Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Saturday that India needs to keep a close watch on the emerging situation in Myanmar where China is making further inroads after international sanctions were imposed on the country after the military coup in February.
Speaking at a webinar on ‘Opportunities and Challenges in North East India’, Gen Rawat said, “The BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) of China to build roads, rails, and energy corridors is bound to get further impetus with the sanctions on Myanmar.
He also said that the return of normalcy in Myanmar would augur well for the region, especially India, because of the historical and cultural linkage between the two countries. “The northeast region of India, which is connected to the rest of the country by the narrow chicken neck, is of immense geostrategic significance, especially in the backdrop of China having mischievously set eyes on the region,” he said.
He also mentioned the emergence of Rohingya refugees as another concern for the region and other security concerns for India like insurgent activity, illegal migration, and drug trafficking due to porous borders in the northeast.
He said, “Vigilant and alert central and state security forces, augmented by regional and international diplomatic-military cooperation, will be crucial in keeping up with these security challenges.”
