On Wednesday 26 Sep 2007 1:04 am, Thaths wrote: > Following the recent protests in Burma, I am seeing references to > Chinese and Indian trade / economic interests in Burma. What are > India's economic interests in Burma?
Offhand, I can say a few things about Myanmar. India "traditionally' followed its usual path of not being sympathetic to military governments and geopolitically "lost the initiative" to China which had no such moral compunctions. This has been changing of late and India is doing deals with Myanmar. Reasons for doing deals with Myanmar include the belated realization that China has set up electronic listening posts in Myanmar and might get a Naval base in Myanmar. Other strong reasons to deal with the Myanmar junta are the strongholds for insurgents and rebels in Myanmar. There is also the old issue of Heroin trade and the newer issue of Chinese sponsored Myanmarese nuclear plants which served as safe haven for a few Pakistani nuclear scientists while the Pakistani nuclear Wal-Mart scandal was coveerd up with appropriate window dressing. India of course is interested in Myanmarese gas and oil exploration. Of late India has supplied some hand-me down military equipment (mostly non-lethal stuff) to Myanmar in exchange for cooperation with other issues. China is Myanmar's main military supplier. (Note that the US and China are the main military suppliers to Pakistan) There has been talk of a railway line linking India to Thailand which will have to pass though Myanmar. shiv
