India seeks sub-regional framework for faster mobility beyond borders

India is actively seeking to have a sub-regional framework at a faster pace for easy movement of people and products across borders in South and Southeast Asia.
To set the milestone for the integration for greater mobility, a four-nation motor- vehicle agreement is likely to be finalised soon.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) are the countries to tie in and implement the accord.
India is also trying to sign a similar pact with Myanmar and Thailand to widen the bloc.
Earlier at the SAARC Summit last year, a regional motor-vehicle pact was tabled but failed to get through due to opposition from Pakistan.
Under the BBIN framework, a sub-regional approach to integration of four countries, the proposed vehicle agreement will allow free movement of different types of cars across the borders.
Thus, there will be no need for loading and unloading products from trucks at any border points of any two countries. For example, a Nepalese truck can easily reach Chittagong port of Bangladesh by crossing over Indian land.
"Sub-regional approach will facilitate regional integration in the long run," said Bipul Chatterjee, deputy executive director of the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International, a Jaipur-based think tank.
"Besides BBIN, India is now trying to sign an agreement with Myanmar and Thailand for free movement of motor vehicles within these three countries," Mr Bipul told FE last week in Delhi.
"By this process, two sub-regional initiatives will ultimately turn into regional integration under BIMSTEC framework," he added.
The seven-member BIMSTEC groups Myanmar, Thailand and all SAARC countries but Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives.
Mr Bipul was of the view that regional- integration process under SAARC framework is very slow due to long-standing rivalry between India and Pakistan.
"Thus, it is better to move ahead with sub-regional approach and other countries could join in later," he continued. Last month, Anil Wadhwa, Secretary (east) of India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said to the Business Standard, an Indian newspaper: "We would like SAARC to move but if it doesn't move the way we want, we will focus on BBIN for the time being."
Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in New Delhi, believes sub-regional framework would be a 'win-win' deal for the countries.
"Bangladesh has greater interest in connecting with China and East Asia through the north-eastern part of India while India wants easy access to its north-east through Bangladesh," he told the FE last week on the sidelines of an event organised by CUTS in the Indian capital.
"We want to move ahead and see what benefits could be achieved," he added.
The Bangladeshi envoy in Delhi made it clear that sub-regional framework is not a new concept.
In the similar vein, Professor Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said BBIN is not a new or unique initiative rather outcome of a decades-long process.
"We have been talking for two decades on sub-regional cooperation and integration," he told FE about the merit of the latest paradigm of human progress.
"The four-nation motor-vehicle agreement will definitely help us to expand our trade. Bangladesh should make adequate investment to develop infrastructure to reap gains from the initiative."
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