It is crucial that, while implementing India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, voices from the Northeast and eastern parts of the country must be heard.
What does the East want?
Targeting the issue of Insurgency: The security conditions have improved in Manipur but core issues behind the insurgency have remained unresolved and it needs attention.
Contrast in security assessments: Official perspective prioritizes insurgent activity, the influx of refugees, etc, whereas local communities have concern over the insensitive handling of those engaged in lawful exchanges with the neighboring countries.
Increasing Proximity: Visualising Indo-pacific as the outer circle of the Bay of Bengal is going to be significant. Therefore member-states need to invest more in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).