadar deep seaport in Pakistan with $200 million investment for up-gradation of the port;
• Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka with $1.2 billion investment.
• Chittagong port in Bangladesh with $1.2 billion investment.
According to the studies conducted by researchers in the South Asian region, countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are permitting China to build maritime infrastructurestocreate abalance against the regional hegemony of India.
But, if we look in the past, India never responded against the situation by building new ports in the region. Hence, we can understand that the port war between China and India was one-sided and China dominated the circumstances using technological expertise with a considerable investment.
India’s response to Chinese domination in 2020
The beautiful South East Asian country Indonesia is one of the major competitors in the regional power race. With the help of another emerging power India, Indonesia can rise to a height in no time. So, both of these nations are becoming sensitive about China andwilling to create maritime cooperation. Inresponse to the current situation, India decided to build a deep seaport and economic zone inIndonesia. The location of the deep seaport will be in Subang which is at the mouth of the Malacca Strait. Indonesian President Joko Widodo is especially interested to develop infrastructures in Subang Island and Andaman region and happy to get investments from India. “Consequently, China might feel pressure due to India’s plan to develop ports in the East”, says Denny Darmodihardjo.
The current Indian government started a new policy called “Act East.” This policy will help India to create a stronger friendship with the South East Asian countries. To takeadvantage of the present relationship between China and other southeast countries, “Act East” should facilitate India with stronger economic activities in the region by constructing ports in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam.
Why ports in South East Asia?
During both war and peacetime, seaports always work as a center for trade, logistics and naval security. While China has its eyes on Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the plan of India to build ports in South East Asia can bring better fortunes for them.“The construction of ports in Indonesia and Vietnam can be marked as a positive achievement for India”, states Denny Darmodihardjo.Nevertheless, India can tackle any maritime threats from China in the South Asian region by using the ports in the area.
The availability of Indian goods in South East Asia is another reason why India is keen to create a footstep in the region. The Indian goods and services are popular in neighboring countries whereas South East Asian markets are yet to be captured. So, a safe passage of tradable goods can be ensured using the ports in the region.
Final Notes
India is in a position to make a shift in internationalpolitics. But the maritime influence of China must be diminished so that India can enjoy better results in the global trade. The plan of the Indian authorities to construct a new port in Subang can be a game-changer for both the economy and the military might of India. So we can hope that Asia will see a new superpower within a decade with thestronger presence in South East Asian maritime affairs.