For the last few months, China has tried hard to resolve the Rrohingya crisis in an attempt to increase its influence in Myanmar (and also in the Indian subcontinent). China’s game-plan has prompted India to make the same move, as the Narendra Modi government has requested Myanmar to bring Rohingyas (currently living in refugee camps in India and Bangladesh) back to Rakhine Province.
Indian Foreign Secretary Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited the South-east Asian country last week to sign an agreement on the development of Rakhine Province. In a statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) explained that Dr Jaishankar not only signed the accord, but also assured the Myanmarese social welfare minister that New Delhi would help Naypyidaw improve the socio-economic situation and standard of living in the troubled province.

Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

The MEA said in a statement: “This is intended to help the government of Myanmar achieve its objective of restoration of normalcy in Rakhine State and enable the return of displaced persons.”
Diplomats opine that the MEA is now desperate to pay for the mistake it had made. Prime Minister Modi did not mention the word ‘Rohingya’ during his visit to the neighbouring country in September. Instead, he tried to please the Myanmarese authorities by expressing concern over the security situation there. India has always been in anxiety because it thinks that it is important to please Myanmar or else the country will get closer to China.

Aung San Suu Kyi

However, Beijing – taking advantage of New Delhi’s policy of appeasement – has strengthened ties with both Myanmar and Bangladesh. China proposed Myanmar to declare ceasefire in Rakhine, to stop the Rohingyas from leaving the country and to bring the refugees back. The Asian giant said that it would arrange international assistance in order to eradicate poverty in Rakhine and (if necessary) would send financial help.
Analysts believe that Dr Jaishakkar’s diplomatic move is aimed at countering China’s growing influence in South Asian politics. During the visit, the Indian foreign secretary held separate meetings with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Union Minister in State Counsellor’s Office U Kyaw Tint Swe and Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye. “All matters relating to bilateral co-operation, including follow up on decisions taken during recent visit of the PM to Myanmar, as well as matters pertaining to Rakhine State were discussed during these meetings,” stressed the MEA.

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Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das