Tripura conclave highlights importance of northeast region in developing India's relations with neighbours

The strategic position of the northeast region makes it an important factor in India's relations with its neighbouring countries, especially in the South-East Asia.

Recently, Tripura hosted a conclave to discuss the region's importance in the look east policy and the progress of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation (BCIM), a sub-regional organization of Asian nations that aims at greater integration of trade and investment.

Foreign delegates, diplomats and business leaders came together at this conclave.

Experts discussed about India's Look East policy which can be used extensively for promoting economic activity, especially in the northeast region.

The delegates also discussed the BCIM economic corridor, a proposed land route connecting India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China that will open up investment opportunities for the northeast, especially Tripura.

"Having so many very important countries as your neighbour is a matter of opportunity for the northeast. Because northeast has certain innate weaknesses, like the infrastructure and the kind of economic base that it has currently. So to break out of this and to attain prosperity I think further integration, economic integration with countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and at some point china, this is going to be very important," said Alok Sen, Former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar.

Bangladesh's former foreign minister Dipu Moni highlighted the importance of northeast region for strengthening the economic and bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh.

She laid emphasis on vast scope for mutual investments and people-to-people contact and highlighted the importance of Bangladesh in providing sea access to India's landlocked northeast region.

Dipu Moni also assured that the Bangladesh government will continue the crackdown on the Northeast insurgent groups operating in their territory.

"The government of Sheikh Hasina is very clear when it comes to countering terrorism. We have repeatedly said and we have acted accordingly that we will not let our land to be used for any kind of terrorist activity and we will not allow anyone to use our land to launch any kind of attack on our neighbours," Moni said.

India is strongly pushing forward its vision to have strong bilateral ties with South-east Asia.

It will help boost economic activities in the northeast region.